Understanding Research Participation Experiences Among Persons Identifying as African, Caribbean, and Black in British Columbia

Background: Health research in Canada has insufficiently engaged African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) people, yielding under-representation of their priorities and unmet health needs. Objective: To understand research experiences and priorities among ACB people in British Columbia. Methods: Cross-sectional data from an online survey was summarized using descriptive statistics. Content analysis was used for open-ended text responses. Data collection and analysis was conducted with ACB community partners. Results: Of 56 respondents, 50.0% were aged 16 to 25 years; 78.6% identified as women. Although only 42.9% had previous research experience, 91.1% were willing to participate. Participation barriers included time constraints (53.1%) and mistrust (30.6%). Facilitators included perceived benefits to ACB individuals/communities (83.9%) and opportunities to share perspective(s) (60.7%). Research priorities included mental health, substance use, and sexual and reproductive health. Conclusion: Findings highlight ACB individuals' willingness to participate in health research, while identifying participation barriers and facilitators. Researchers must build trust through anti-racist community engagement efforts

Community engagement · Community-based participatory research · Data collection · Descriptive research · Descriptive statistics · Environmental health · Mental health · Participatory action research · Political science · Public relations · Reproductive health · Social science · Sociology · Community Health and Development · Health Policy Implementation Science · Medicine · Psychology · Race, Genetics, and Society · Gerontology