PHPB 710 Community-Based Participatory Research

Course Data

Number:PHPB 710

Title:Community-Based Participatory Research

Credit-Hours:3

Department:Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences

School/College:School of Public Health and Information Sciences

Type:Seminar

Course Description

This course presents concepts and approaches in community-based participatory research. Students will complete a needs assessment and design a project applying theory, principles and methods in participatory research.

Course Objectives

By the end of the course successful students will:

  • Understand the purposes of Community-Based Participatory Research
  • Describe the strategies and methods of Community-Based Participatory Research
  • Describe the process for building and sustaining community partnerships
  • Apply the principles of Community Based Participatory to a community needs assessment
  • Design a participatory research project to address a public health concern
  • Develop written and oral presentations based on their project for community partners

Prerequisites

Permission of instructor.

Course Instructors

Name / Office / Phone / Email
Muriel Harris, PhD
Course Director / SPHIS 213 / (502) 852-4061 /

The course instructors welcome conversations with students outside of class. Students may correspond with instructors by email or set up appointments by contacting Ms. Kathie Sacksteder at 852-8040 or .

Students should also contact Ms. Sacksteder with questions they might have regarding the mechanics or operation of the course.

Course Topics and Schedule

IMPORTANT NOTE: The schedule and topics may change as the course unfolds. Changes will be posted on Blackboard.

Class / Topic(s)
January 10th / Course overview, course requirements and syllabus
CBPR: an introduction
January 17th / Community Based Collaborative Action Research – Pavlish and Pharris Chapter Introduction, 1&2
January 24th / Community Based Research
Readings-
-Israel, B., Checkoway, B., Schultz, A and Zimmerman, M., (1994). Health Education and community empowerment: Conceptualizing and measuring perceptions of individual, organizational and community control. Health Education Quarterly, 21, 149-170
-Israel, B., Schultz, A., Parker, E, and Becket, A (1998). Review of community based research: Assessing partnership approaches to improve public health. Annual Review of Public Health, 19, 173-202
-Wright, MT., Roche, B., Von Unger, H., Black, M., and Gardner, B.(2010). A call for an international collaboration on participatory research for health. Health Promotion International, 25(1), 115-122
January 31st / Theoretical Foundations of CBCARPavlish and Pharris Chapter 3
Core concepts and theories in CBPR Minkler and Wallerstein Chapter 2 (29-40) – on blackboard
Readings-
-Kok, G, Gottlieb, N.G., Commers, M and Smerecnik, C (2008). The ecological approach in health promotion programs. A decade later. American Journal of Health Promotion, 22(6), 437-442
-London, I (2008). What is human rights-based approach to health and does it matter? Health and Human Rights, 10(1), 65-80
-Seifer, S.D, and Gottleib, B (2010). Transformation through partnerships. Progress in community Health Partnerships: Reserach, Education and Action, 4(1) 1-3.
February 7th / Partnering and Planning the Research Process, Pavlish and Pharris Chapter 4
Readings-
-Pierre-Louis, B., Akoh, V., White, P, and Pharris, M. (2010). Patterns in the lives of African American women with diabetes. Nursing Science Quarterly 24(3) 227-236
February 14th / The Research Process – Data CollectionPavlish and Pharris Chapter 5
February 21st / The Research Process – Data CollectionPavlish and Pharris Chapter 5
Using Photovoice – Minkler and Wallerstein Chapter 11
February 28th / Analyzing Data Pavlish and Pharris Chapter 6
March 6th / Using qualitative data sorting and coding packages- NVivo
Get mid-term exam
Spring Break March 11-17
March 20th / Grant Writing in CBPR/CBCAR - Pavlish and Pharris Chapter
Turn in mid-term exam
March 27th / Ethical consideration in Community Partnered Research- Pavlish and Pharris, Chapter 8
Ethical Review of CBPR (Appendix G in Minkler and Wallerstein)- on blackboard
Reading
-Bachman, D.R., Miller, E.G., Wallerstein, N. (2007). Ethical issues in community based participatory research: Balancing rigorous research with community participation in community intervention studies. Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education and Action 1(2) 153-160
-Flicker, S., Travers, R. Guta, M., McDonals, S., Meagher, A.(2007). Ethical dilemmas in community-based participatory research: Recommendations for institutional review boards. Journal of Urban Health, 84(4), 478-493
April 3rd / Action Planning beyond the Research Pavlish and PharrisChapter 7
Using CBPR to promote Social Change and Health Public Policy - Minkler and Wallerstein Chapter 17
April 10th / Impacts of CPBR on Academic Researchers, Research Quality and Methodology Minkler and Wallerstein Chapter 14
April 17th / Project presentations

Course Materials

Blackboard

The primary mechanism for communication in this course, other than class meetings, is UofL’s Blackboard system at or Instructors use Blackboard to make assignments, provide materials, communicate changes or additions to the course materials or course schedule, and to communicate with students other aspects of the course. It is imperative that students familiarize themselves with Blackboard, check Blackboard frequently for possible announcements, and make sure that their e-mail account in Blackboard is correct, active, and checked frequently.

Required Texts

Pavlish, C.P. and Pharris, M.D. (2012). Community-Based Collaborative Action Research: A Nursing Approach. Jones and Bartlett Learning. MA: Sudbury.

Additional Readings

Note: Some of the listed readings may need to be requested through inter-library loan so order them early!

Minkler, M, Wallerstein, N. (Eds.). (2008). Community-Based Participatory Research for Health from Process to Outcomes. San Francisco: Jossey Bass (Selected Readings)

Additional required readings will be provided on Blackboard in the appropriate folder or as handouts in class.

Prepared Materials Used by Instructors

Materials used by instructors in class are available to students via Blackboard no later than 24 hours following the class. These may include outlines, citations, slide presentations, and other materials. There is no assurance that the materials include everything discussed in the class.

Course Policies

Technology

The course will use a mixture of technology and software in this course. Students are expected to be proficient in the use of MS Word, PowerPoint, and Blackboard. If students are missing necessary software, they have the option of purchasing needed programs at the U of L IT Store. The URL is

Attendance and Class Participation

Students are encouraged to work with other students and/or with the course director to catch up on any lost material from absences.

Students are expected to actively participate in all class activities, projects and discussions.Prior reading of assigned chapters and readings is expected to allow for meaningful class discussions. Opportunities will be provided in many of the class session to allow for extensive student interaction and an opportunity to work in teams. Students are encouraged to share their personal and professional experiences with the class.

The instructor may request students to facilitate discussions of topics related to the course content.

Student Evaluation

Class Participation

Students will be expected to participate in all class discussions and will each make presentations of assigned readings during the course of the semester. Your grade will be determined by the following criteria:

  • Level of participation in all class discussions which will be assessed on a scale from 1-5. 1= minimal participation and 5= high level of participation. This score will account for 50% of the participation grade.
  • Standard of in class presentations will be assessed on a scale from 1-5. 1= poor and 5= excellent. This score will account for 50% of the participation grade.

Mid-term exam

This take-home mid-term exam will consist of questions that are to be answered in essay and short answer formats based on core concepts and principles of research and CBPR and CBCAR covered in the readings, in class discussions and in additional resources found in the literature.

CBCAR Project

Part 1

Students will identify a community(geographic, shared interest or characteristics of ethnicity, sexual orientation, occupation etc.) of their choice and undertake a semester long project which will culminate in a concept paper for a grant that incorporatescommunity based collaborative action principles and using qualitative research approaches. The focus of the first part of the project is a study “investigating practical and pressing [public health] issues relevant to the daily lives of people in communities and organizations” (Pavlish and Pharris, 2012, p 151). Using the resources provided in the course texts and others, students will conduct a pilot study for a CBCAR/CPBR project. Students will also complete a reflective paper answering the questions in Pavlish and Pharris (2012) page 164.

Part II Concept Paper

Building from the work of your project, write a Concept Paper using following the guidelines provided. URL for call for proposals: Use the Implementation or Policy Dissemination Grant option guidelines.

Students will make a PowerPoint presentation of their Project at the end of the semester (April 17h) that will include members of the community they have worked with throughout the semester sharing equal responsibility for the presentation(as they did for the designing the CBCAR study).

Studentsoral presentations will be assessed based on the following criteria on a scale from 1-10.

(1=poor and 10=excellent) against the grant review criteria provided in the call for proposals.

Students will be allowed 20 minutes for their presentation and 10 minutes to take questions and discuss their presentation with the audience. This will be treated as a professional presentation.

The presentation will be assessed by your peers. The project presentation is worth 10% the course grade.

Writing and Presentation Expectations

The papers will be in prose form. Any references used should be cited with a standard reference format (e.g. APA). The papers should be typed, double spaced. The front page of the paper should have a title and the student’s name. The final evaluation report should be bound and presented as a professional document. All papers should be 12 point font and double spaced with 1 inch borders.

All assignments are due when scheduled. Late assignments will incur a penalty equivalent to 10% of the possible points unless previously arranged with the course director. While students may be given the opportunity to redo an assignment if required to improve their understanding of the subject, a 10% penalty will be incurredfor a repeated submission.

Grading

Assignment of Points

Activity / Weighting
Class participation / 20%
Mid-term exam / 25%
Concept Paper- Grant Proposal / 40%
Reflective Paper / 5%
Project Presentation / 10%
Total / 100%

Grading will be on an A, B, C & F basis.

Final Letter Grade / Final Percents
A / 90-100
B / 80-89
C / 70-79
F / 70

Other Policies

Syllabus Revision

The course director reserves the right to modify any portion of this syllabus. A best effort will be made to provide an opportunity for students to comment on a proposed change before the change takes place.

Inclement Weather

This course will adhere to the University’s policy and decisions regarding cancellation or delayed class schedules. Adjustments will be made to the class schedule as necessary to take into account any delays or cancellations of this class. Local television and radio stations broadcast University delays or closings. The UofL web site ( and telephone information line (502-852-5555) also broadcast delays or closings.

Grievances

Students who have grievances regarding the course should contact the course director. Until a satisfactory resolution is reached, the matter will be referred, in succession, to the chair of the course’s department, the Associate Dean for Students, and the School’s Student Academic Grievance Committee, and the University’s Student Academic Grievance Committee.

Disabilities

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, students with bona fide disabilities will be afforded reasonable accommodation. The DisabilityResourceCenter will certify a disability and advise faculty members of reasonable accommodations. More information is located at

Academic Honesty

Students are required to comply with the academic honesty policies of the University, GraduateSchool, and School of Public Health and Information Sciences. These policies prohibit plagiarism, cheating, and other violations of academic behavior. More information is located at

Additional Policy Information

Consult the UofL Graduate Student Handbook for more about UofL policies. (

Version: January 7, 2012Page 1 of 8