Applying community-based participatory research principles to the development of a smoking-cessation program for American Indian teens: "telling our story"

Community-based participatory research provides communities and researchers with opportunities to develop interventions that are effective as well as acceptable and culturally competent. The present project responds to the voices of the North Carolina American Indian (AI) community and the desire for their youth to recognize tobacco addiction and commercial cigarette smoking as debilitating to their health and future. Seven community-based participatory principles led to the AI adaptation of the Not On Tobacco teen-smoking-cessation program and fostered sound research and meaningful results among an historically exploited population. Success was attributed to values-driven, community-based principles that (a) assured recognition of a community-driven need, (b) built on strengths of the tribes, (c) nurtured partnerships in all project phases, (d) integrated the community's cultural knowledge, (e) produced mutually beneficial tools/products, (f) built capacity through co-learning and empowerment, (g) used an iterative process of development, and (h) shared findings/ knowledge with all partners.

Mind the gap! Insight from the first 5 years of the Circle of Research and Practice

This article provides a summary of insight, thoughts, discussions, diversity, and lessons learned in the first 5 years of invited commentaries in this health promotion practice department, the Circle of Research and Practice. The summary is framed in the four persistent gaps that need attention if the circle of research and practice is to be unbroken: communication, accessibility, credibility, and expectations.