How can journalists make health research more accessible and impactful? Our new partnership seeks answers.
CHICAGO (October 9th, 2019) — We are pleased to announce the Chicago Community, Media & Research Partnership, a two-year project led collaboratively by Public Narrative and Alliance for Research in Chicagoland Communities (ARCC) at Northwestern University. The partnership is funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), a federal institute dedicated to connecting communities to evidence-based health research that can help them make health decisions.
Together with a Task Force of journalists, community stakeholders, and health researchers, we’ll explore how community and ethnic media outlets can be effective strategies for sharing research with groups experiencing health disparities (including African Americans and limited English proficient patients, caregivers, and community service providers), in order to improve their health decision-making.
The Task Force will be comprised of representatives from The Blue Hat Foundation, Peer Plus Education and Training Advocates, HANA Center; journalists from Univision, The Chicago Crusader, La Raza, National Association of Black Journalists- Chicago Chapter, and Chicago Journalists Association; and researchers from Northwestern University and the University of Chicago.
Over two years, the project will build the capacity of a broad group of stakeholders, journalists, and researchers to meaningfully connect and understand each other’s perspectives, assets, and needs. This will inform the development of a framework showing how health research findings can best reach and serve under-served populations in Chicago, via community and ethnic media. This project harnesses the powerful opportunity of more directly engaging diverse communities through media they trust and use.
This is a collaboratively designed project co-led by two established organizations, each with a history of supporting engaged approaches to improving communities and increasing equity. Public Narrative focuses on elevating community voices in journalism, and supports more than 200 community and ethnic news outlets across Chicago. Northwestern University’s Alliance for Research in Chicagoland Communities (ARCC) promotes and supports engaged community-academic research partnerships. Click here to learn more about the PCORI Engagement Award that supports this partnership.
To get involved or receive updates about this project, contact partnerships@publicnarrative.org.
UPDATE: As of January 14th, 2020, there have been changes in the partnership Task Force. It now includes representatives from The Blue Hat Foundation, Peer Plus Education and Training Advocates, and HANA Center; La Raza, National Association of Black Journalists-Chicago Chapter, Chicago Journalists Association, The Korea Times Chicago, and South Side Weekly; and researchers from Northwestern University and the University of Chicago. Click here for full details and updates on the Chicago Community, Media & Research Partnership.