“Very Similar to Having a Pimp”: Community Advisory Board Members’ Experiences in Health-Related Community-Based Participatory Research

Abstract

Despite the abundance of research on the experiences of researchers with community-based participatory research (CBPR), there has been comparatively little published on CAB members’ experiences. The goal of this research was to analyze the lived experiences of a small sample of CAB members in recent health-focused CBPR in Canada, with a particular focus on areas for improvement. We found that CAB members in CBPR experienced low perceived value from researchers due to communication patterns, education differences, and inadequate compensation. These issues may be mitigated through increased CAB member engagement throughout the research process, adequate compensation, and improved emotional support. This study demonstrates that if CBPR methodologies are to live up to their promise, it is crucial that CAB members are enabled to work in true partnership with researchers, receive adequate compensation that is meaningful to them, and are supported throughout the process.