Center for Collaborative Research in Health Disparities, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
PROTECT Center, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2023 Mar 27;17:e367. doi: 10.1017/dmp.2022.305.
To describe the importance of community engagement from research projects and research centers in times of disasters or emergencies, using the case of Puerto Rico in recent years (2017 - 2022) as an example.
First, research participants and stakeholders from local community and health organizations were contacted via email and phone calls after each emergency to assess their immediate needs. Second, needs were classified in categories (materials, educational resources, service referrals, and collaborations). Finally, delivery of support was coordinated in a timely manner whether in person or online.
Activities were conducted such as handing out materials, providing educational resources, contacting participants, and stakeholders, as well as coordinating collaboration with community and organizations.
Several lessons were learned from our experiences related to Puerto Rico's recent emergencies as well as some relevant recommendations for future disasters. The efforts presented illustrate the importance of community engagement from academic institutions in disasters. Research centers and research projects, particularly those with community engagement components, should consider providing support in the preparedness phase as well as the recovery phase if necessary. Community engagement in emergencies is crucial to recovery efforts as well as fostering empowerment and making an impact on individual and societal levels.
以近年来（2017-2022 年）波多黎各的情况为例，阐述在灾难或紧急情况下，研究项目和研究中心开展社区参与的重要性。
首先，在每次紧急情况后，通过电子邮件和电话联系当地社区和卫生组织的研究参与者和利益攸关方，评估他们的即时需求。其次，将需求分类为（物资、教育资源、服务转介和合作）。最后，无论是亲自还是在线，都及时协调提供支持。
开展了一些活动，如分发物资、提供教育资源、联系参与者和利益攸关方，以及协调与社区和组织的合作。
我们从与波多黎各最近的紧急情况相关的经验中吸取了一些教训，并提出了一些有关未来灾害的建议。所呈现的努力说明了学术机构在灾害中的社区参与的重要性。研究中心和研究项目，特别是那些具有社区参与组成部分的项目，应考虑在备灾阶段以及必要时的恢复阶段提供支持。社区在紧急情况下的参与对于恢复工作以及增强权能和对个人和社会层面产生影响至关重要。
