Byiringiro Samuel, Lacanienta Cyd, Clark Roger, Evans Crystal, Stevens Sarah, Reese Melanie, Ouyang Pamela, Terkowitz Mia, Weston Christine, Galiatsatos Panagis, Guerrero Vazquez Monica, Luthardt Frederick W, Dennison Himmelfarb Cheryl R
Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Johns Hopkins Institute for Clinical & Translational Research, Baltimore, MD, USA.
J Clin Transl Sci. 2022 Aug 30;6(1):e121. doi: 10.1017/cts.2022.457. eCollection 2022.
Despite the adversity presented by COVID-19 pandemic, it also pushed for experimenting with innovative strategies for community engagement. The Community Research Advisory Council (C-RAC) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU), is an initiative to promote community engagement in research. COVID-19 rendered it impossible for C-RAC to conduct its meetings all of which have historically been in person. We describe the experience of advancing the work of the C-RAC during COVID-19 using digital and virtual strategies. Since March 2020, C-RAC transitioned from in person to virtual meetings. The needs assessment was conducted among C-RAC members, and individualized solutions provided for a successful virtual engagement. The usual working schedule was altered to respond to COVID-19 and promote community engaged research. Attendance to C-RAC meetings before and after the transition to virtual operation increased from 69% to 76% among C-RAC members from the community. In addition, the C-RAC launched new initiatives and in eighteen months since January 2020, it conducted 50 highly rated research reviews for 20 research teams. The experience of the C-RAC demonstrates that when community needs are assessed and addressed, and technical support is provided, digital strategies can lead to greater community collaborations.
尽管新冠疫情带来了诸多不利因素，但它也推动了社区参与创新策略的试验。约翰·霍普金斯大学（JHU）的社区研究咨询委员会（C-RAC）是一项促进社区参与研究的倡议。新冠疫情使C-RAC无法像以往那样举行面对面会议。我们描述了在新冠疫情期间利用数字和虚拟策略推进C-RAC工作的经验。自2020年3月以来，C-RAC从面对面会议转变为虚拟会议。对C-RAC成员进行了需求评估，并为成功的虚拟参与提供了个性化解决方案。为应对新冠疫情并促进社区参与研究，调整了常规工作时间表。在向虚拟运作过渡前后，社区C-RAC成员参加会议的比例从69%提高到了76%。此外，C-RAC发起了新的倡议，自2020年1月起的18个月内，它为20个研究团队进行了50次高评分的研究评审。C-RAC的经验表明，当评估并满足社区需求，并提供技术支持时，数字策略可以带来更多的社区合作。
