XULA 2023 | 5.1.11 — Georges Adunlin

Abstract #5.1.11 — Connect and Collaborate - A Community Campus Partnership Symposium to Address Health Disparities in Alabama

Author(s) :: G Adunlin; AC Adedoyin

Author(s) Affiliation(s) :: Samford University McWhorter School of Pharmacy Department of Pharmaceutical, Social and Administrative Sciences (GA); Samford University, School of Public Health, Department of Social Work (ACA)

PURPOSE: Community-based participatory research (CBPR) embodies concepts essential to academic institutions committed to a world with health equity in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. This research describes the process used by a faculty-driven initiative at the Samford University College of Health Sciences (Birmingham, AL) to establish a relationship with the local community to address health equity.

DESIGN METHODS: The CBPR approach was utilized to develop an interdisciplinary group of scholars organized within a 'Health Outcomes Research Consortium’. The consortium established key priority research areas that expand access to care and enhance the quality of health and outcome. The consortium organized a symposium on health disparities. The symposium brought together members of the research consortium and the community to foster interest, skills, and partnerships and undertake community-based participatory research.

RESULTS: The health disparities symposium occurred on March 7, 2022, and attracted 106 attendees, including researchers, healthcare professionals, students, community members, and leaders. The symposium achieved the following: (1) examine the existing racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic health disparities; (2) discuss public health practice to achieve health equity through integrated community-academic partnerships and collaborations; (3) review systems to improve community voice and action to affect social and structural conditions that are known to have wide-ranging health effects on communities.

CONCLUSION: The initial framework of the symposium was to learn from the community and identify opportunities and barriers to conducting CBPR. Our experiences demonstrate that a well-designed process and appropriate collaborative models are needed to identify and engage community partners for CBPR on health disparities and develop an effective and longstanding relationship. Furthermore, by fostering a community of health disparities researchers and advocates at the academic institution and within the community, we hope to highlight promising work, illuminate research gaps, facilitate networking, and inform policymakers.

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