Moving the Frontiers Forward: Incorporating Community-Based Participatory Research Into Practice-Based Research Networks

Ann C. Macaulay; Paul A. Nutting

doi:10.1370/afm.509

Published eLetters

If you would like to comment on this article, click on Submit a Response to This article, below. We welcome your input.

Submit a Response to This Article

Compose eLetter

Title *

Author Information

Contributors
First Name and Middle Initial * First or given name, e.g. 'Peter'. Last Name * Your last, or family, name, e.g. 'MacMoody'. Email Address * Your email address, e.g. higgs-boson@gmail.com Occupation * Your role and/or occupation, e.g. 'Orthopedic Surgeon'. Affiliation * Your organization or institution (if applicable), e.g. 'Royal Free Hospital'.

Statement of Competing Interests

Competing interests? *

Yes

Please describe the competing interests

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

What code is in the image? *

Enter the characters shown in the image.

Vertical Tabs

Jump to comment:

Community-Based Participatory Research: Reciprocal Dialogue
Syed M. Ahmed, MD, DrPH

Published on: 27 February 2006

Published on: (27 February 2006)
Page navigation anchor for Community-Based Participatory Research: Reciprocal Dialogue
Community-Based Participatory Research: Reciprocal Dialogue
Syed M. Ahmed, MD, DrPH, Milwaukee, USA
This editorial1 addressed a significant issue of incorporating Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) into Practice-Based Research Networks (PBRN), thus expanding the frontiers of research in family medicine.
Overall, I am very much in agreement with the message of the editorial but, I would like to make few brief comments:
• We like to encourage PBRN researchers to be interested in CBPR process...
Show More

This editorial1 addressed a significant issue of incorporating Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) into Practice-Based Research Networks (PBRN), thus expanding the frontiers of research in family medicine.
Overall, I am very much in agreement with the message of the editorial but, I would like to make few brief comments:
• We like to encourage PBRN researchers to be interested in CBPR process, but for the right reason. CBPR is based on “trust” between community and academia. Communities would be interested to partner with any academics including PBRN researchers, if it is done for the “right” reason. It can not be because it is the new fad in the field of research, or that funders are interested in CBPR process. In other words, let us not invite community, if we do not have space on our table. The level of power sharing may vary2 but “power” need to be shared. Macaulay and Nutting appropriately referenced key principles of CBPR, but for a PBRN researcher venturing into the new frontier of CBPR, this comment is just a friendly reminder.
• I do not know if we need to define it as a “3-way partnerships” of researchers, clinicians, and patients, when our “2-way marriage” of community and academia is fraught with enough challenges. To a community member, I am a physician interested in health of our communities. The concept of three-way partnership is more important to us than partnering community.
• Our medical schools have not been successful in education/training physicians to be effective CBPR researchers.3 I am encouraged to think that both CBPR and PBRN researchers can develop a framework for collaboration to enhance research in family medicine. If we collaboratively participate in developing this blue print, we may be able to address our community’s needs in equitable term.
References
1. Macaulay AC., and Nutting AP. Moving the frontiers forward: Incorporating community-based participatory research into practice-based research networks (Editorial). Ann Fam Med 2006;4:4-7.
2. Westfall JM., VanVorst RF., Main DS., Herbert C. Community-based participatory research in practice-based research networks. Ann Fam Med 2006;4:8-14.
3. Ahmed SM., Beck B., Maurana CA., Newton G. Overcoming barriers to effective community-based participatory research in US medical schools. Educ Health (Abingdon). 2004;17:141-151.
Competing interests: None declared
Show Less

Competing Interests: None declared.