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Title: Evaluation of a workshop to improve community involvement in community-based participatory research efforts

Author
item STEWART, M.KATHRYN - University Arkansas For Medical Sciences (UAMS)
item COLLEY, DIANNE - University Arkansas For Medical Sciences (UAMS)
item FELIX, HOLLY - University Arkansas For Medical Sciences (UAMS)
item HUFF, ANNA - University Arkansas For Medical Sciences (UAMS)
item SHELBY, BEATRICE - Consultant
item STRICKLAND, EARLINE - Consultant
item McCabe Sellers, Beverly
item REDMOND, PATRICIA - Consultant
item EVANS, MARGARET - Consultant
item BAKER, BESSIE - Delta Nutrition Intervention Research Iniative (NIRI)
item STEPHENS, GLENDA - Delta Nutrition Intervention Research Iniative (NIRI)
item NUSS, HENRY - Former ARS Employee

Submitted to: Education For Health
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/30/2009
Publication Date: 12/1/2009
Citation: Stewart, M., Colley, D., Felix, H., Huff, A., Shelby, B., Strickland, E., McCabe Sellers, B.J., Redmond, P., Evans, M., Baker, B., Stephens, G., Nuss, H. 2009. Evaluation of a workshop to improve community involvement in community-based participatory research efforts. Education For Health. 22(3):Article 318. Available: http://www.educationforhealth.net/articles/defaultnew.asp?IssueNo=22x.

Interpretive Summary: To facilitate community members engagement in community based participatory research, community members need education about the research process and research ethics. A community research workshop was developed to provide community training on research for community members engaged in the USDA ARS supported Delta Nutrition Intervention Research Initiative. An evaluation of the workshop using pre/post-questionnaires show the workshop stimulated empowering attitudes or behaviors among community members currently participating in research activities. Further testing of the workshop, especially among those with limited research experience, is warranted to determine its impact of increasing knowledge about the research process and research ethics and empowered involvement in research projects.

Technical Abstract: Community based participatory research (CBPR) is a collaborative approach to research that has gained attention in health and public health research. Community members and researchers partnering in a CBPR project recognized the need for community education about the research process and research ethics to facilitate engagement of community members. This need prompted the development of a community research workshop (CRW) to provide community training on research. The workshop was delivered in three rural communities in the Lower Mississippi Delta region. The CRW aimed to increase community members knowledge of the research process and research ethics, and improve community members perceptions and attitudes about research. This article's objective is to report the results of an evaluation of the CRW. Evaluation methods included a pre-post workshop questionnaire, with collected data analyzed using descriptive statistics and Fisher’s exact test of differences between selected pre- and post-workshop responses.Pre-workshop responses indicated a substantial number of attendees had previous research experience, viewed their role in research as very important, and reported positive attitudes about, and empowered behavior related to research. Responses improved after the workshop; but due to high pre-workshop scores, post-workshop improvements were not statistically significant. Evaluation results show the CRW stimulated empowering attitudes or behaviors among community members currently participating in research activities. Further testing of the workshop, especially among those with limited research experience, is warranted to determine its impact of increasing knowledge about the research process and research ethics and empowered involvement in research projects.