Journal article
Power Sharing in Community-Engaged Research with Syrian Refugees in Lebanon: Using community engagement to shape Intervention Fit to Context
SSM - mental health, Vol.6, 100358
12/2024
DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmmh.2024.100358
PMCID: PMC12857848
PMID: 41625166
Abstract
Our study assesses the community-engaged research approach (CEnR) followed during the planning phase for a randomized controlled trial designed to assess how young adult Syrian refugees living in the Bekaa region of Lebanon implementing PM+ with adults in their community will be impacted themselves. We aim to describe the community-engaged research process implemented in our study, and the impact of community engagement on the process of adaptation of the intervention, and the design of the study.
Community-engaged research (CEnR) was used to adapt this intervention to the context of the young adult Syrian refugee community in Lebanon by forming a community alliance committee (CAC). Twelve members from the Syrian refugee community in the Bekaa, Lebanon with different professional and socio-demographic characteristics who have lived experience or expertise related to mental health, education, health more generally, or young adults were invited to join a community alliance committee. Thematic analysis was conducted for two sources of data: (1) minutes of the CAC meetings; (2) in-depth interviews conducted with five CAC members. Findings demonstrate that community-engaged research increases rigor and relevance of the intervention and influenced outcomes, process, and context measures. Suggested modifications made by the CAC members enhanced the social and cultural relevance of the intervention, the measurement tools, and the study’s approach.
Our results showed that a CEnR process contributes to building trust with the community, creating a safe space for everyone to share their inputs, and when integrating those inputs into the adaptation of the intervention, results in a more contextualized intervention.
⁃Community engagement is essential in developing an intervention that fits context.⁃A community-engaged approach strengthens relevance and rigor of an intervention under study.⁃Community Alliance Committees are appropriate modes of engagement in refugee settings.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Power Sharing in Community-Engaged Research with Syrian Refugees in Lebanon: Using community engagement to shape Intervention Fit to Context
- Creators
- R. Nakkash - George Mason UniversityM. Fares - Multi-Aid Programs NGO, Beirut, LebanonM. Tleis - American University of BeirutS. Mugharbil - American University of BeirutM. Antaby - American University of BeirutH. Al Masri - American University of BeirutL. Ghandour - American University of BeirutF. Al Halabi - Multi-Aid Programs NGO, Beirut, LebanonY. Najjar - Multi-Aid Programs NGO, Beirut, LebanonB. Louis - Multi-Aid Programs NGO, Beirut, LebanonR. Afifi - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- SSM - mental health, Vol.6, 100358
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.ssmmh.2024.100358
- PMID
- 41625166
- PMCID
- PMC12857848
- NLM abbreviation
- SSM Ment Health
- ISSN
- 2666-5603
- eISSN
- 2666-5603
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 10/2024
- Date published
- 12/2024
- Academic Unit
- Injury Prevention Research Center; Community and Behavioral Health
- Record Identifier
- 9984740854002771
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