title: The "translators": engaging former drug users as key research staff to design and implement a risk reduction program for rural cocaine users.
abstract: This manuscript describes lessons learned in the development and implementation of a clinical behavioral trial to reduce sexual risk among African-American cocaine users in rural Arkansas, from the perspectives of a multidisciplinary investigative team and community staff members with a history as local drug users who served as "translators." Recommendations for investigators doing community-based research with active substance users are provided in the following domains: (a) engaging the community during formative research, (b) establishing bidirectional trust, (c) ensuring community voices are heard, and (d) managing conflict. The "translator's" role is critical to the success of such projects.
authors.affiliation: Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205, USA. kestewart@uams.edu
authors.forename: Katharine E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Patricia B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: Desi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sims
authors.forename: Kathy Russell
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Tyner
authors.forename: Brooke E E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Montgomery
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American; D001131:Arkansas; D003042:Cocaine; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D055030:Drug Users; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016730:Program Development; D012108:Research Personnel; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012424:Rural Population; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D003042:Cocaine