Strengthening CBPR partnerships through tailored research ethics training and certification

The Community PARTners Core (CPC) of the University of Pittsburgh Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute facilitates relationships between community organizations and researchers to enhance partnered research. One strategy to increase community capacity for research is the development of a research ethics training for community partners that is adaptable to specific research studies' needs. The training is facilitated through collaboration with the CPC staff, faculty, investigators and community partners.

Required research ethics trainings generally require high literacy levels, are cumbersome, lack in contemporary research and project related examples, and do not incorporate a community perspective associated with research. CPC in partnership with University of Pittsburgh Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Community Research Advisory Board has developed an IRB approved Community Partnered Research Ethics Training and Certification. This community tailored training and certification process is designed to increase community partner and academic capacity to engage more deeply and equitably in the research process. The training was informed by and piloted with community members.

Community partners and academics engaged in research are the focus for this training module, which is designed to (1) promote cultural relevance and awareness of core human subjects research ethics principles, (2) cultivate community capacity to participate in community-based and community-partnered research, and (3) assist with the integration of community and stakeholder input to the design, development, implementation, evaluation and funding of research. Post surveys with principal investigators and their community partners help to assess changes in knowledge and attitudes related to research and research ethics.