A vision for progress in community health partnerships

Abstract

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is an increasingly used approach for conducting research to improve community health. Using Rogers' diffusion of innovations theory as a framework, it follows that future adoption of CBPR will occur if academic and community partners perceive CBPR to have greater relative advantage, compatibility, trialability, and observability, and less complexity than other research approaches. We propose that articles published in our new peer-reviewed journal--Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action (PCHP)--can influence academic and community partners' perceptions of CBPR that promote its adoption. Eight areas of scholarly activity are described that can promote health partnership research, education, and action: (1) original research, (2) work-in-progress and lessons learned, (3) policy and practice, (4) theory and methods, (5) education and training, (6) practical tools, (7) systematic reviews, and (8) community perspectives. These eight areas correspond with the eight main sections of PCHP. A brief description of each area's importance in promoting CBPR is provided along with examples of completed and ongoing work. Specific recommendations are made regarding issues, problems, and topics within each area on which CBPR work should focus. These recommendations, which present a vision for progress in community health partnerships, are based on idea generation and prioritization by a group of CBPR experts--PCHP's editors and editorial board.