A Community Engagement Advisory Board as a strategy to improve research engagement and build institutional capacity for community-engaged research. Journal Article

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Authors: Matthews, AK; Anderson, EE; Willis, M; Castillo, A; Choure, W
Article Title: A Community Engagement Advisory Board as a strategy to improve research engagement and build institutional capacity for community-engaged research.
Abstract: Purpose: Community engagement is deemed as critical to the success of the CTSA program. In 2009, to improve research engagement and build capacity for community-engaged research across the translational spectrum, the Center for Clinical and Translational Science at the University of Illinois at Chicago created a Community Engagement Advisory Board (CEAB). Here, we report results of our ongoing evaluation efforts. Methods: CEAB activities are evaluated using mixed methods. Annual CEAB evaluation surveys were completed from 2010 to 2016 (n=106 respondents). In 2014, two 90-minute focus groups were conducted with a subset of recent CEAB members (n=19). Results: Survey data suggest respondents perceive their consultations to be helpful in improving the capacity of researchers (90%) and the quality of research projects (80%). Further, CEAB members perceive themselves to have personally benefitted from their involvement including obtaining new knowledge (84%), expansion of their networks (76%), and forming new community linkages (51%). Results of the qualitative data were consistent with survey data. Conclusions: Our CEAB has improved research engagement and developed institutional capacity to conduct community-engaged research in several ways. Our findings can inform the establishment or enhancement of community engagement services for CTSA-affiliated researchers and community partners.
Journal Title: Journal of clinical and translational science
Publisher: Unknown  
Date Published: 2018