GHUCCTS places great value on involving communities and other partners in the development of health research. Communities, patients, and caregivers bring their own perspectives, experiences, and understanding of health. They provide insight on how their race and ethnicity, their culture, beliefs, economic conditions, and the environment around them impact their health. This is essential for researcher as it ensures studies more closely reflects patient and community health priorities and interests.
Engagement of communities or other partners in research occurs on a continuum with degrees of intensity in partnership involvement. These partners can serve on an ad hoc basis through listening sessions to prioritize unanswered research questions, recommend appropriate recruitment approaches, or support with dissemination strategies for study findings. They can also have more sustained involvement in a study by providing guidance throughout the research process serving on an advisory board or as a co-investigator.
Adapted from PCORI (Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute) website. https://www.pcori.org/engagement-research/value-engagement-research. Retrieved July 31, 2024.