ABSTRACT
UNLABELLED: Community-based participatory research (CBPR) has become an important research approach for universities to partner with social service agencies by uniting them in project design, planning, implementation, and evaluation. OBJECTIVES: This study involved FOCUS, an urban social service agency, and Rutgers College of Nursing (RUCON) collaboratively conducting a needs assessment to compare the health needs of its clients and their employees' perception of their clients health needs, utilizing CBPR. DESIGN: Qualitative data was collected using the focus group method, field notes, photographs, and observation. The employees of FOCUS facilitated focus groups, participant recruitment, and transcribed and translated data. RESULTS: Three themes emerged: Health Education, Cost of Health Care, and Barriers to Health Care. CONCLUSION: This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge of integrating the CBPR approach when conducting a community needs assessment with a social service agency. The CBPR approach closely reflects the identified health needs of its clients resulting in interventions that will meet their specific health needs.
