Authors' objectives:

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is a collaborative approach to research that combines methods of inquiry with community capacity-building strategies to bridge the gap between knowledge produced through research and what is practiced in communities to improve health. Interest is growing rapidly for academic institutions, health agencies, and communities to form research partnerships; few agreed-upon guidelines describe how to develop or evaluate CBPR proposals or what resources are required to promote successful collaborative research efforts.

This systematic review consolidates literature on health-related CBPR. It addresses the following key questions: 1: What defines CBPR? 2: How has CBPR been implemented to date with regard to the quality of research methodology and community involvement? 3: What is the evidence that CBPR efforts have resulted in the intended outcomes? 4: What criteria and processes should be used for review of CBPR in grant proposals?

Authors' results and conclusions: We reviewed a total of 185 articles: 55 for question 1; 123 for questions 2 and 3; and 7 for question 4. The 123 articles for questions 2 and 3 pertain to 60 CBPR studies. Of the 30 intervention studies, 12 had been completed and evaluated. Quality ratings for these suggested stronger research scores for the experimental studies than for the others, although nonexperimental studies also showed modest effects on health outcomes. Quality ratings for community participation were strongest for recruitment/retention and intervention design followed by development and pilot testing of measures. Steering committees or advisory boards were the main mechanisms for sharing research decision-making, but these formal structures generally did not develop research questions or proposals. The number of high-quality CBPR publications has increased recently, which may reflect more targeted funding and special journal issues on this theme. Guidelines are still needed to assist funding agencies and grant applicants and reviewers in achieving the best balance of rigorous research and optimal collaboration among communities and institutions.

Authors' recommendations: Many CBPR studies had strong community-institution collaborations; relatively few combined this type of collaboration with solid research methods. Our synthesis of this literature enabled us to produce guidelines to improve the quality of and funding for CBPR.

Authors' methods: Systematic review

Project Status: Completed

URL for project: http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/tp/cbprtp.htm

Year Published: 2004

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: United States

Organisation Name: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Contact Address: Center for Outcomes and Evidence Technology Assessment Program, 540 Gaither Road, Rockville, MD 20850, USA. Tel: +1 301 427 1610; Fax: +1 301 427 1639;

Contact Name: martin.erlichman@ahrq.hhs.gov

Contact Email: martin.erlichman@ahrq.hhs.gov

Copyright: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)