Collaborative community research consortium: a model for HIV prevention

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Community-Based Participatory Research

Background:

• The need to bridge the gap between scientific research and community-based HIV prevention services.
• The Center for AIDS Prevention Studies (CAPS) initiative at UCSF to foster collaboration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the CAPS model of consortium-based community collaborative research.
• To illustrate the impact of collaboration on HIV prevention research and services.

Main Methods:

• Developing a model involving training for community-based organizations (CBOs) in research protocol writing.
• Establishing partnerships between CBOs and CAPS researchers, including funding and support for study implementation and analysis.
• Appointing a program manager to oversee the collaborative effort.

Main Results:

• Successful implementation of collaborative research projects between research institutions and CBOs.
• Demonstrated integration of scientific and community knowledge in HIV prevention research.
• Evidence of positive changes in both HIV prevention research methodologies and service delivery.

Conclusions:

• The CAPS model effectively facilitates community-based collaborative research in HIV prevention.
• Collaboration enhances the relevance and impact of HIV prevention research by incorporating community insights.
• Partnerships between researchers and CBOs can transform HIV prevention research and practice.