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Community-Engaged Respondent-Driven Sampling: The California Pacific Islander Well-Being and COVID-19 Economic
Brittany N Morey1, Andrew M Subica1, Sora Park Tanjasiri1
1Brittany N. Morey and Sora Park Tanjasiri are with the Department of Health, Society, and Behavior at the Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health, University of California, Irvine. Andrew M. Subica is with the Department of Social Medicine, Population & Public Health, University of California, Riverside. Corina S. Penaia is with the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles. Richard C. Chang, Shreya Paul, and Christen H. Marquez are with the NHPI Data Policy Lab at the Center for Health Policy Research, University of California, Los Angeles. 'Alisi Tulua is with the Southern California Pacific Islander Community Response Team, Los Angeles, CA. Cynthia L. Fok was with the NHPI Data Policy Lab at the Center for Health Policy Research, University of California, Los Angeles, at the time of the study. Melenaite Fifita was with the Department of Health, Society, and Behavior at the Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health, University of California, Irvine, at the time of this study. Royce Park and Ninez A. Ponce are with the Center for Health Policy Research at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Community-engaged respondent-driven sampling (RDS) efficiently documented COVID-19
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Sociology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- COVID-19 significantly impacted the mental health and socioeconomic well-being of minority populations.
- Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) adults in California faced unique challenges during the pandemic.
- Existing data collection methods may not adequately capture the experiences of minoritized communities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of community engagement combined with respondent-driven sampling (RDS) for documenting COVID-19 impacts on NHPI adults in California.
- To rapidly collect and disseminate data on the mental health and socioeconomic consequences of the pandemic within the NHPI community.
Main Methods:
- The California Pacific Islander Well-Being and COVID-19 Economic Survey (CAPIWAVES) utilized a community-engaged RDS approach.
- Researchers collaborated with NHPI community-based organizations to recruit 929 NHPI adults in California (January-May 2024).
- Initial respondents were a convenience sample who referred up to four additional participants.
Main Results:
- Respondent-driven sampling (RDS) estimates for the CAPIWAVES survey showed differences compared to the American Community Survey.
- Initial findings were shared with the NHPI community via a webinar in June 2024.
- A comprehensive report with analyzed data and community-generated recommendations was released in April 2025.
Conclusions:
- Community-engaged RDS proved to be an efficient strategy for collecting timely data from a minoritized population.
- While not population-representative, the method facilitated the documentation and dissemination of crucial information.
- This approach supports policy, programming, and research informed by community needs and recommendations.
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