Table 2 Items that are considered essential to perform the work of a research network like CAARN
Essential elements (Arranged in descending order of percentage in final agreement) | Round when consensus was achieved | Percent of panelists that considered the element as essential | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | ||
Overall characteristic of the research network | ||||
• Aligns research projects with the needs of community partners | 1 | 96% | ||
• Has access to a network of community/local organizations | 1 | 96% | ||
• Usefulness and feasibility of health interventions is tested in the early stages of research | 1 | 96% | ||
• Has a relationship with an organization(s) that want to distribute the research products (i.e., the proven interventions) after research is completedab | 3 | 69% | 66% | 95% |
• Has a Program Manager/Administrator | 1 | 93% | ||
• Have a community research associate (CRA) on staffa | 2 | 78% | 91% | |
• Has a goal to move projects along the research continuum (e.g., Pilot ➔ Small clinical trial ➔ Randomizes clinical trial ➔ Dissemination) | 1 | 89% | ||
• Have a Community-Academic Executive Committee, which is formed by community and academic stakeholders. Its functions include to prioritize studies, oversee identifying and selecting community and academic partners for research teams, and problem solving for research partnershipsa | 2 | 67% | 83% | |
• Having a group of individuals who are potentially interested in using the resulting health interventions in the future. | 1 | 82% | ||
Regarding the academic partners invited to participate in CAARN projects (Principal Investigator or their mentor on the grant if they are junior) | ||||
• Has good communication skills | 1 | 96% | ||
• Is open to receive feedback | 1 | 93% | ||
• Is open to learn new concepts (e.g., D&I concepts, community-based participatory research) | 1 | 93% | ||
• Is committed to move projects along the research continuum (e.g., Pilot ➔ Small clinical trial ➔ Randomizes clinical trial ➔ Dissemination) | 1 | 93% | ||
• Principal Investigator (or their Mentor on the grant, if they are junior) has been successful in obtaining grant fundinga | 2 | 74% | 91% | |
• Has good writing skills | 1 | 89% | ||
• Considers community partners as equals in the research team | 1 | 89% | ||
• Has knowledge of the principles of dissemination and implementation research (e.g., design for dissemination, reach, fidelity, context, among others)a | 3 | 79% | 76% | 80% |
Regarding the community partners invited to participate in CAARN projects. Community Partners are defined as those in the community working with the researchers/CAARN to implement the intervention/program | ||||
• Have staff who are enthusiastic | 1 | 100% | ||
• Have capacity (time, staff, resources) to participate in research | 1 | 96% | ||
• Has a champion for the project within the organization | 2 | n/a | 95% | |
• Have strong, collaborative, and productive working relationships within community | 1 | 89% | ||
• Participation in research activities has support from leadership | 1 | 86% | ||
• Receive financial support from the research project to compensate for time/staff that is dedicated to research related activities | 1 | 86% | ||
• Has regular communications (e.g., meetings, symposiums, conference calls) with similar agencies to share experiences and current initiativesa | 3 | 57% | 62% | 85% |
• Be invited to provide input in all phases of the study (e.g., intervention design, study design, grant writing, data collection, interpretation of results) ab | 3 | 78% | 76% | 80% |
Regarding the Community Research Associate (CRA) (According to the National Institutes of Health, a CRA is a community representative that serves as a primary liaison facilitating communication and collaboration between the academic health center and the local community) | ||||
• Has good communication skills | 1 | 100% | ||
• Has a positive attitude | 1 | 100% | ||
• Has excellent organizational skills | 1 | 100% | ||
• Has a deep commitment to facilitate research that is responsive to community priorities | 2 | – | 100% | |
• Has understanding of community organizations (e.g., capacity, culture, day-to-day life, needs) | 1 | 96% | ||
• Has experience working with community organizations | 1 | 86% | ||
• Has a big picture mentality | 1 | 82% | ||
• Has experience disseminating programs with fidelity | 1 | 82% | ||
• Has the ability to multitask | 2 | 75% | 82% | |
CRA roles and responsibilities | ||||
• Explaining to community and academic partners the steps involved in performing research in community settings | 1 | 100% | ||
• Meets academic partners in person at some point during the studya | 3 | 64% | 77% | 100% |
• Exploring community interest and capacity to engage in research | 1 | 96% | ||
• Assuring that communities’ input is considered in the study design | 1 | 96% | ||
• Communicating pro-actively with partners to ensure project is on track | 1 | 96% | ||
• Explaining to community and academic partners the importance of research | 1 | 93% | ||
• Organizing the sharing of results with community partners | 1 | 93% | ||
• Troubleshooting issues during project | 1 | 93% | ||
• Facilitating planning meetings before grant is obtained. | 1 | 93% | ||
• Explaining to all potential community and academic partners what the research network is (e.g., CAARN) | 1 | 92% | ||
• Meets community partners in person at some point during the studya | 3 | 71% | 77% | 90% |
• Identifying partners (community and/or academic) | 1 | 89% | ||
• Explaining to academic partners the context on which community organizations operate (e.g., Aging Network) | 1 | 89% | ||
• Modeling communication strategies to request stakeholder input during planning meetings | 1 | 86% | ||
• Assisting communications between academic and community members to assure that goals and expectations are accurately understood. | 1 | 86% | ||
• Decisions regarding the CRA’s participation in community-academic team meetings be assessed on a case-by-case basis, depending on functionality of the relationship between the community and academic partners | 2 | – | 84% | |
• Providing assistance during grant application (Budget template, letters of support) | 1 | 82% | ||
• Scheduling planning meetings before grant is obtained | 1 | 82% | ||
• Scheduling research meetings between community and academic partners AFTER the grant is obtaineda | 2 | 71% | 82% | |
Regarding the director of a research network like CAARN | ||||
• Has passion about the mission of the research organization | 1 | 100% | ||
• Has good communication skills | 1 | 100% | ||
• Is able to provide input regarding dissemination and implementation strategiesa | 3 | 71% | 71% | 100% |
• Has good writing skills | 1 | 96% | ||
• Has good problem-solving skills | 2 | n/a | 95% | |
• has knowledge of funding mechanisms | 1 | 93% | ||
• Has experience in dissemination and implementation research | 3 | 75% | 76% | 90% |
• Is able to provide input on the scientific merits of the study, intervention design, and evaluation proceduresa | 3 | 71% | 57% | 90% |
• Has experience in grant applications | 1 | 89% | ||
• Identifies funding opportunities | 1 | 89% | ||
• Provides assistance during development of grant application | 1 | 89% | – | |
• Has been successful obtaining NIH and other research funding | 1 | 86% | ||
• Has good listening skills | 2 | n/a | 86% | |
• Participates in planning meetings | 1 | 86% | ||
• Is experienced in community-based participatory research | 1 | 82% | ||
• Has the ability to mediate conflict | 2 | n/a | 81% | |
Regarding the purveyor(s) (i.e., the organization(s) that licenses and distributes the program to community agencies, once the program is proven. | ||||
• Organization’s goals align with goals of the research network | 1 | 96% | ||
• Has capacity to disseminate new programs | 1 | 96% | ||
• Is a trusted organization among community partners in the research network | 1 | 96% | ||
• Distributes programs after they are proven | 1 | 96% | ||
• Has experience disseminating programs | 1 | 89% | ||
• Has experience delivering programs | 1 | 89% | ||
• Provides input on existing needs | 1 | 86% | ||
• Provides input on the packaging of evidence-base programs | 1 | 86% | ||