The marriage of community-based participatory research and practice-based research networks: can it work? -A Research Involving Outpatient Settings Network (RIOS Net) study

Interest in community-based participatory research (CBPR) has surged during the last several years because of its potential to enhance the quality and usefulness of research outcomes. Practice-based research networks (PBRNs) potentially can provide a bridge between the research endeavor and communities; PBRNs have been identified as a promising venue for CBPR. However, this marriage of CBPR and PBRNs faces many challenges, such as locus of project idea generation, time constraints, and funding limitations.

This was a case study of the application of the CBPR model and CBPR principles specific to PBRN research using a recent PBRN study of communication about traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines.

Challenges (eg, added cost, time) and benefits (eg, improved research data collection process, enhanced data analysis) resulted from application of the CBPR model and are detailed.

For practical and ethical reasons, PBRNs need to adopt the CBPR approach for certain types, if not all, of their research. This might require operational adaptations by the PBRN (eg, a community advisory board, community membership in the network board of directors, and outreach to community groups for input into network priorities) as well as dedicated time and funding.