Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) is rapidly becoming an important research methodology here in the United States. It has been practiced in developing nations since the 1960's and it has enabled social change and community development projects among populations that were suspicious of the motives of researchers. One barrier to its full implementation of CBPR is the general lack of knowledge about CBPR, its purpose, methods and outcomes.

The Center's goal is to enhance the understanding of CBPR in our communities because we are committed to using this research process as a way to improve the health of Milwaukee's urban communities. CBPR needs effective and solid partnerships and our Outreach Specialists are actively involved in grassroots efforts, coalitions, taskforces and collaborative initiatives. We understand that in order to successfully implement CBPR, we not only need to be known and trusted by the community, but we must also know the community and understand their perspectives.

By definition, CBPR is a process that involves community members or recipients of interventions in all phases of the research process, including:

1. 1. Identifying the health issues of concern to the community; 
   
2. 2. Developing assessment tools;
3. 3. Collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data;
4. 4. Determining how data can be used to inform actions to improve community health;
5. 5. Creating the research designs;
6. 6. Designing, implementing, and evaluating interventions; and
7. 7. Disseminating findings.

Principles of CBPR

The Center's CBPR projects follow Principles of Community-Based Participatory Research which are derived from: Isreal, Barbara A. Community-Based Participatory Research: Principles, Rationale and Policy Recommendations. In: O'Fallan LR, Tyson FL, Dearry A, eds. Final Report of Successful Models of Community-Based Participatory Research, March 29-31, 2000. Washington DC, National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences. 16-22.

• Respects and Recognizes Community as a Unity of Identity: The Community is a group of individuals who share some common interests, values, goals, politics, and characteristics.
• Builds on Strengths and Resources in the Community: Researchers use the resources that are internal to the Community when possible, including facilitating the use of resources that may require some additional support or development.
• Facilitates Collaborative, Equitable Involvement of All Partners in All Phases of Research: This means that all members of the team will be informed about, and included and involved in, all aspects of the research process.
• Integrates Knowledge and Intervention for Mutual Benefit of All Members: Knowledge is informational research findings: the data. Intervention is a plan of action for effecting change in the world based on that data. Information desired by the community will be considered integrated with the community's needs for intervention to create positive change for the community.
• Information and Learning are Shared Equally by All Members: Everyone shares their ideas, perspectives, and expertise with each other. All parties learn equally from each other.
• Involves a Cyclical and Iterative Process: The process of doing science itself is iterative, as is the process of doing CBPR. As project members learn from each other, the work itself is refined. All phases of the research process may be gone over more than once before being implemented, as each community adds its insight.
• Addresses Research Topics from Both Positive and Ecological Perspectives: Positive means an emphasis on outcomes that are beneficial to the health, happiness, and success of the community. Ecological means that whole systems and whole people are looked at, rather than isolated events or single causes.
• Disseminates Findings and Knowledge Gained to All Partners: Research findings are communicated to the academic and research societies, and to the communities, in ways that are most useful for each. For example, findings may be disseminated both as published research papers in scientific journals and as interventions for the direct benefit of the community.
• Involves a Long-Term Commitment by All Partners: This means that the "big picture," or future impact, of work done should be considered by all parties. This does not mean that the same people must be involved in the project over the long term, just that the goals of the project should take the future welfare of all parties into consideration.