Health is strength: A research collaboration involving Korean Americans in Alameda County

Introduction: This is a preliminary report from a research collaboration between Asian Health Services (community health center); Koreans in Alameda County, California; and the University of California at Berkeley School of Public Health. This five-year Centers for Disease Control and Prevention project supports a collaborative community intervention to improve breast and cervical cancer screening behavior among Korean women. Methods: A Korean Community Advisory Board and Korean-American staff were recruited, and community sensitive research (CSR) and participatory action research (PAR) principles were applied: (1) building community infrastructure for sustainable action, (2) cultural appropriateness, (3) assuring responsiveness to community needs, and (4) a prevention focus that would assist health care providers. We conducted a population-based telephone survey on 676 Korean adults (272 men and 404 women). Results: The collaborative process yielded (1) a high response rate (79%), (2) baseline health information on Korean Americans, (3) broadening of the original research topic, (4) survey responses that will guide intervention design, (5) culturally competent strategies, and (6) expanded Korean-American Community capacity for local action. Conclusions: Research collaboration between universities, community-based organizations, and ethnic communities can yield high-quality research. CSR and PAR approaches help break through cultural barriers in otherwise "hard to reach" API subpopulations. Determinants of success include sharing common goals; trust, honesty, and integrity; shared decision making; mutual respect of each partner's expertise; cultural sensitivity and cultural competence; flexibility, good communication, and mutual learning; and continuity of partners. Actively engaging members of the study population in the research process builds community capacity, thus laying the foundation for future projects that improve health status.