Creating a Community of Safety in Black Maternal Health Research

Health disparities in maternal health outcomes persist among Black birthing populations in the United States. Given the historical harms experienced by Black populations in research, culturally tailored approaches to ensure ethical research are needed. Community-engaged research strategies have been found to be effective in a variety of investigations; however, little has been documented regarding their use within biologically focused research among pregnant populations.

The purpose of this paper was to describe the process of engaging with a community advisory board (CAB) of a biologically focused research study focused on reducing perinatal health disparities and promoting health equity. Specifically, we outline the methods followed to meaningfully involve the community in each step of the research process.

The research team utilized intentional team-building activities and feedback methods to relay information between the community and research partners regarding study protocols and community-led dissemination strategies. Online sessions with community partners were created utilizing community-engaged research principles to guide the sessions. Information obtained from the CAB during these sessions was used to modify and optimize this study's data collection protocol, recruitment strategies, and dissemination efforts. A quantitative and qualitative survey was conducted during the process to gather feedback from CAB members about their experiences.

The CAB ( n = 8 community members) shared in the operation of the project and collaborated on everything from study onset, recruitment/retention strategies, informed consent processes, and dissemination to data sharing. Scores from the quantitative questionnaire ( n = 5) about their experiences demonstrated that members overall reported good or excellent experiences as participants in the CAB. Additionally, feedback from community members about how they felt working within a research team included feeling that they were (a) making the research study better, (b) learning about research, (c) providing voice for the community, and (d) building a community of trust. Detailed feedback on each session resulted in changes in study protocols, recruitment practices, and dissemination activities.

Safety is a crucial tenant of all research investigations. When research focuses on populations who have experienced perpetual harm, utilization of community expertise is necessary to ensure just and equitable research experiences.