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Electronic letters published:
![[Read Comment]](/icons/misc/sectionDOWN.gif){kind=icon}
CBPR and PBRNs: Methodologies for exploring primary care
Recommended Reading in Community Based Participatory Research
Essential Learning for Community-based Researchers
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David S. Meyers, Rockville, MD Medical Officer / Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Like Dr. de Gruy, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality sees Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) as an emerging methodology which will help us as a community of researchers address some of the most important challenges in health, healthcare and healthcare research (1). It was with great interest that I dug into this issue’s article by the team from the University of New Mexico and the members of their community advisory board (2). Kudos to this team for sharing their experience with us and to the Annals of Family Medicine for recognizing the important contribution this paper makes to the field. I echo the comments of others who have written before me that everyone should take the time to explore the rich on-line appendices that accompany this paper. For the past several years, AHRQ has required that all applicants for funding under our primary care practice-based research network initiatives have a community advisory board. In the future, in my work with PBRNs, I plan to share with them this article and its appendices. The lessons learned by the team in considering mental health are applicable to most if not all aspects of primary care research. Additionally, while the experience the team describes concerns a research training program, the results speak directly to the work of all of us learning in PBRNs. Everyone interested in exploring the potential of CBPR should consider reviewing AHRQ’s 2004 evidence report on CBPR as well as two new funding announcements by the US federal government: AHRQ Evidence Report “Community Based Participatory Research”: http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/tp/cbprtp.htm Community Participation in Research (PAR-05-026): http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-05-026.html NCMHD Community Participation in Health Disparities Intervention Research (RFA-MD-05-002): http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-MD-05-002.html I think we can all look forward to learning more from this team as they move beyond their initial efforts to establish ground rules for partnership between the community and the academy and into collaborative research projects designed to discover and apply new knowledge. 1. Frank de Gruy, III Depression Research in Primary Care: Pushing the field forward Ann Fam Med. 2005;3:3-6 2. Chené R, García L, Goldstrom M, et al. Mental health research in primary care: mandates from a community advisory board. Ann Fam Med. 2005;3:70–72 Competing interests: None declared |
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Ann C. Macaulay, Montreal, Canada Professor of Family Medicine
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I strongly second Frank de Gruy’s editorial comments (1) and his recommendations to absolutely read this article on community based participatory research (CBPR), and the accompanying appendix where everyone can hear the voices and insights of the members of this community advisory board. Many congratulations to Chené et al for their foresight in documenting their experiences to teach junior faculty about CBPR. In addition to adding to the overall CBPR literature, this is one of the early papers documenting the profound knowledge, expertise and experiences of a community advisory board, and how research projects are strengthened by their commitment. Many thanks to the Annals for publishing this article, which will help to promote this research methodology. Like de Gruy (1) I am convinced that this methodology is a core strategy for improving primary health care research. The recent NIH call for proposals in CBPR is strong indication of new funding available to support such research http://www.niehs.nih.gov/translat/cbpr/cbpr.htm Thanks should also go to NAPCRG, one of the supporting organizations of this journal, whose leaders in the mid-nineties, including Professor Carol Herbert of the previous letter, had the foresight to promote the development of this research methodology through the NAPCRG research policy on CBPR. References 1. Frank de Gruy, III Depression Research in Primary Care: Pushing the Field Forward Ann Fam Med 2005; 3:3-6 2. Macaulay AC, Gibson N, Freeman W, Commanda L, McCabe M, Robbins C, Twohig P. Responsible Collaboration with Communities: Participatory Research in Primary Care. A Policy Statement for the North American Primary Care Research Group 1998. www.napcrg.org/exec.html Competing interests: None declared |
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Carol P. Herbert, London, Ontario, Canada Professor, Family Medicine and Dean, Schulich school of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry
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The article by Chene and colleagues on Mental Health Research in Primary Care is a wonderful example of participatory research in and of itself. Howard Waitzkin has analyzed transcripts of the presentations made by advisory committee members who represent important community organizations including patient advocacy groups, 'member-checked' the themes that emerged, and then a paper was prepared with all team members as authors. This is an example of respectful research that honours the different contributions and the expertise of individuals. Board members gave excellent advice to all of us who would do participatory research, but some elements apply more broadly to any research done in communities. Community-based advocacy groups should be included in the list of who receives research results of any research done in communities. Historical issues affect all research done in communities, impacting on feasibility as well as results. Those who educate researchers in community-based as well as CBPR should consider utilizing a similar group of community advisers to ensure that their important advice is heard. Competing interests: None declared |
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