TY - JOUR
T1 - Partnership Selection and Formation
T2 - A Case Study of Developing Adolescent Health Community-Researcher Partnerships in Fifteen U.S. Communities
AU - Straub, Diane M.
AU - Deeds, Bethany Griffin
AU - Willard, Nancy
AU - Castor, Judith
AU - Peralta, Ligia
AU - Francisco, Vincent T.
AU - Ellen, Jonathan
N1 - Funding Information:
Over a several-year period, in order to establish the project as a community presence and begin building relationships, site staff attended community meetings, planning groups, coalitions and events, shared local and national project information, and became familiar with both available resources and needs within the community agencies. With this information, they began to establish systems to support community agencies in their efforts. For example, they assisted agencies in applying for funding by collating and sharing grant and funding opportunities, generating data tool kits with compiled epidemiologic data and maps, and mapping additional agency data. They became brokers of resources, for example, if an agency needed volunteers to staff a community event, C2P staff linked the agency with a pool of volunteers. Early in the project, they established listserves and newsletters to connect agencies and promote communication. Site staff compiled local data and presented it at community forums, provided training on HIV/STD or related topics, and identified and connected speakers for community events. With their varied research and public health backgrounds, site staff reviewed data, presentations and grant applications, offering themselves as resources and support; this unbridled sharing of data and resources was invaluable in establishing C2P as a committed and resourceful presence in the community.
PY - 2007/6
Y1 - 2007/6
N2 - Purpose: This study describes the partner selection process in 15 U.S. communities developing community-researcher partnerships for the Connect to Protect® (C2P): Partnerships for Youth Prevention Interventions, an initiative of the Adolescent Trials Network for human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) Interventions. Methods: Each site generated an epidemiological profile of urban youth in their community, selected a focus population and geographic area of youth at risk for HIV, conducted a series of successive structured interviews, and engaged in a process of relationship-building efforts culminating in a collaborative network of community agencies. Results: Sites chose as their primary target population young women who have sex with men (n = 8 sites), young men who have sex with men (n = 6), and intravenous drug users (n = 1). Of 1162 agencies initially interviewed, 281 of 335 approached (84%) agreed to join the partnership (average 19/site). A diverse array of community agencies were represented in the final collaborative network; specific characteristics included: 93% served the sites' target population, 54% were predominantly youth oriented, 59% were located in the geographical area of focus, and 39% reported provision of HIV/STI (sexually transmitted infection) prevention services. Relationship-building activities, development of collaborative relationships, and lessons learned, including barriers and facilitators to partnership, are also described. Conclusions: Study findings address a major gap in the community partner research literature. Health researchers and policymakers need an effective partner selection framework whereby community-researcher partnerships can develop a solid foundation to address public health concerns.
AB - Purpose: This study describes the partner selection process in 15 U.S. communities developing community-researcher partnerships for the Connect to Protect® (C2P): Partnerships for Youth Prevention Interventions, an initiative of the Adolescent Trials Network for human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) Interventions. Methods: Each site generated an epidemiological profile of urban youth in their community, selected a focus population and geographic area of youth at risk for HIV, conducted a series of successive structured interviews, and engaged in a process of relationship-building efforts culminating in a collaborative network of community agencies. Results: Sites chose as their primary target population young women who have sex with men (n = 8 sites), young men who have sex with men (n = 6), and intravenous drug users (n = 1). Of 1162 agencies initially interviewed, 281 of 335 approached (84%) agreed to join the partnership (average 19/site). A diverse array of community agencies were represented in the final collaborative network; specific characteristics included: 93% served the sites' target population, 54% were predominantly youth oriented, 59% were located in the geographical area of focus, and 39% reported provision of HIV/STI (sexually transmitted infection) prevention services. Relationship-building activities, development of collaborative relationships, and lessons learned, including barriers and facilitators to partnership, are also described. Conclusions: Study findings address a major gap in the community partner research literature. Health researchers and policymakers need an effective partner selection framework whereby community-researcher partnerships can develop a solid foundation to address public health concerns.
KW - Coalition
KW - Collaboration
KW - Community involvement
KW - Community researcher partnership
KW - Neighborhood collaboratives
KW - Partnership selection
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34248682684&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=34248682684&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2006.11.136
DO - 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2006.11.136
M3 - Article
C2 - 17531754
AN - SCOPUS:34248682684
SN - 1054-139X
VL - 40
SP - 489
EP - 498
JO - Journal of Adolescent Health
JF - Journal of Adolescent Health
IS - 6
ER -