The impact of implementing selected CBPR strategies to address disparities in urban Atlanta: a retrospective case study.
In 2005, the Institute of Public Health at Georgia State University (GSU) received a 3-year community-based participatory research (CBPR) grant from the National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities entitled Accountable Communities: Healthy Together (ACHT). Because urban health disparities result from complex interactions among social, economic and environmental factors, ACHT used specific CBPR strategies to engage residents, and promote the participation of community organizations serving, a low-income community in urban Atlanta to: (i) identify priority health and social or environmental problems and (ii) undertake actions to mitigate those problems. Three years after funding ended, a retrospective case study, using semi-structured, taped interviews was carried out to determine what impacts, if any, specific CBPR strategies had on: (i) eliciting resident input into the identification of priority problems and (ii) prompting actions by community organizations to address those problems. Results suggest that the CBPR strategies used were associated with changes that were supported and sustained after grant funding ended. Insights were also gained on the longer term impacts of ACHT on community health workers. Implications for future CBPR efforts, for researchers and for funders, are discussed.
Institute of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA. mkreuter122@comcast.net
Marshall W
MW
Kreuter
Michelle C
MC
Kegler
Karen T
KT
Joseph
Yanique A
YA
Redwood
Margaret
M
Hooker
D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D005381:Financing, Organized; D017144:Focus Groups; D005845:Georgia; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D011204:Poverty Areas; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012424:Rural Population