Practicing HIV/AIDS community-based research

Abstract

Although community-based research (CBR) is gaining popularity, especially within the field of HIV/AIDS research, there is a paucity of practical models or frameworks designed to guide researchers and community members. Within the present paper the author presents a ten-stage model of conducting CBR that emerged from two HIV/AIDS CBR studies that were conducted in Alberta, Canada. The main strengths and challenges to conducting HIV/AIDS CBR are also explored. Living a life with HIV has changed dramatically over the past few decades. There have been notable improvements in medical technology and treatment, resulting in increased quality and duration of life (Volberding, 1998; Wong-Staal, 1997) as well as improvements in psychosocial interventions leading to improved mental health services (Grinstead & Van Der Straten, 2000; Hoffman, 1996; Sarwer & Crawford, 1994; Schaffner, 1994). Perhaps most significant has been the astonishing community rallying and social support networks that have occurred among individuals living with HIV and AIDS (Roy & Cain, 2001). People living with HIV and AIDS have demonstrated their resilience and positive outlooks through developing a multitude of community connections and projects. These organizational groups have engaged in HIV peer counselling at community-based organizations, fund raising programs, board involvement in community agency organizations and HIV/AIDS national committees, as well as volunteer work in many settings. There has also been a recent focus on CBR, which includes having individuals living with HIV and AIDS, people vulnerable to HIV infection or other stakeholders in HIV/AIDS issues become partners in research projects with academic or trained researchers (Health Canada, 2002).

Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank Dr. Denise Larsen of the University of Alberta, Department of Educational Psychology and Director of the Hope Foundation of Alberta and Dr. Kevin Alderson of the University of Calgary, Division of Applied Psychology for their supervisory support on the present research projects. The author would also like to thank Ms. San Patten, Alberta HIV/AIDS Research Technical Assistant for Community-Based Research, for her on-going research and technical support on the projects and this paper. In additions, the author thanks Ms. Amy Stackhouse Harris for her assistance in conceptualizing the projects. Most importantly, the author would like to thank the community members who have been involved with each of these research projects and the dissemination of the findings. The author is also grateful to Health Canada and the CIHR for the generous funding of each of these projects.