2022 HIGHLIGHTS
ABOUT THE HEALTH EQUITY RESEARCH INTENSIVE
The Health Equity Research Intensive (HERI) hosted by the UNC Center for Health Equity Research (CHER) provides a unique opportunity for researchers to connect and learn how to design more inclusive health equity research projects.
The 2022 HERI sessions presented research methods and tools that emphasize partnership and engagement across all stages of research, from idea conception to budgeting to dissemination.
Participants received hands-on practice to be better equipped to effectively center equity in their research.
In HERI sessions, space was created for community leaders, health care professionals and academics to learn and apply new tools for inclusive health equity research.
This year, we offered a new addition: an interactive workshop that squarely focused on inclusive research.
The Co-Lab(orative) Learning Workshop was a space where participants, emphasizing community members’ voices, generated creative solutions to support inclusivity in their research work and community engagement.
Participants began by co-creating a definition of inclusive research while practicing tools for facilitating team communication and decision making.
Through interactive activities and small group break-outs, participants had the opportunity to learn, share and, most importantly, connect with others who are committed to advancing health equity, systems change and inclusivity through their research work.
Challenges to realizing equitable research methods and partnerships were discussed, as were exciting strategies on how to overcome them.
HERI centers partnership and engagement while spotlighting innovative approaches and methods.
The Health Equity Research Intensive was well-received, achieving a 4.5/5 quality rating from feedback surveys.
Feedback included remarks on the high level of interactivity and engagement within the sessions, valuable insight provided by presenters and fellow participants, and usefulness of the tools that were presented.
An average two point gain in knowledge on session topics was demonstrated in pre-/postsurveying of participants. Participants also expressed an average 1.5 point gain in ability to put into action the skills that they gained from joining HERI sessions.
Other feedback included community member participants sharing reactions of glad surprise in discovering that researchers were as eager to better work with them as they were to work better with the researchers.
Multiple opportunities for networking were supported in a variety of ways. There were two “speed networking” sessions, an online event app with direct messaging and discussion board features, wide-spread use of the “break-out room” utility in Zoom for small group activities across sessions, and two virtual post-HERI “mixer” sessions.
ASSESSING HERI
+2 knowledge 4.5/5 quality
47 attendees 1 keynote 5 sessions
”the session was wonderfully relevant and applicable to my work” - Concept of Trust in Health Equity Research (keynote)
“It was rooted in theory and practical application in one”Social Determinants of Health
“I appreciate the many examples and the opportunity to get others’ perspectives” - The Deconstruction of Structural Racism
FOUNDATIONAL TRACK
“Loved the modeled reflective writing, talking circles, mindfulness activity, somatics/bio breaks, and real-time conversation with the presenters” - Data is More Than Numbers
“Very relevant and applicable and important” - Participatory Budgeting
APPLICATION
DAY 1
TRACK
DAY 2 FOUNDATIONAL TRACK APPLICATION TRACK 27 attendees 7 sessions ”a really great session” - Principles of Equitable Partnerships “Great session! Appreciate the new tool” - Is My Evaluation Culturally Responsive? “Bring her back next year!” - Race & Racism in Healthcare “So much information!” - Intervention Mapping Approach to Adapt and Implement an Evidence-based Community-Based Intervention in Rural NC “A lot of great content!” - Applying an Equity Lens “Great practical insights based on community needs for data visualizations” - Engaging Communities in Co-creating Data Visualization and Dissemination Strategies
Graphic recording by Reilly Dow, capturing the work of the Co-Lab(orative) Learning Workshop.
30
attendees
CO-LAB(ORATIVE) LEARNING WORKSHOP