Principles and Concepts of Community-Based Participatory Research for Health (B001)

Workshop Description

There is increasing recognition and support for more comprehensive and participatory approaches to health research and interventions. Such approaches are designed to address the complex set of determinants associated with public health problems that affect populations generally, as well as those factors associated with racial and ethnic disparities in health more specifically. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is one such partnership approach that equitably involves all partners in all aspects of the research and intervention process. CBPR is aimed at both increasing knowledge and understanding and linking the knowledge gained with interventions and policy change to enhance the health and quality of life of community members. This workshop will provide an overview of CBPR, including: the definition, rationale, core principles, phases of CBPR and strategies for partnership formation and maintenance. The workshop will draw heavily on the experiences of the Detroit Community-Academic Urban Research Center (URC) as a case example. The workshop will also address the challenges in and barriers to conducting CBPR, facilitating factors for overcoming these challenges and lessons learned from the experience of the Detroit URC.

Workshop Objectives/Expected Competencies

The participants will be able to:

  • explain the definition of community-based participatory research and the rationale for its use in addressing major public health problems;
  • identify and explain the phases and core principles of CBPR and the application of these principles in developing and maintaining community-academic research partnerships;
  • identify and evaluate strategies for successful implementation of CBPR projects;
  • identify and discuss the challenges involved in conducting CBPR and the facilitating factors for overcoming these challenges.

Workshop Format

The workshop will be facilitated by two senior members of the Detroit Community Academic Urban Research Center, one an academic and the other a community leader. The facilitators will present some of the material in a lecture format, but discussion will be encouraged throughout the workshop. The workshop will also include at least two case studies that will enable participants to engage in small group discussions directed at key issues in the formation and maintenance of CBPR partnerships.


Workshop Faculty

Angela G. Reyes is the founder and Executive Director of the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation, a community-based organization. She is a life-long resident of Southwest Detroit, where she has been active in the community for over 30 years. Ms. Reyes began D.H.D.C. in 1997 with the purpose of addressing the high level of gang violence in the Southwest Detroit community through programs designed to meet the unique needs of this population. Over the years, D.H.D.C. has developed a wide range of comprehensive, bilingual services that reach over 6,000 youth, adults and families per year, and have demonstrated effectiveness in meeting the needs of high-risk populations, building on both scientific evidence and many years of experience in youth work, substance abuse prevention, parent training and advocacy, HIV/AIDS prevention, workforce development, and counseling. D.H.D.C. is also dedicated to community activism and advocating for policy change in the areas of education, environmental justice, criminal justice, poverty, immigration and public health. Ms. Reyes has an MPH from the University of Michigan, and has been the recipient of several awards for her community work. She is an international speaker on several issues, including youth gangs, substance abuse, community activism, cultural competency and community-based participatory research.

Richard Lichtenstein is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Management and Policy and former Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the University of Michigan School of Public Health. He received a Bachelors Degree from Cornell University and received both the Master of Public Health (MPH) and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Medical Care Organization at the University of Michigan. He has taught graduate-level courses on various aspects of the US health care system at the University of Michigan for over two decades. He is a founding member and the Co-Principal Investigator of the Detroit Community-Academic Urban Research Center (URC) in Detroit. The URC is a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) Program that conducts research on racial disparities in health and on the social determinants of health. Dr. Lichtenstein is also the Director of both the Kellogg Community Health Scholars Program (CHSP) and the Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) in Health Administration at the School of Public Health. He won the University of Michigan's Harold R. Johnson Diversity Service Award in 1998 in recognition of his efforts to increase diversity in Public Health. He also won the School of Public Health's "Excellence in Teaching Award" in 2006.