Community Based Health Research What Research Process Research

Community Based Health Research: What Research Process & Research Tools Are Effective? An Introduction Make the Road NY--- CHW Training (From Foundations for Community Health Workers Ch 17)

Community Based Participatory Research follows these 7 steps:

1. Define your community and bring community members together.

Who would you define as part of your community? Geography Ethnicity and Race Age Economics Shared Interests How would you bring community members together to begin a community research process?

2. Choose a focus for your research. What kinds of health issues do you think the community might want to do research about? How might you make that decision? -

3. Choose your research tools

Quantitative Data Qualitative Data This kind of data lets you know the # of times something is happening, the #s of people with the same experience or opinion, basically, anything that can be counted. This kind of data gives you an deeper understanding of how people think or feel about an issue. Two types of data

What makes a good survey? �No more than 2 pages long �Clear language, no abbreviations �Logical order- general to more specific questions Surveys

What makes good surveys? Continued… • Start with more interesting and nonthreatening questions • Save the more difficult questions for the end • Avoid leading questions “Don’t you think…? ” Use close ended questions (? ’s that people answer with Yes/No or short answers) • • Keep scale questions simple-Ex- on a scale from 1 -3, poor, good, great • Test your surveys before using widely • Have a memo to explain the survey to pass out

Photo Voice Community members document their own community realities What would you take pictures of?

Counting Physical objects/ Mapping playgrounds, mapping pubic bathrooms….

Mapping diseases Mapping what’s sold What other kinds of things might a community want to map?

Databases Census data, City Department of Health, State or Federal Health data

Research local policies Health related policies include: � Housing policies � Education policies � Environmental policies � Economic policies � Policing policies Etc. Policies = plans that are captured in laws or regulations

Have discussions with community members Forums, focus groups, interviews

Step 4: Conduct Research �Figure out who’s going to do what �and during what timeframe (by when will you try to finish) �Also determine how much information you need to collect

Summarize your research findings (make it understandable)

Community members analyze the research findings together Analyze the findings to look for: root causes of problems, strengths and risks in the community, and possible actions to take!

Develop an Action Plan Decide: What can be done? Advocate for more or different services? Like what? Try to pass new policies? Like what?

Now it’s your turn!