CPA Research 2021-2022

What is CPAR? Community Participatory Action Research (CPAR) is an approach to research that gives people a voice in identifying and solving the health problems affecting their communities. The aim of CPAR is to increase knowledge and understanding of a given phenomenon and to integrate the knowledge gained with interventions for policies or social change benefiting the community members. In CPAR research all stakeholders are equal partners, working together to make positive changes within communities and address health inequalities. How CPAR started In February 2021, Health Education England Southeast (HEE SE), the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), and NHS England set up the Southeast England Community Participatory Action Research Project to build research capacity and capability within certain previously excluded or not fully engaged communities. The Public Health England’s report, Covid-19: understanding the impact on BAME communities, demonstrates the widening of existing health inequalities and as a result, Health Education England Southeast implemented a programme of work to support community participatory research, in which researchers and community stakeholders engage as equal partners. The aims of the project were to: • support skills development of individuals from organisations drawn from Black, Asian, and Minority

Ethnic communities in CPAR to tackle health issues related to COVID-19. • to investigate the impact of Covid-19 on Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities and develop relevant and implementable services that will promote the health and wellbeing of all. • equip community researchers with the skills to later deliver CPAR to help in addressing wider inequalities. • share learning from CPAR across networks in the

Southeast and beyond. The project was also seen as an opportunity to develop research capacity and capability, and to fill gaps and strengthen knowledge for certain previously excluded or not fully engaged communities. In Reading, Berkshire, CPAR was a partnership project focussing on health inequalities. The partners are Reading Borough Council (RBC), The Reading Voluntary Action (RVA), Reading Community Learning Centre (RCLC), University of Reading (UOR), and Alliance for Cohesion and Racial Equality (ACRE). This team of community researchers carried out their research in 2021- 2022 In the picture seated from the left, Tariq, and Eva. Standing from the left are Hema, Donna, Krishna, and Esther who was the CPAR facilitator. Key areas of research included: • Women and health care services By Donna and Hema • Maternal service and digital inclusion by Eva • Men and mental health by Tariq • Impact of covid on the Nepalese community by Krishna The researchers took part in 3 different showcase events to present their research work, findings, and recommendations. The first, Community Participatory Action Research (CPAR) showcase event was on Monday the 4th of April 2022 from 9:30 am to 1 pm at the Museum of English Rural Life and was hosted by the University of Reading. Maternal services and digital inclusion which were presented by Eva Karanja showed an overload of leaflets for mothers which means they get too much information and makes them panic. Mothers are not getting listened to which is very hard because a lot of them go through the same thing and staff at the NHS cannot offer support because of overcrowding and mounting pressure on them. There is a lack of time for mothers, because they should have at least a day to themselves. Classes are not even offered as much to mothers so they cannot go to class and meet new mothers or mothers-to-be.

During covid-19 partners were not allowed in birth labour and the child group was closed leaving some mothers feeling lonely and isolated being away from partners during birth. C- section was for 24 hours only and there were 3 days when someone could not see her child for three days because of her C- section. It is remarked that more needs to be done in this regard. Women and Health care services were presented by Hema Sundararajan and Donna Ma. This section revealed that there is the need for more health service awareness and more support for people who have language and service barriers. There needs to be staff who can translate for other people such as Arabic, Punjabi, Hindi, and other languages. Booking appointments was hard for people because 61% of them suffer from anxiety and 21% from physical health while 53% had challenges reaching out to healthcare and 26% were discouraged from seeking support. In summary of the research reflections, it is realised through the experience of respondents that there is a need for more medical care. Follow this link to read the rest of the article: https:// mojatu.com/2022/09/30/community-participatoryaction-research-2021-2022-by-raveena-hargun/