Exploring Challenges and Strategies in Partnering With Community-Based Organizations to Advance Intervention Development and Implementation With Older Adults

Manka Nkimbeng, Hae Ra Han, Sarah L. Szanton, Kamila A. Alexander, Melissa Davey-Rothwell, Jarod T. Giger, Laura N. Gitlin, Jin Hui Joo, Sokha Koeuth, Katherine A. Marx, Chivon A. Mingo, Laura J. Samuel, Janiece L. Taylor, Jennifer Wenzel, Jeanine M. Parisi

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

Abstract

Minoritized older adults face multiple health inequities and disparities, but are less likely to benefit from evidence-based health care interventions. With the increasing diversity of the U.S. aging population, there is a great promise for gerontology researchers to partner with racial/ethnic minority organizations and underrepresented communities to develop and implement evidence-based health interventions. Community-Based Participatory Research and Implementation Science offer guidance and strategies for researchers to develop and sustain community partnerships. However, researchers partnering with community organizations continue to face challenges in these collaborations, study outcomes, and sustainability. This may be especially true for those junior in their career trajectory or new to community-engaged research. The purpose of this forum article is to detail critical challenges that can affect gerontology researcher-community partnerships and relationships from the perspective of researchers. Seven challenges (pre- or mid-intervention design, implementation, and postimplementation phases) described within the Equity-focused Implementation Research for health programs framework are identified and discussed. Potential solutions are also presented. Planning for potential obstacles of the researcher-community partnerships can inform innovative solutions that will facilitate successful partnerships, thereby promoting the advancement of collaborative research between academic institutions and community organizations to improve older adult health outcomes.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1104-1111
Number of pages8
JournalGerontologist
Volume62
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 1 2022

Keywords

  • Collaborations
  • Community partner
  • Community-based research
  • Implementation science
  • Partnerships

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

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