title: Theory and practice in participatory research: lessons from the Native Elder Care Study.
abstract: Models for community-based participatory research (CBPR) urge academic investigators to collaborate with communities to identify and pursue research questions, processes, and outcomes valuable to both partners. The tribal participatory research (TPR) conceptual model suggests modifications to CBPR to fit the special needs of American Indian communities. This paper draws upon authors' collaboration with one American Indian tribe to recommend theoretical revision and practical strategies for conducting gerontological research in tribal communities. We rated the TPR model as a strong, specialized adaptation of participatory research principles. Although the need for some TPR mechanisms may vary, our experience recommends incorporating dissemination as a central TPR mechanism. Researchers and communities can expect well-crafted collaborative projects to generate particular types of positive project outcomes for both partners, but should prepare for both predictable and unique challenges.
authors.affiliation: Center on Aging, Department of Community Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA. rgoins@hsc.wvu.edu
authors.forename: R Turner
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Goins
authors.forename: Eva Marie
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Garroutte
authors.forename: Susan Leading
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dee Geiger
authors.forename: Spero M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Manson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003256:Community Participation; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005853:Geriatrics; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D009657:North Carolina; D016730:Program Development