Community-based participatory research skills and training needs in a sample of academic researchers from a clinical and translational science center in the Northeast.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the community-based participatory research (CBPR) training interests and needs of researchers interested in CBPR to inform efforts to build infrastructure for conducting community-engaged research.


METHODS
A 20-item survey was completed by 127 academic health researchers at Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Public Health, and Harvard affiliated hospitals.


RESULTS
Slightly more than half of the participants reported current or prior experience with CBPR (58 %). Across all levels of academic involvement, approximately half of the participants with CBPR experience reported lacking skills in research methods and dissemination, with even fewer reporting skills in training of community partners. Regardless of prior CBPR experience, about half of the respondents reported having training needs in funding, partnership development, evaluation, and dissemination of CBPR projects. Among those with CBPR experience, more than one-third of the participants wanted a mentor in CBPR; however only 19 % were willing to act as a mentor.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite having experience with CBPR, many respondents did not have the comprehensive package of CBPR skills, reporting a need for training in a variety of CBPR skill sets. Further, the apparent mismatch between the need for mentors and availability in this sample suggests an important area for development.
Institute for Community Health, Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
Ann
A
DiGirolamo
Alan C
AC
Geller
Shalini A
SA
Tendulkar
Pratima
P
Patil
Karen
K
Hacker
D000047:Academies and Institutes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019538:Health Care Surveys / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008404:Massachusetts; D011361:Professional Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012108:Research Personnel / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*