title: A community-based participatory research approach to the development of a Peer Navigator health promotion intervention for people with spinal cord injury.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent trends indicate research targeting outcomes of importance to people with disabilities, such as spinal cord injury (SCI), may be best informed by those individuals; however, there are very few published rehabilitation intervention studies that include people with disabilities in the research process in a role beyond study participant.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach to the development and pilot testing of an intervention using community-based Peer Navigators with SCI to provide health education to individuals with SCI, with the goal of reducing preventable secondary conditions and rehospitalizations, and improving community participation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A CBPR framework guides the research partnership between academic researchers and a community-based team of individuals who either have SCI or provide SCI-related services. Using this framework, the processes of our research partnership supporting the current study are described including: partnership formation, problem identification, intervention development, and pilot testing of the intervention. Challenges associated with CBPR are identified.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using CBPR, the SCI Peer Navigator intervention addresses the partnership's priority issues identified in the formative studies. Utilization of the framework and integration of CBPR principles into all phases of research have promoted sustainability of the partnership. Recognition of and proactive planning for challenges that are commonly encountered in CBPR, such as sharing power and limited resources, has helped sustain our partnership.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The CBPR framework provides a guide for inclusion of individuals with SCI as research partners in the development, implementation, and evaluation of interventions intended to improve outcomes after SCI.
authors.affiliation: Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), College of Nursing, 99 Jonathan Lucas St, MSC 160, Charleston, SC 29425, USA. Electronic address: newmansu@musc.edu.
authors.forename: Susan D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.affiliation: disAbility Resource Center, USA.
authors.forename: Gwen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gillenwater
authors.affiliation: Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), College of Nursing, 99 Jonathan Lucas St, MSC 160, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; South Carolina Spinal Cord Injury Association, USA.
authors.forename: Sherwood
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Toatley
authors.affiliation: Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), College of Nursing, 99 Jonathan Lucas St, MSC 160, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Center for Spinal Cord Injury, MUSC College of Nursing, USA.
authors.forename: Marka D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Rodgers
authors.affiliation: disAbility Resource Center, USA.
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Todd
authors.affiliation: South Carolina Spinal Cord Injury Association, USA.
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Epperly
authors.affiliation: University of South Carolina College of Nursing, USA.
authors.forename: Jeannette O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Andrews
mesh_terms: D003256:Community Participation; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research / Q000379:methods; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000628:therapy
keywords: Community-based participatory research; Intervention; Navigation; Secondary conditions; Spinal cord injury