Community-Based Participatory Research

C linical researchers strive to improve outcomes for the subjects of their research. Whether testing a novel drug, procedure, or behavioral intervention, the goal is to positively impact the recipient's health. It is the academic researcher, therefore, who identifies the health need and then devises a strategy to address that need. Contrast this to research in which the subject is not only the beneficiary of the product of the research but is a co-creator of the research from its inception to completion. This participatory approach to research will be the subject of this article. Specifically, we will describe community-based participatory research (CBPR), its importance, its use, and how stroke specialists can employ this research approach.