Project Summary
This project focuses on issues faced by ethnically diverse and under-resourced seniors, facing health and mental health disparities, as they try to live in their home/community as long as possible, or “age in place.” This project seeks to recruit and train community partners to advise UA scholars on: 1) the selection of relevant research questions; 2) the development of culturally appropriate measures and interventions; and 3) the development of experiential learning opportunities in their communities through true partnership. The Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach provides a bridge connecting scientists and communities that fosters a deeper understanding and shared perspective on objectives, goals, and outcomes. The SOAR community partners will advise on projects that address the needs of their communities. Although public health interventions to address health disparities have considered mechanisms that promote the creation of nurturing environments, a mechanism that has not been explored is the involvement of community partners through CBPR. Across the two-year project, mechanisms to facilitate sustainability of the groups will be identified and pursued.
The projected outputs from this project are adapted training materials for the formation of Project Advisory Councils to provide Opinions and Advice about Research to university partners; continued funding for the two existing PACs; and journal publications.