Addressing Crime, Violence, and Other Determinants of Health through Community-Based Participatory Research and...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR)
• Implementation Science

Background:

• The Thrive initiative aims to reduce violence and address health determinants in a Southwestern US community.
• Community engagement and cross-sector collaboration are crucial for addressing complex health and safety issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the assessment and planning phase of the Thrive community-based initiative.
• To examine barriers and facilitators to improving community health and safety using an implementation science framework.
• To engage residents and stakeholders as equal partners in the assessment and planning process.

Main Methods:

• Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach.
• Implementation science framework to analyze barriers, facilitators, and intervention feasibility.
• Data collection through interviews, focus groups, crime data analysis, geomapping, and direct observations.

Main Results:

• Identified an open-air drug market and high community stress levels.
• Highlighted concerns regarding limited opportunities for youth and a lack of trust between residents and law enforcement.
• Indicated a need to improve the built environment to enhance safety and well-being.

Conclusions:

• The assessment and planning phase successfully engaged diverse stakeholders.
• Findings provide a foundation for developing targeted interventions to improve community health and safety.
• Addressing social and environmental determinants is essential for sustainable community well-being.