Learning Objective #1: Identify common barriers in implementing research with "hard to reach" ethnic minority populations living in low-income communities

Learning Objective #2: Describe effective strategies to implement research interventions with ethnic minority populations living in low-income communities

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Background: After decades of research documenting the existence and explanation of profound inequalities in health, there is growing awareness of the importance of designing interventions to reduce or eliminate health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities. However, despite this knowledge, trends suggest that poor and medically underserved populations, including low income African Americans, continue to receive fewer health promotion interventions, cancer prevention services, and culturally competent health care. Purpose: To explore both the challenges and strategies for implementing research with low-income African Americans living in public housing developments in the Southeastern United States (US). Methods: A critical synthesis of the researcher's experiences during the past decade through journals, field notes, and relevant literature will be used to analyze challenges and strategies to effectively implement research interventions with African American residents in low-income housing. Findings: Common challenges include developing trust, recruiting and retaining participants, engaging the community, and sustaining the intervention over time. Within such contexts, processes that enhance community engagement and partnerships are explored and analyzed. Findings are presented on shaping a community partnership model through participatory research methods, utilizing indigenous community health workers, building trust, identifying effective recruitment and retention models, developing incentive programs, and sustaining behavior change over time. Implications: Understanding common challenges and communicating effective strategies to implement research interventions among low-income ethnic minority populations are vital to promote health and eliminate health disparities within this population. Developing effective and sustained community partnerships among low-income African American communities can assist to promote health equity among this “hard to reach” population.