Members of Minority and Underserved Communities Set Priorities for Health Research

Area of Science:

• Community-based participatory research
• Health disparities research
• Public health policy

Background:

• Health disparities are exacerbated by the underallocation of resources to underserved communities.
• Engaging underrepresented groups in research priority-setting can foster equity and responsiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To involve minority and medically underserved communities in health research priority-setting.
• To identify research priorities reflecting the needs and values of diverse populations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an adapted simulation exercise (CHAT) in academic-community partnerships.
• Collected data from 519 participants across 47 groups in Michigan via surveys and CHAT software.

Main Results:

• Child health and mental health research were overwhelmingly prioritized by most groups.
• Specific demographic groups showed unique priorities, such as Native American and Arab American participants prioritizing culture and beliefs research.
• Group deliberations influenced individual priorities, with 'access' becoming more likely post-deliberation.

Conclusions:

• Informed deliberations by minority and medically underserved communities strongly favored child and mental health research.
• Tailoring research agendas to community-specific preferences, like culture and beliefs, is crucial for equitable research funding.