This page provides guidance on finding research conducted using CBPR as a research approach. Three databases will be explored: PubMed (biomedical/healthcare research); PsycInfo (psychology and behavioral sciences research); Sociologial Abstracts (sociology research).

According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, CBPR as a research approach is "particularly attractive for academics and public health professionals struggling to address the persistent problems of health care disparities in populations that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has designated as priority populations. These populations include historically underrepresented populations, such as racial and ethnic minorities; low-income, rural, and inner-city populations; women; and children."

Community-based participatory research is designated as a Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) term in PubMed.  If searched as a MeSH term, it will yield over 2100 results (as of 3-23-2015).

If PubMed is searched using community-based participatory research as a more generic keyword term, the search will yield over 3700 results (as of 3-23-2015). In this search strategy, the term can appear in any field in the database record.

MeSH terms and non-MeSH terms can be combined to develop a more focused search on the topic of interest.

In PsycInfo, there is no specific subject term for "community-based participatory research." An additional challenge is that "community-based participatory research" does not reliably appear in the (author-supplied) keyword field. The most fruitful strategy for retrieving research that focuses on CBPR as an approach is as follows.

Search "Community-based Participatory Research" (include the quotes) OR CBPR in Any Field (this is a simple keyword search). Records will be returned that have these terms appearing in any searchable field in the record. This is the broadest search with 931 results (as of 3/31/2015).

NOTE: Because PsycInfo is a subscription database (and access is therefore restricted to OSU students/faculty/staff or patrons physically in the OSU Libraries), images of search strategies are presented rather than links to live search results.

In Sociological Abstracts, there is no specific subject term for "community-based participatory research." Multiple options for retrieving research that focuses on CBPR as an approach are as follows:

Strategy 1: Search "Community-based Participatory Research" (include the quotes) OR CBPR Anywhere in the record (this is a simple keyword search). Records will be returned that have these terms appearing in any searchable field of the record. This is the broadest search with 140 results (as of 3/31/2015).

Strategy 2: Search Action Research (a broader research approach that encompasses CBPR) as a SU (Subject Heading) combined with "Community Involvement" as a SU (Subject Heading) OR "Citizen Participation" as a SU (Subject Heading). This is a more limited search with 90 results (as of 3/31/2015). NOTE, results from this search strategy must be carefully reviewed to see if they meet the standard of full community participation in all aspects of the research process.

NOTE: Because PsycInfo is a subscription database (and access is therefore restricted to OSU students/faculty/staff or patrons physically in the OSU Libraries), images of search strategies are presented rather than links to live search results.