The Three Rs: How Community-Based Participatory Research Strengthens the Rigor, Relevance, and Reach of Science

摘要

In the last few decades, community-based participatory research (CBPR) has emerged as an important approach that links environmental health and justice advocates with research institutions to understand and address environmental health problems. CBPRhas generally been evaluated for its impact on policy, regulation, and its support of community science. However, there has been less emphasis on assessing the ways in which CBPR (re)shapes and potentially improves the scientific enterprise itself. Thiscommentary focuses on this under-emphasized aspect of CBPR—how it can strengthen science. Using two case studies of environmental health CBPR research—the Northern California Household Exposure Study, and the San Joaquin Valley Drinking Water Study—weposit that CBPR helps improve the "3 Rs" of science—rigor, relevance and reach—-and in so doing benefits the scientific enterprise itself.