Formative research to identify community partnerships and foster relationships for health promotion research in South Mississippi.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this short communication is to describe the trust building and collaboration, fostering phases of a community-academic partnership between churches and academic researchers using a community-based participatory research approach.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: An academic-community partnership with church leaders was initiated using survey administration and was further developed using focus groups. A coalition was developed, and it guided a subsequent focus group with church members.

RESULTS: Most churches surveyed did not have a health ministry in place but were agreeable that a variety of health topics were appropriate for the church setting. Church leaders felt that church members were key to engage in health programs in the church, whereas church members viewed pastoral support as important. Church leaders felt that working with a university brings credibility to their own health programs.

CONCLUSION: This early work provides a valuable example of how community collaborations may be initiated and developed using formative research methods, serving both community and research agendas.