Community Engagement Studios (Studios) consist of a 2-hour facilitated community conversation between a researcher and community experts, with the goal being for the investigator to receive community input and feedback on a part of their research such as a grant proposal, intervention or study design, or recruitment strategy.
At a Studio you can expect:
- Advance RI-CTR staff coordination of all logistics including room rentals, food and any necessary equipment.
- Participant recruitment and outreach to ensure that all participants have clear directions and are fairly compensated for their time.
- Facilitation by a professional moderator who begins by providing an overview of the Studios process and ground rules for discussion.
- A 10-15-minute PowerPoint presentation given by the facilitator or investigator in laymen’s terms with background information about the research or aims and the specific questions the investigator(s) have for the community experts.
- A discussion about the questions posed, moderated by the Studios facilitator, including Spanish translation assistance, if needed.
- Finally, a follow-up from the researcher to the community panel, such as a memo, to inform them of how their insights and feedback were incorporated into the research.
Advance RI-CTR's First Community Studio, with Dr. Joanne Wilkinson
Advance RI-CTR recently completed its first official Studio offering (one of four scheduled for this fiscal year) with Dr. Joanne Wilkinson, Associate Professor of Family Medicine at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and a dedicated researcher. Dr. Wilkinson has been studying the uptake of newer diabetes therapies in urban Latino patients in Rhode Island.
Part of her work is centered on the Latino community's uptake of newer diabetes treatments, such as continuous glucose monitors (CGMs). Despite their effectiveness, these treatments are not as widely used among Latino patients. To learn more about why this gap exists, Dr. Wilkinson collaborated with Progreso Latino, a social services organization, to create bridges with the population by attending diabetes prevention classes and engaging with the community through the food pantry.
Benefits of Using the Studios
Advance RI-CTR supported Dr. Wilkinson's research by providing a platform and recruiting 8 participants for a Studio, where Latino patients with type 2 diabetes could engage with diabetes focused educational content and offer feedback on the various video formats for this content. This approach allowed Dr. Wilkinson to better understand the community's preferences, such as whether they preferred videos featuring doctors, role plays, or lectures, and what style of presentation resonated most with them.
The Studio also resulted in a deeper insight into the participants' knowledge of diabetes management. Notably, while most participants were familiar with standard blood glucose monitoring, only one out of eight had experience with CGM’s, revealing a significant information gap and highlighting the need for more targeted educational efforts. This provided Dr. Wilkinson with additional insight for the future direction of her research focus in addition to her original goal of the Studio – to look into preferences for how video content is presented.
Dr. Wilkinson gave her experience using the Studios a 9 out of 10. “The best thing about it for me was that those administrative details were all being attended to by somebody else, which was hugely helpful," she states. The studio setup, including recruitment of participants and handling of technical aspects, was managed seamlessly, allowing her to engage more deeply with the content of the facilitated conversation.
Unexpected Insights and Future Applications
One of the unexpected outcomes of this first Studio was the participants' hunger for more information about diabetes management. The sessions not only provided feedback on the videos but sparked valuable discussions that Dr. Wilkinson plans to incorporate into her future work. For instance, the concept of diabetes management being like a "puzzle" with various pieces that patients need to customize for themselves emerged as a powerful metaphor, which may guide future educational content.
Dr. Wilkinson also emphasized the potential of using the Studios to inform grant applications. Although the data from the Studios is not publishable in the traditional sense, it can be invaluable in shaping research proposals and refining project goals. She plans to document the findings from her Studio session and make them available within her department, providing a resource for future researchers.
Looking Ahead
Dr. Wilkinson is enthusiastic about the prospect of using Advance RI-CTR's Community Studios for future projects. The efficiency, support, and depth of engagement they provide have proven to be valuable to her work. She also suggests that the Studios' findings could be curated and made available on a broader platform, potentially benefiting other researchers and enhancing the collective understanding of community needs.
Dr. Wilkinson's experience with Advance RI-CTR's Community Studios highlights the power of community engagement in research. By directly involving the target population and using their feedback, researchers like Dr. Wilkinson can create more effective and culturally relevant interventions, ultimately improving health outcomes for underserved communities.
Could you use a Community Engagement Studio from Advance RI-CTR?