Qualitative Analysis of Principal Investigators and Community Health Worker Collaboration in Clinical Research

Background: The present study aimed to explore barriers and facilitators to incorporating community health workers (CHWs) into clinical research at NYU Langone. Methods: Two CHWs and three principal investigators (PIs) participated in one-on-one semi-structured interviews conducted by a Winn CIPP student using open-ended questions and probes to understand five domains studied by a prior Winn CIPP cohort. Interviews were conducted over video conference and recorded. Recordings were transcribed and lightly edited for clarity. Thematic analysis was done to evaluate interview transcripts for common themes that emerged. Results: Tailored training and education, acknowledging the value of CHWs in research, institutional hubs and support, and open communication were identified as key facilitators to the incorporation of CHWs into the clinical research team. Identified barriers include poorly defined career paths and salary evaluation, institutional hierarchies that devalue CHWs, and a lack of investment in the CHW workforce. Conclusions: CHWs are invaluable to community-based participatory research, but their continued incorporation into research teams relies on continued advocacy both by PIs and CHWs. Keywords: community health workers, community-based participatory research, social determinants of health, clinical research