Recorded presentation

Ricky N. Bluthenthal, PhD, Health Program and DPRC, RAND, 1700 Main Street, PO Box 2138, Santa Monica, CA 90407, 310-393-0411 x6642, rickyb@rand.org, Paul Koegel, PhD, RAND Health, RAND, 1700 Main Street, P.O. Box 2138, Santa Monica, CA 90407, Marcia A. Ellison, PhD, RANDHealth, The RAND Corporation, 1700 Main Street, P O Box 2138, Santa Monica, CA 90407, Loretta Jones, MA, Healthy African American Families, 3856 Martin Luther King Blvd Suite 201, Los Angeles, CA 90008, Kenneth Wells, MD, Health Division, RAND, 1700 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90407, and Keith Norris, MD, Research and Development, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, 1772 E. 118th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90059.

Recent findings indicate that quality improvement efforts in the treatment of major depression significantly impact not only the emotional well-being of the participants, but improved economic growth as well. Thus, improving depression care may help address both health and economic disparities. However, other research indicates that African Americans and other communities of color are the least likely to seek and receive treatment for depression. There is no systemic model to increase public engagement in depression treatment among minority communities. The Healthy African American Families project in Los Angeles uses a participatory research and evaluation model to explore and inform its work on addressing community health concerns on multiple levels. Ongoing aspects of this model are: 1)coalition development; 2) community "information exchange" conferences; 3) formation of working groups to develop and implement strategies; and 4) participatory evaluation using mixed methods, such as pre-post surveys of conference participants, qualitative studies of strategies 1-3, and secondary data sources. The application of this model in examining depression in the Los Angeles communities of color is called "Witness for Wllness". This presentation will discuss findings from the fourth component of this model, the participatory evaluation strategy.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this presentation, the participant(learner) will be able to

• Discuss the four-step process of the Witness for Wellness community-university participatory research design.
• Discuss the preliminary research findings from this initiative.
• Discuss the processes and efficacy of a participatory research strategy between community and academia.

Keywords: Depression, Research

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation