Community based participatory research (CBPR) aims to allow the people affected by a particular issue to be involved in the development and carrying out of research related to that issue. In successful CBPR projects, the research involving community members means that the research findings both come from and go directly back to the people who need them most and can make the best use of them. (Reference: Community Tool Box linked to below.)
CBPR is particularly relevant in a socially and economically diverse state such as Arkansas. Many Arkansas communities don’t have regular access to the medical, academic, and research resources available in Pulaski County, despite the local prevalence of health conditions common in this part of the world. Working with these communities in developing and carrying out research specific to these populations helps create trust and hastens the return of research results that may benefit them. Entities such as the UAMS College of Public Health and the Translational Research Institute have been involved in CBPR in the past, and that involvement is only expected to grow in those departments and elsewhere on campus.
One thing we’ve noticed is that the IRB needs to remember the flexibility inherent in the research regulations when reviewing CBPR. Many regs seem specific to more traditional research. For example, the regs require protocols to be followed exactly as written. However, in CBPR, protocols are more flexible and may need accommodate a wide variety of community realities. So the IRB needs to be aware of what kind of regulatory waivers may be applicable to research, and of how to consider, grant, and document those waivers, when appropriate.
We are hoping to develop some formal educational programs about CBPR. In the interim, we strongly encourage UAMS IRB members to do a little background reading on the topic.
The University of Kansas’ Community toolbox includes a chapter on CBPR, which is a good introduction to what, exactly, it is.
This article in the Journal of Urban Health describes some of the ethical dilemmas IRBs face when reviewing CBPR.
This case study describes how one CBPR research team navigated the IRB review process.
Please contact Edith Paal in the IRB office if you have trouble accessing any of these resources.