Engaging Communities and Empowering Research: Lessons from a Network of Community Engagement Cores

Area of Science:

• Biomedical research
• Health equity
• Community-engaged research

Background:

• The NIH-funded Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Program supports 21 centers at minority-serving institutions to strengthen research capacity for health disparities.
• Since 2017, RCMI centers utilize a unified framework including a Community Engagement Core (CEC).
• In 2021, the RCMI Coordinating Center formed a CEC consortium to unify expertise across minority-serving institutions, fostering collaboration in community-engaged research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine how RCMI Community Engagement Cores (CECs) enhance research relevance and public health outcomes.
• To analyze the role of CECs in addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) through community partnerships.
• To evaluate the contributions of CECs across 21 RCMI centers in promoting health equity.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from NIH RePORTER, the 2024 Community Engagement Consortium Signature Programs Monograph, and RCMI Common Data Elements.
• Examination of collective contributions of Community Engagement Cores (CECs) across 21 RCMI centers.
• Assessment of strategies employed by CECs to foster inclusive, bidirectional partnerships.

Main Results:

• RCMI CECs strategically enhance research relevance by involving communities as co-leaders.
• Tailored strategies, cultural competence, and academic-community partnerships are key to mitigating health disparities.
• CECs advance public health outcomes and address social determinants of health (SDOH) through collaborative efforts.

Conclusions:

• RCMI CECs play a crucial role in promoting health equity in underserved communities.
• Inclusive, bidirectional partnerships are essential for effective community-engaged research.
• The RCMI program's focus on community engagement strengthens biomedical research infrastructure and capacity.