Community advisory boards: Experiences and common practices of clinical and translational science award programs.

Community advisory boards (CABs) are a valuable strategy for engaging and partnering with communities in research. Eighty-nine percent of Clinical and Translational Science Awardees (CTSA) responding to a 2011 survey reported having a CAB. CTSAs' experiences with CABs are valuable for informing future practice. This study was conducted to describe common CAB implementation practices among CTSAs; document perceived benefits, challenges, and contributions; and examine their progress toward desirable outcomes. A cross-CTSA collaborative team collected survey data from respondents representing academic and/or community members affiliated with CTSAs with CABs. Data representing 44 CTSAs with CABs were analyzed using descriptive statistics. A majority of respondents reported practices reflecting respect for CAB members' expertise and input such as compensation (75%), advisory purview beyond their CTSA's Community Engagement program (88%), and influence over CAB operations. Three-quarters provide members with orientation and training on roles and responsibilities and 89% reported evaluating their CAB. Almost all respondents indicated their CTSA incorporates the feedback of their CABs to some degree; over half do so a lot or completely. This study profiles practices that inform CTSAs implementing a CAB and provide an evaluative benchmark for those with existing CABs.

From research to practice: dissemination of the Contraceptive CHOICE Project.

Unintended pregnancy is a public health problem with societal consequences. The Contraceptive CHOICE Project (CHOICE) demonstrated a reduction in teen pregnancy and abortion by removing barriers to effective contraception. The purpose of the study was to describe the dissemination approach used to create awareness of and promote desire to adopt the CHOICE model among selected audiences. We used a 4-stage approach and detail the work completed in the first 2 stages. We describe stakeholder involvement in the first stage and the process of undertaking core strategies in the second stage. We examine insights gained throughout the process. Through our dissemination approach, we reached an estimated 300,000 targeted individuals, not including the population reached through media. We were contacted by 141 entities for technical assistance. The completion and reporting of dissemination processes is an important component of research. There is a need to fully document and disseminate strategies that can help facilitate practice change.

Contraceptive continuation in Hispanic women.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of Hispanic ethnicity on the continuation and satisfaction of reversible contraceptive methods. STUDY DESIGN: We analyzed 12 months of data that were collected from 7913 participants in the Contraceptive CHOICE Project. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to estimate continuation, and Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the risk of discontinuation. RESULTS: Hispanic women were more likely to choose a long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) method compared with non-Hispanic black and non-Hispanic white women (80%, 73%, and 75%, respectively; P < .05). The 12-month continuation rates were higher for LARC methods than combined hormonal methods for all race/ethnicity (Hispanic women, 87% vs 40%; non-Hispanic black women, 85% vs 46%; non-Hispanic white women, 87% vs 56%). There was no statistical difference in discontinuation of LARC methods at 12 months. Eighty percent of LARC users reported high satisfaction levels at 12 months, regardless of race/ethnicity. CONCLUSION: Hispanic women in the Contraceptive CHOICE Project experienced high continuation and satisfaction for LARC methods, similar to women of other ethnicities.