AIDSImpact.com:: - Santa Fe, USA 2011

Abstract #243 - A new community engagement framework: how to bridge community and HIV related research agendas at NIH
Authors: Presenting Author: Mr. Carlos Pavao - Health Equity Solutions, LLC
Additional Authors:
Aim: Many federal agencies and researchers struggle in how to define community engagement and how that principle applies to their public health and research programs.
Method / Issue: NIH’s community engagement framework describes the values, strategies, and outcomes for investigators who want to engage communities in their research. This framework was developed by NIH’s Council of Public Representatives and adopted by NIH’s leadership.
Results / Comments: As one of Dr. Elias A. Zerhouni goals, NIH wanted to promote how community engagement in research across NIH to enhance communities’ ability to deal with their own health needs and address health disparities issues while ensuring that researchers understand community priorities. However, HIV researchers historically have had limited understanding of and experience with effective methods of engaging communities who have been impacted by HIV. To meet the need for researcher training in community-engagement approaches, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director’s Council of Public Representatives developed definitions of “public participation” and “community engagement” and a community engagement framework that includes 13 values, strategies to operationalize each value, and potential outcomes from these strategies. This framework offers a tool that NIH and others can use to expand the cadre of researchers who are well prepared to create and sustain authentic community-academic research partnerships. This workshop will discuss the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) community engagement activities as a case example.
Discussion: There are institutional perceptions and barriers in how community engagement is identified and operationalized. Institutionalizing community engagement is a process that can be complex and layered with misperceptions in practice, research agendas and in administrative approaches.
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