title: Patients' and community leaders' perceptions regarding conducting health behavior research in a diverse, urban clinic specializing in rheumatic diseases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Disparities in the incidence, prevalence, severity, care, and outcomes for rheumatic diseases exist among racial and ethnic groups compared with White Americans.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This paper describes a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach engaging researchers, community leaders, and patients in purposeful dialogues related to the implementation of health behavior research in an urban rheumatic disease clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven focused discussions were led in either English or Spanish. Discussions were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six community leaders and nine patients participated in the seven scheduled focused discussions. Transcripts uncovered five major themes that assisted with study design: trust, patient-provider relationship, study implementation suggestions, decreased functional capacity, and access to healthcare.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Engaging community partners and patients in informal and formal discussions from early phases of research design through implementation, followed by systematic application of these insights, may serve to accelerate the potential for translation from findings into improved clinical practice and optimal outcomes.
authors.forename: Gwenyth R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Wallen
authors.forename: Kimberly R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Middleton
authors.forename: Claiborne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miller-Davis
authors.forename: Gladys
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tataw-Ayuketah
authors.forename: Alyssa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Todaro
authors.forename: Migdalia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rivera-Goba
authors.forename: Barbara B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Mittleman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003256:Community Participation / Q000379:methods*; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration; D006302:Health Services Research; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000208:ethnology*; D035502:Trust; D014505:Urban Population