Rochester Healthy Community Partnership: Then and now
RHCP began in 2004 as a collaboration between Mayo Clinic and an adult education center in Rochester, Minnesota, aiming to address health concerns among immigrant and refugee communities. What started as a response to tuberculosis stigma and low screening rates evolved into a long-term partnership grounded in community-based participatory research (CBPR).
The Recruitment to Dissemination Continuum in Community-Based Participatory Research
RHCP explored how recruitment and dissemination in community-based participatory research (CBPR) can work together to build trust and strengthen long-term partnerships. Through focus groups with Hispanic and Somali community members and academic partners, they found that trust, relationship-building, and shared decision-making were key to successful recruitment for a social network survey.
Outcomes of a Community-Based Participatory Research Partnership Self-Evaluation: The Rochester Healthy Community Partnership Experience
RHCP conducted a comprehensive self-evaluation to assess the strength and sustainability of its long-standing community-academic partnership. Using a mix of interviews, surveys, and group discussions, members reflected on the partnership’s history, values, and practices. They found that shared goals, trust, and open communication were key to their success.
An Assessment of Health Priorities Among a Community Sample of Somali Adults.
A large survey of Somali adults in Minnesota revealed that chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and obesity are top health concerns for both individuals and the broader community. Participants also emphasized the importance of health behaviors, especially diet and exercise, over infectious diseases.
Community-Engaged Approaches for Minority Recruitment Into Clinical Research: A Scoping Review of the Literature.
Efforts to increase participation of racial and ethnic minorities in clinical research have long faced challenges, despite federal mandates and comparable willingness among these groups to participate. A scoping review of 66 studies revealed that community-engaged research (CEnR) strategies—ranging from simply informing communities to full co-leadership—can improve recruitment outcomes.
Lay Health Worker as Interventionist Training: Reflective Writing in US Family Health Promotion Practice.
Lay health workers from immigrant and refugee communities in Rochester were trained to deliver a family-based nutrition and physical activity program through RHCP. These Family Health Promoters (FHPs) worked directly with families to set small, meaningful health goals, adapting their approach to each family's unique needs and circumstances.
Community Engagement With Vulnerable Populations
During the COVID-19 pandemic, RHCP and other community-engaged research (CEnR) partnerships at Mayo Clinic worked to address the disproportionate impact of the virus on vulnerable populations, including immigrants, racial minorities, and those facing socioeconomic hardship. These groups experienced higher infection and death rates due to pre-existing health disparities, limited access to care, and structural barriers like crowded housing and unstable employment.
The Development of a Collaborative Self-Evaluation Process for Community-Based Participatory Research Partnerships Using the Community-Based Participatory Research Conceptual Model...
RHCP undertook a participatory self-evaluation to assess its health, sustainability, and alignment with community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles. Working with the University of New Mexico Center for Participatory Research, RHCP adapted existing tools and the CBPR conceptual model to guide a four-step process.
Lessons Learned from Community-Led Recruitment of Immigrants and Refugee Participants for a Randomized, Community–Based Participatory Research Study
RHCP successfully recruited 45 Hispanic, Somali, and Sudanese immigrant and refugee families—totaling 160 individuals—for a randomized trial evaluating a culturally tailored physical activity and nutrition intervention. Recruitment was entirely community-led, with local partners designing messages, identifying effective communication strategies, and facilitating outreach.
Lessons Learned: Cultural and Linguistic Enhancement of Surveys Through Community-Based Participatory Research
RHCP collaborated with Somali, Hispanic, and Cambodian community partners to adapt and translate a diabetes survey for use in Rochester’s immigrant and refugee populations. The original 135-item survey was reduced to 110 items through a participatory process that included editing for cultural relevance, forward and back translation, and extensive group deliberation.
Perceived Impact of Human Subjects Protection Training on Community Partners in Community Based Participatory Research
An adapted Human Subjects Protection Training (HSPT) program was implemented by RHCP to address barriers faced by community partners in participating fully in community-based participatory research (CBPR). Seven participants from diverse immigrant and refugee backgrounds completed the training, which was modified from Mayo Clinic’s institutional curriculum to better suit community needs
Capacity Building Through Focus Group Training in Community-Based Participatory Research
RHCP and the Hawthorne Education Center (HEC) in Rochester, Minnesota, collaborated to build community research capacity through focus group training within a community-based participatory research (CBPR) framework. The initiative aimed to empower community members - primarily immigrants and refugees - with qualitative research skills to explore health concerns, particularly tuberculosis.