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Abstract
Background: Cambodian Americans experience great disparities in health compared to other Americans, yet may be underserved by conventional healthcare systems. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is a means to engage underserved communities in health research and programming. We describe results of our efforts to engage the Cambodian grassroots members as well as formal leaders in Oakland, California.
Objectives: In addition to a community advisory group, we convened a Community Work Group (CWG), composed of 10 grassroots community women of varying ages and backgrounds. The project aimed to leverage the lived experiences of these women and their understandings of health and wellness in identifying specific health issues and developing culturally resonant strategies.
Methods: The CWG met weekly with staff facilitators using methods for collective analysis including theater, body mapping, and other expressive arts.
Results: The approach proved logistically challenging, but resulted in novel analyses and strategies. The group identified trauma, along with poor access to education, unemployment and underemployment, social isolation, and generation gap, together with community violence, as root causes of key behavioral health issues, namely, alcohol abuse, gambling, prescription drug misuse, and domestic violence. Strategies proposed and implemented by the group and project staff were a community garden, Cambodian New Year's celebrations, and a museum exhibit on the Cambodian refugee experiences.
Conclusions: Grassroots community engagement can support projects in identifying social determinants of health and developing the capacities of community members to conduct research and actions to improve health.
Keywords
Community-based participatory research, process issues, power sharing, refugees, mental disorders, substance-related disorders, women
Many years after the genocidal Khmer Rouge period, Cambodian Americans and their children continue to experience poor health,1-4 evidenced by high rates of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and substance misuse.5-11 CBPR may aid in identifying new ways to address such persistent health conditions.12-14 Our project used CBPR to improve the behavioral health of Cambodian Americans in Oakland, California. We focused on building the capacities of grassroots Cambodian American women to identify behavioral health issues and disparities, and develop ideas for interventions addressing those issues.
OBJECTIVES
Partnerships
The project was a collaboration between the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE), a public health research agency, and Community Health for Asian Americans (CHAA), a community-based behavioral health and wellness...