Collaborative engagement of Hispanic communities in the planning, conducting, and dissemination of assistive technology research

• Published in: Journal of clinical and translational science Vol. 5; no. 1; p. e41
• Main Authors: Orellano-Colón, Elsa M, Rivero-Méndez, Marta, Boneu-Meléndez, Claudia X, Solís-Báez, Solymar, León-Astor, Arelí, Juliá-Pacheco, Mariolga, Santiago-Cruz, María Del Mar, Jutai, Jeffrey W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Cambridge University Press 01.01.2021
• Subjects: Adaptive technology; Assistive technology; Citizen participation; Collaboration; Community; community engagement; Community involvement; community stakeholders; Disability; Handicapped assistance devices; Hispanic; Hispanic Americans; Implementation, Policy and Community Engagement; Low income areas; Low income groups; Meetings; Minority & ethnic groups; Older people; Planning; Puerto Rico; Quality of life; Researchers; Social change; translational research; Working groups; United States > US; Puerto Rico; Puerto Rico; translational research; Assistive technology; Hispanic; community stakeholders; community engagement
• ISSN: 2059-8661; 2059-8661
• DOI: 10.1017/cts.2020.534

Community engagement (CE) is critical for research on the adoption and use of assistive technology (AT) in many populations living in resource-limited environments. Few studies have described the process that was used for engaging communities in AT research, particularly within low-income communities of older Hispanic with disabilities where limited access, culture, and mistrust must be navigated. We aimed to identify effective practices to enhance CE of low-income Hispanic communities in AT research. The community stakeholders included community-based organizations, the community healthcare clinic, the local AT project, and residents of the Caño Martín Peña Community in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The CE procedures and activities during the comprised working group meetings with stakeholders to cocreate the funding proposal for the study and address the reviewers' critiques. During the , we convened a Community Advisory Board to assist in the implementation of the study. During the , we developed and implemented plans to disseminate the research results. We identified seven distinct practices to enhance CE in AT research with Hispanic communities: (1) ; (2) ; (3) ; (4) ; (5) ; (6) ; and (7) . Greater attention to CE practices may improve the effectiveness and sustainability of AT research with low-income communities.