A Community-Based Participatory Action Research for Roma Health Justice in a Deprived District in Spain

Addressing health disparities and promoting health equity for Roma has been a challenge. The Roma are the largest disadvantaged ethnic minority population in Europe and have been the victims of deep social and economic injustices, institutional discrimination, and structural antigypsyism over many centuries. This has resulted in a much worse health status than their non-Roma counterparts. Current strategies based on ameliorative and top-down approaches to service delivery have resulted in paradoxical e_ects that solidify health disparities, since they do not e_ectively address the problems of vulnerable Roma groups. Following a health justice approach, we present a community-based participatory action research case study generated by a community and university partnership intended to address power imbalances and build collaboration among local stakeholders. This case study involved a group of health providers, Roma residents, researchers, Roma community organizations, and other stakeholders in the Poligono Sur, a neighborhood of Seville, Spain. The case study comprises four phases: (1) identifying Roma health assets, (2) empowering Roma community through sociopolitical awareness, (3) promoting alliances between Roma and community resources/institutions, and (4) building a common agenda for promoting Roma health justice. We highlighted best practices for developing processes to influence Roma health equity in local health policy agendas

Internet y cambio comunitario en un barrio empobrecido de Chicago: implicaciones para Andalucía

El uso de la tecnología informática se ha convertido en una herramienta esencial para la vida en el siglo XXI. Sin embargo, su accesibilidad no ha sido homogénea e igualitaria y las barreras para acceder a internet se han convertido en una nueva forma de exclusión social para los grupos de escasos recursos. Este artículo describe un programa que recurrió a una metodología basada en la investigación acción participativa para difundir el uso de internet entre los vecinos afroamericanos de un barrio urbano empobrecido de Chicago (Estados Unidos). Cuarenta y dos líderes de grupos de base participaron activamente en las diferentes fases de la iniciativa comunitaria. Se discuten diferentes aspectos del diseño de la intervención, su implementación, evaluación de impacto y sostenimiento, así como las lecciones aprendidas y retos a futuras aplicaciones. Los participantes usaron al acceso a internet como una herramienta para obtener información sobre salud y recursos comunitarios. Los investigadores documentaron 450 historias narrativas en las cuales los participantes describieron éxito en obtener y usar la información. También se documentó el uso de internet como herramienta para realizar acción comunitaria. Finalmente, se discute la conveniencia de realizar este tipo de intervenciones en barrios marginados de Andalucía.The widespread use of technology is evident in Modern Society and it has become a central theme in different areas of life in the 21st Century. Although access to and use of the Internet has increased in all racial groups, African Americans and other ethnic minorities in the United States and marginalized populations all over the world, continue to have the lowest access to the Internet.This paper describes the implementation of an Internet-based intervention in a lowincome African American urban neighborhood. Forty-two Citizen Leaders, members of a grassroots group, actively participated in the different phases of the community initiative. We discuss different aspects of the planning of the intervention, its implementation, documentation of impact, maintenance and sustainability. Overall, leaders used the Internet as a tool to access health information and information about community resources. Researchers documented 450 narrative stories of successful use of the information obtained. Leaders also used the Internet as a tool to facilitate community action. With the introduction of technology also come lessons and challenges discussed in this article. Despite the challenges, technology became a rewarding tool for many Citizen Leaders and residents. We also discuss the applicability of access to the Internet in marginalized communities in Spain

Decisional and Behavioral Procrastination: How They Relate to Self-Discrepancies

A self-discrepancy is a gap between the perceived real self and other standards like the ideal self. One hundred and eighty-one college students completed a self-report measure of self-discrepancies and decisional and behavioral procrastination. Regression analysis showed that overall dysfunctional procrastination (the composite measure of both kinds of procrastination) significantly varied as a function of self-discrepancies. The amount of variance explained was small. Those scoring high in self-discrepancies were more likely to be dysfunctional procrastinators than those scoring low. The discrepancy between the actual-self and the ought-to self was the strongest predictor of dysfunctional procrastination. When decisional and behavioral procrastination were analyzed separately, only decisional procrastination significantly varied as a function of self-discrepancies

Un modelo de investigación-acción para desarrollar la capacidad de comunidades para incrementar su poder

Los investigadores de la comunidad con frecuencia desarrollan metodologías para aprender asuntos de la comunidad. Las metodologías de participación permiten trabajar a los participantes en colaboración hacia la acción comunitaria. Aquí se describe un proceso de investigación acción participante en el cual los miembros de la comunidad desarrollaron su capacidad para identificar sus propias necesidades y se implicaron activamente en planear y aplicar acciones dirigidas a esas necesidades. El marco teórico para construir el desarrollo de esa capacidad fue el modelo contextual de fortalecimiento. La metodología de participación refleja una relación de colaboración entre la facultad y estudiantes de la universidad y los miembros de la comunidad. El proceso incluye la creación de una coalación local de líderes, desarrollar y aplicar un proceso de evaluación de necesidades identificadas, organizar y apoyar grupos de acción y mantener los esfuerzos de la comunidad mientras se desvanece la intervención universitaria. Los miembros de los grupos de acción se involucraron en los esfuerzos de auto-ayuda mientras aprendieron habilidades de liderazgo, planeación reacción y tácticas de intervención. El modelo se ilustra con estudio de caso que describe el proceso de fortalecimiento con Latinos discapacitados de un área de Chicago. Se discuten las implicaciones de este tipo de aproximación al desarrollo y fortalecimiento de la comunidad

Promoting justice through community-based research: International case studies

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) approaches to promoting justice focus on working from the ground up and giving a voice to marginalized communities regarding their concerns, potential solutions, and how to address social justice issues that matter to them. The pursuit of justice is often related to efforts to attain personal as well as collective well-being. In this paper, we illustrate three exemplars of community psychologists' efforts to promote justice. Within each case study, we discuss the social and community context and examine how the researchers built partnerships and solidarity, developed ways of doing, and approached challenges and solutions. First, we present an example to promote economic justice through an entrepreneurship initiative developed in collaboration with young Black youth with disabilities in the United States. The second case illustrates an effort to promote reproductive justice in collaboration with Roma women and girls in Spain. The third exemplar depicts the use of life stories as a method to raise the voices of displaced, marginalized indigenous women in Peru. Based on these three case studies, we present a synthesis model of social justice. We also discuss implications for future studies emphasizing the importance of engaging community participants in research meaningful ways, developing sustainable partnerships, and decolonizing research.National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research 90DPEM0002.DG Justice of the European Commission Rights Equality and Citizenship Work (Grant #: REC-AG #809813)Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MICINN) de España Grant #: RTI2018-096403-B-I0

Community-engaged asset mapping with Latinx immigrant families of youth with disabilities

Asset mapping is a participatory methodology that engages community members in identifying services and settings that promote health and well-being. This study aimed to identify community assets from the perspective of Latinx immigrant families with youth with disabilities. Latinx immigrant families (n = 21) participated in the mapping, followed by a reflection session and an open forum (n = 30). The findings revealed that families identified faith-based organizations and social service agencies as some of the main assets in their communities, while they identified mental health services as the most needed. The results also showed that participants preferred to utilize services and resources that are within walking distance of their homes, provide safe spaces, treat them well, offer bilingual services, do not require documentation, and are affordable. This study has important implications for community scholars and practitioners interested in implementing asset-based methodologies that focus on participants as experts of their own realities and agents of change and that promote advocacy and empowerment actions.Chicago CommunityTrust C20181661