Abstract
Nursing researchers seeking to reduce health inequities often work within communities to identify potential solutions, yet translating research methods for laypeople without formal training may present challenges.1 Visual tools such as diagrams and mapping are effective research methods that help engage the community in the process and encourage active participation in generating potential solutions to a complex health problem.2 In participatory research, these methods help bridge potential communication gaps between community partners and nursing researchers and fosters a sense of ownership among community members, thereby enriching the quality and relevance of the research.3 The purpose of this presentation is to outline the innovative tools our research team employed with a community advisory board (CAB). Our collective goal was to identify solutions addressing barriers to completing recommended breast and cervical cancer screenings. We engaged a CAB of women who had been enrolled in the Centers for Disease Control’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program to investigate barriers to receiving recommended screenings and to brainstorm potential solutions to address the barriers. To ensure that the research methods were accessible to all, we used tools from process improvement methods including fishbone diagrams, mind mapping, and concept mapping. As a team of researchers and the CAB, we identified potential solutions aimed at increasing screening rates and categorized them under four themes:
- communication;
- scheduling;
- transportation; and
- providers.
Real-time updates and feedback loops facilitated by these tools created a continuous dialogue between nursing researchers and community partners.4 These tools were relatively simple to use and ensured that researchers and the CAB shared a common language that could be leveraged to create feasible and actionable solutions. The tools also allowed for a strong relationship between academic and community collaborators and help ensure that the research remains responsive to the evolving dynamics of the community.
Notes
References:
1. Odedina FT, Wieland ML, Barbel-Johnson K, Crook JM. Community Engagement Strategies for Underrepresented Racial and Ethnic Populations. In: Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Vol 99. Elsevier; 2024:159-171.
2. Smith JC, Alderman L, Attell BK, et al. Dynamics of parental opioid use and children’s health and well-being: An integrative systems mapping approach. Front Psychol. 2021;12:687641.
3. Potnis D, Gala B. Best practices for conducting fieldwork with marginalized communities. Inf Process Manag. 2020;57(3):102144.
4. Marshall J, Ade C, Hume E, et al. Interactive Mapping: A Method for Engaged Community Assessment. J Community Engagem Scholarsh. 2022;14(2).
Sigma Membership
Zeta Upsilon at-Large
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Academic-clinical Partnership, Community Engagement, Health Inequities
Recommended Citation
Moyce, Sally, "A Community-Engaged Approach in Nursing Research: The Use of Mapping Tools" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 10.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/presentations_2025/10
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
A Community-Engaged Approach in Nursing Research: The Use of Mapping Tools
Seattle, Washington, USA
Nursing researchers seeking to reduce health inequities often work within communities to identify potential solutions, yet translating research methods for laypeople without formal training may present challenges.1 Visual tools such as diagrams and mapping are effective research methods that help engage the community in the process and encourage active participation in generating potential solutions to a complex health problem.2 In participatory research, these methods help bridge potential communication gaps between community partners and nursing researchers and fosters a sense of ownership among community members, thereby enriching the quality and relevance of the research.3 The purpose of this presentation is to outline the innovative tools our research team employed with a community advisory board (CAB). Our collective goal was to identify solutions addressing barriers to completing recommended breast and cervical cancer screenings. We engaged a CAB of women who had been enrolled in the Centers for Disease Control’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program to investigate barriers to receiving recommended screenings and to brainstorm potential solutions to address the barriers. To ensure that the research methods were accessible to all, we used tools from process improvement methods including fishbone diagrams, mind mapping, and concept mapping. As a team of researchers and the CAB, we identified potential solutions aimed at increasing screening rates and categorized them under four themes:
- communication;
- scheduling;
- transportation; and
- providers.
Real-time updates and feedback loops facilitated by these tools created a continuous dialogue between nursing researchers and community partners.4 These tools were relatively simple to use and ensured that researchers and the CAB shared a common language that could be leveraged to create feasible and actionable solutions. The tools also allowed for a strong relationship between academic and community collaborators and help ensure that the research remains responsive to the evolving dynamics of the community.
Description
In community-engaged research, nurses can use visual tools such as mapping to bridge potential communication gaps and foster a sense of ownership among community members, thereby enriching the quality and relevance of the research. We describe the use of fishbone diagrams, mind mapping, and concept mapping to increase breast and cervical cancer screening rates.