Exploring Research Communication and Engagement in a Rural Community: The Libby P

描述（由申请人提供）：本项目响应NIH公共信托倡议，旨在改善研究人员与公众之间的沟通和互动。本研究的前提是，对于导致受环境灾害和复杂生态后果影响的农村社区成员增加对研究的理解和参与的条件和方法知之甚少。MT利比的居民代表了研究人员研究利比角孔石棉对人类健康影响的独特目标人群。为了提高公众对这个独特的农村社区的认识、理解、接受和参与研究的水平，一个已建立的社区/学术伙伴关系将应用案例研究方法和社区参与研究（CBPR）原则来实现项目的三个目标。首先，通过进行重点社区评估来确定MT利比的研究环境，包括：a)社区研究的历史；B)可用于支持社区研究交流和翻译的基础设施（服务和资源）；c) Libby居民对生物医学和行为研究的认知、知识、接受和/或抵制；d) Libby居民偏好的研究交流方式。其次，设计、实施和评估向Libby居民传达研究机会和结果的策略，以便：a)被研究人员用来促进MT . Libby的研究交流；B)提高社区居民对研究的认识、知识和接受程度；c)加强现有的地方研究基础设施，以便与社区成员交流研究。最后，为农村CBPR模式的发展提供基础，促进社区参与研究并指导在农村社区工作的研究人员。案例研究是理解复杂的当代社会现象的理想策略，包括与“如何”和“为什么”生活在超级基金遗址（背景）内的农村居民选择参与或拒绝参与研究（兴趣现象）有关的问题。这条调查路线与CBPR原则是一致的，因为案例研究的每个阶段，从通过社区评估确定多个数据源并将农村理论联系起来，到验证最终结果，都取决于社区成员的投入。这项研究合作的长期目标是改善关于研究的交流，并为与农村人员合作的研究人员提供方向，这将使社区和社区的研究人员参与研究。本研究的前提是，对导致受环境灾害和复杂生态后果影响的农村社区成员增加参与研究的条件和方法知之甚少。在这个经过大量研究的社区中，石棉相关疾病的病例继续从潜伏期出现到活动性疾病。从这群农村居民身上吸取的经验教训将有助于改善研究人员与公众之间关于这种全国分布的有毒物质的交流和互动。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This project responds to the NIH Public Trust Initiative to improve the communication and interaction between researchers and the public. The premise of this study is that too little is known about the conditions and approaches that lead to increased understanding of and participation in research by members of a rural community impacted by an environmental disaster and the complex ecological aftermath. Residents of Libby, MT represent a unique target population for researchers studying the human health effects of Libby amphibole asbestos. To raise the level of public awareness, understanding, acceptance, and involvement in research in this inimitable rural community, an established community/academic partnership will apply case study research methods and community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles to address three project aims. First, determine the research milieu in Libby, MT by conducting a focused community assessment to include: a) history of research in the community; b) infrastructure (services and resources) available to support the communication and translation of research in the community; c) Libby residents' awareness, knowledge, acceptance, and/or resistance to biomedical and behavioral research; and, d) Libby residents' preferred method of communication about research. Second, design, implement, and evaluate strategies for communicating research opportunities and results to Libby residents to: a) be used by researchers to facilitate research communication in Libby, MT; b) increase community resident's awareness, knowledge, and acceptance of research; and, c) enhance the existing local research infrastructure for the communication of research to community members. And finally, provide a foundation for the development of a rural CBPR model that fosters community involvement in research and guides researchers working in rural communities. Case study research is an ideal strategy for understanding complex, contemporary social phenomenon including questions related to "how" and "why" rural residents living within a Superfund site (the context) choose to participate or decline participation in research (the phenomenon of interest). This line of inquiry is consistent with CBPR principles since each phase of the case study, from identifying multiple data sources via the community assessment and linking rural theory, to validating the final results depends on input from community members. The long-term goal of this research collaboration is to improve communication about research and provide direction for researchers working with rural persons that will engage communities in research and researchers in the community. The premise of this study is that too little is known about the conditions and approaches that lead to increased participation in research by members of a rural community impacted by an environmental disaster and the complex ecological aftermath. Cases of asbestos-related disease continue to emerge from latency to active disease in this heavily researched community. Lessons learned from this cohort of rural residents will help improve communication and interaction between researchers and the public regarding this nationally distributed toxic substance.