title: Using CBPR to Assess Client Needs at a Social Service Agency.
abstract: Community-based participatory research (CBPR) has become an important research approach for universities to partner with social service agencies by uniting them in project design, planning, implementation, and evaluation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study involved FOCUS, an urban social service agency, and Rutgers College of Nursing (RUCON) collaboratively conducting a needs assessment to compare the health needs of its clients and their employees' perception of their clients health needs, utilizing CBPR.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative data was collected using the focus group method, field notes, photographs, and observation. The employees of FOCUS facilitated focus groups, participant recruitment, and transcribed and translated data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three themes emerged: Health Education, Cost of Health Care, and Barriers to Health Care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge of integrating the CBPR approach when conducting a community needs assessment with a social service agency. The CBPR approach closely reflects the identified health needs of its clients resulting in interventions that will meet their specific health needs.
authors.affiliation: FOCUS & Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Mary Grace
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Amendola
authors.affiliation: FOCUS & Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Noelia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nazario
authors.affiliation: FOCUS & Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sanchez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research / Q000379:methods*; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006266:Health Education; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009515:New Jersey; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012579:Schools, Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012947:Social Work / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019037:Urban Health Services; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Community-based participatory research; needs assessment; social service agency; urban