Strategies for Presenting Research to Community Advisory Boards: Practical Tips from an HIV-focused CAB.

Area of Science:

• Community-based participatory research
• Public health research
• Health equity

Background:

• Community-based participatory research (CBPR) relies on equitable partnerships between researchers and community experts.
• Community advisory boards (CABs) are essential components of CBPR.
• Standing CABs, like the one at UCLA-CDU CFAR, offer ongoing input on diverse research projects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and share best practices for researchers presenting to standing Community Advisory Boards (CABs).
• To enhance communication and collaboration between academic researchers and community experts.
• To facilitate meaningful community feedback in research from inception to completion.

Main Methods:

• The UCLA-CDU CFAR's standing CAB, comprising community experts, refined presentation strategies over multiple research interactions.
• Development of guidelines for researcher presentations, including communication tactics and pre/post-presentation activities.
• These practices were designed for adaptation by other community-academic research teams.

Main Results:

• A set of best practices for researchers presenting to standing CABs has been established.
• These strategies cover general communication, slide preparation, and post-meeting follow-up.
• The developed strategies aim to improve the effectiveness of CAB engagement.

Conclusions:

• Adoption of these best practices can significantly improve partnerships with CABs.
• Effective engagement with CABs leads to more productive research collaborations.
• Implementing these strategies facilitates valuable community feedback, enhancing research relevance and impact.