Engaging the for-profit sector in community-based participatory research: lessons from the ground.
BACKGROUND
Principles of community engagement articulated by leading governmental public health and research organizations are widely accepted. Academics seeking to partner effectively with communities have a variety of guidelines to access, and resources to assist community-based organizations (CBOs) exist. However, experiences related to inclusion of nontraditional partners from the for-profit private industry sector, utilizing participatory approaches, are not documented.


OBJECTIVE
This paper describes the perspective of community and academic participants on partnership development with a for-profit environmental engineering firm. Challenges related to building a transdisciplinary, crosssector partnership are highlighted.


METHODS
Results are reported using the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences Partnerships for Environmental Public Health (PEPH) evaluation manual. Five activities pursued in early phases of research are described.


CONCLUSIONS
Community members and scholars recognize that complex public health problems warrant transdisciplinary and cross-sector effort. Efforts to build CBPR partnerships with for-profit industry may benefit from a stepwise approach.
Sheri
S
Johnson
Dalila
D
Cardona
Ben
B
Gramling
Chelsea
C
Hamilton
Raymond
R
Hoffmann
JoAnne
J
Sabir
D003142:Communication; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D004777:Environment; D051639:Gardening; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D020264:Lead Poisoning, Nervous System, Childhood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014505:Urban Population
D012989:Soil Pollutants