COVID-19 has shed light on the need for community-engaged research to fuel crisis and emergency risk communication in underserved settings, promote timely and effective access to testing and vaccination for marginalized communities, and reduce disparities related to leveraging data and for communication, dissemination, and building trust. However, unethical and inappropriate research practice involving underserved communities, including historical exploitation and abuse within human participant research, has led to hesitancy and distrust in health research by historically marginalized populations. Moreover, current experiences with the medical system have contributed to hesitation by historically marginalized populations to participate in research. Health research also has brought suspicion and uneasiness among underrepresented groups because of research perpetuating stereotypes in underserved settings through focusing on community deficits rather than strengths.
Low trust and inadequate collaboration between academic and community partners introduce additional barriers to equitable community–academic research partnerships. Authentic, trusting, and robust partnerships between community organizations and academics are therefore critical for promoting the success of interventions tackling health disparities. This process is iterative and cyclical, and requires collaboration, commitment, colearning, and mutual respect by community and academic partners, as well as patience and diligence. Moreover, the process of establishing community–academic partnerships may be challenging, particularly in high-need areas, and especially when health threats such as pandemics require time-sensitive interventions. (author introduction)
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