Reports and reviews

Community Advisory Board (CAB) Literature review and open resources

on this page
  1. Annotated references
  2. Examples of CABs

This page outlines the literature reviewed by Community Cast in preparation for the use of podcasting as a pilot approach to Convening Knowledges about CABs, in addition to the mapping work completed previously by Jude Fransman. This information lays the foundation for the online resource bank hosted by NCCPE.

updated on 04 Oct 2024
13 minutes read

Annotated references

Community Advisory Board (CAB) 

Author/Institution: University of Minnesota, School of Public Health, Centre for Health, Aging and Innovation. USA. 

Type of resource: Webpage 

Summary: This webpage provides useful insight into the University of Minnesota’s, Centre for Health, Aging and Innovation (CHAI) CAB, designed to support the mission of CHAI to advance health equity for Black, Indigenous and People of Colour, LGBTQ and other underserved aging communities. The website illustrates a practical example of a CAB with a specific mission and closed membership with a defined application process. The purpose of the CAB is to connected a HE department (CHAI) with the community and ensure it is responsive and accountable to community needs and priorities. 

CAB relationships: Academic/research and community 

Themes: Membership of CABs, ensuring the inclusion of underserved communities

Reference Link

Community advisory boards: Experiences and common practices of clinical and translational science award programs 

Author/Institution: Stewart MK, Boateng B, Joosten Y, Burshell D, Broughton H, Calhoun K, Huff Davis A, Hale R, Spencer N, Piechowski P, James L.  

Type of resource: Journal Article 

Reference/link: Stewart MK, Boateng B, Joosten Y, Burshell D, Broughton H, Calhoun K, Huff Davis A, Hale R, Spencer N, Piechowski P, James L. (2019) Community advisory boards: Experiences and common practices of clinical and translational science award programs. Journal or Clinical and Translational Science. DOI: 10.1017/cts.2019.389 

 Summary: This article describes the common implementation strategies amongst Clinical and Translational Science Awardees, and outlines the benefits, challenges and progress of CABs towards their intended outcomes. The article provides helpful insight into membership and selection processes for CABs, training and documentation of meetings, roles and responsibilities of CABs members and the extent to which CAB can influence it’s own and the institutions activities. Compensation and communication is are also discussed, as is evaluation and the benefits and challenges for CAB members.   

 CAB relationships: Academic/research and community 

 Themes: Orientation and training, payment and compensation, time commitment, communications and valuing CAB members. 

Working with Community Advisory Boards/Groups to support community engagement in clinical research. 

Author/Institution: Collective Service

Type of resource: Practitioner resource  

Summary: Practical resource to support the development of CABs to align research with engaged populations’ priorities. The resource provides insight into some of the challenges of facilitating effective CABs, and practical steps that can be taken to address these. The resources covers a range of topics including ways of clarifying expectations, developing clear and effective training plans, Terms of References. It also sites case studies from Africa Health Research Institute, KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme (KWTRP) and Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU). 

 CAB relationships: Academic/research and community 

 Themes: Online communications, training, Terms of references, protecting and sustaining relationships, representation of communities (including who decides which communities are represented. 

Reference Link

Community Advisory Boards Lunch and Learn 

Author/Institution: Community-Campus Partnerships for Health 

Type of resource: Lunch and Learn webinar (52 minutes) 

Summary: This resource is a recording of an online webinar about CABs. It provides and introduction to working with CABs, including the roles of CABs, who the members may be and the considerations to make in CAB formation and operation. The webinar includes questions and comments from audience members and a panel discussion made up from RaNaja Kennedy, BS Sr Community Engagement Coordinator, University of Pittsburgh Clinical and Translational Science Institute and Keri Revens, PhD Director, Camino Research Institute. 

Themes: Setting up CABs, research focused CABs, skills and training, spectrum of engagements, mutually beneficial engagement, accessibility, evaluating CABs.  

Reference Link
Key Takeaways

Resource for Integrating Community Voices into a research study: Community Advisory Board toolkit

Institution: Clinical and Translational Science Awards 

Reference: Kubicek, K. and Robles, M. (2016, November 11). Resource for Integrating Community Voices into a Research Study: Community Advisory Board Toolkit. Southern California Clinical and Translational Science Institute grant UL1TR001855. 

Type of resource: Online  

Summary: The Community Advisory Board (CAB) Toolkit provides comprehensive guidelines and resources for establishing and maintaining a Community Advisory Board. It outlines the roles, responsibilities, and benefits of CABs in research, emphasizing community engagement and partnership. The toolkit includes step-by-step instructions on forming a CAB, recruiting members, conducting effective meetings, and evaluating CAB activities. It also offers templates and examples to facilitate implementation. The appendices provide helpful templates for member agreements partnership letters and a note taking template. 

 

Themes: Starting and setting up a CAB, facilitating a CAB. 

Reference Link

Conceptualizing the Carrying Function of Community Advisory Boards

Author/Institution: VA Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA, Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA 

Type of resource: Journal Article 

 Reference: Kaminstein, D. S., & Brown, K. M. (2023). Conceptualizing the Carrying Function of Community Advisory Boards. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/00218863231155490 

Summary: Focusing on a case study of a Veterans CAB, this article outlines how CABs can ‘carry’ important ideas and concepts for organisations including areas that the organisation does not want to acknowledge. CABs can force organisations to acknowledge tensions and support institutional goals.  

 CAB relationships: Academic/Veteran community 

Reference Link

Working with Community Advisory Boards for Covid -19 related clinical studies 

Institution: World Health Organisation 

 Reference: World Health Organization (2020) Working with Community Advisory Boards for Covid -19 related clinical studies. 

Type of resource: Online document 

Summary: This document shares information on establishing and working with different types of CABs in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. It outlines general and Covid-19 specific considerations in establishing and working with CABs, as well as how facilitators of CABs can overcome some of the challenges of working with CABs. While the context of the document is Covid-19, much of the advice is relevant to working generally with CABs.  

Themes: Covid-19, starting and maintaining CABs.  

Reference Link

Community advisory boards in community-based participatory research: a synthesis of best processes

Reference: Newman SD, Andrews JO, Magwood GS, Jenkins C, Cox MJ, Williamson DC. Community advisory boards in community-based participatory research: a synthesis of best processes. Prev Chronic Dis. 2011 May;8(3):A70. Epub 2011 Apr 15. PMID: 21477510; PMCID: PMC3103575. 

Type of resource: Journal Article

Summary: This article outlines the best processes for forming, operating, and maintaining CABs for Community Based Participatory Research, including 

Formation: Clarifying purpose, functions and roles; determining membership composition and recruitment strategies.   

Operation: Establishing operating procedures; Establishing operating principles; Establishing leadership, balancing power, and making decisions. 

Maintenance: Evaluating partnership processes; and sustainability.  

Themes: forming, operating, and maintaining CABs. 

Reference Link

Regulation of community advisory boards during conduct of clinical trials in Uganda: a qualitative study involving stakeholders

Institution: The Aids Support Organisation, Kampala, Uganda.  

Reference: Mijumbi, A.O., Mugenyi, L., Nanfuka, M. et al. Regulation of community advisory boards during conduct of clinical trials in Uganda: a qualitative study involving stakeholders. BMC Health Serv Res 23, 119 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09136-w 

Type of resource: Journal article  

Summary: The study assessed the stakeholders’ perspectives regarding the regulatory oversight of CABs in Uganda. CABs can play an important role in linking researchers to research communities. However, the monitoring of CABs is ad hoc. The article suggests that the regulatory oversight of CABs should be based on clear, contextualised ethical guidelines, although there are challenges to this. More training is required in research ethics and community engagement.  

 Themes: CAB governance and regulation. 

Reference Link

The Role of Community Advisory Boards: Involving Communities in the Informed Consent Process 

Reference: Strauss, Ronald & Sengupta, Sohini & Quinn, Sandra & Goeppinger, Jean & Spaulding, Cora & Kegeles, Susan & Millett, Gregorio. (2002). The Role of Community Advisory Boards: Involving Communities in the Informed Consent Process. American journal of public health. 91 (12) pp. 1938 - 1938-43. 10.2105/AJPH.91.12.1938. 

Type of resource: Journal article 

Summary: This article proposes the use of Community Advisory Boards to provide advice about the informed consent process and the design of research protocols, ensuring the current processes to gain informed consent are supplemented by increased involvement at a community level.  The study illustrated the power of CABs to halt the progress of clinical trials, advocate for compensation for trail related injuries, identify research priorities, recruit participants to the study and help to forge true partnerships between scientists and community members.  The article also outlines criticisms of CABs including the influence of the relationship between the principal investigator and CAB in determining the overall influence of the CAB, a lack of or precarious levels of resources, and the reliance on community leaders to reach or provide access to communities. 

Themes: Ethics and consent 

Reference Link

Community advisory committee as a facilitator of health and wellbeing: A qualitative study in informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya

Institution: African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), Nairobi, Kenya 

Reference: Cumo, I, Kabaria, C., Oduor, C., Amondi, C., Njeri, A., Mberu, B. (2023) Community advisory committee as a facilitator of health and wellbeing: A qualitative study in informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya. Frontiers in Public health. Vol. 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1047133  

Type of resource: Journal Article  

Summary: This article reviews the use of CABs to address the need for bi or multi-dimensional information flow in supporting health and wellbeing in Nairobi's Korogocho and Viwandani settlements. Community Advisory Committees supported health ad wellbeing by creating awareness, advising on research, protecting community interests, and collaborating with partners. 

Barriers include resource limitations and mislabelling as staff, while enablers include community involvement in member selection and regular meetings. For CACs to be effective, they need long-term strategic recognition and integration into project planning and urban development processes. 

Themes: Health and Wellbeing, 

Reference Link

Patient Public Involvement Training  

Institution: Edinburgh Clinical Research facility 

Type of resource: Webpage  

Summary: This website provides a link to Edinburgh CRF’s Public and Patient Involvement training.  

Themes: Patient and Public Involvement, Training  

Reference Link

PPI (Patient and Public Involvement) resources for applicants to NIHR research programmes

Institution: National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) 

Type of resource: Webpage  

Reference/link: PPI (Patient and Public Involvement) resources for applicants to NIHR research programmes | NIHR 

Summary: This webpage provides a range of resources on PPI, coproduction, and evaluating public involvement in research  

Themes: PPI 

Reference Link

Guide for researchers working with Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Contributors

Institution: University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences 

 Type of resource: Guide/toolkit 

Summary: This guide provides useful information and guidance for researchers involving patients, carer, members of the public or members of voluntary organisations in their research work.  

Themes: PPI 

Reference Link

Top Tips: Patient and Public Involvement  

Institution: Council for Allied Health Professional Research (CAHPR) 

Type of resource: Top Tips document 

Summary: This short and accessible document provides top tips for PPI 

Themes: PPI 

Reference Link

NIHR public contributor payment policy

Institution: National Institute for Health and Care Research 

Type of resource: Webpage  

Summary: This payment policy sets out how NIHR supports members of the public to be involved by rewarding and recognising them through payment and reimbursement of expenses. 

Themes: Payment  

Reference Link

Payment guidance for researchers and professionals 

Institution: National Institute for Health and Care Research 

Type of resource: Webpage  

Summary: This website provides guidance for payment of community members involved in research. 

 Themes: Payment  

Reference Link

Budgeting for your patient involvement

Institution: Cancer Research UK 

Type of resource: Webpage  

Summary: This page outlines the patient involvement budgeting guidance followed at Cancer Research UK for patient involvement.  

 Themes: Payment

Reference Link

A Researcher’s Guide to Patient and Public Involvement

Institution: University of Oxford. 

Type of resource: Webpage  

Summary: This guide is intended for researchers who are interested in involvement, have begun to involve patients or members of the public and want to learn more, have questions about involvement, or are interested in reading a comprehensive overview of the subject based on the experiences of those who are already involved or involving. 

Themes: PPI 

Reference Link

AVAC

Institution: AVAC 

Type of resource: Webpage  

Summary: This webpage outlines the work of AVAC and provides access to a range of resources, publications and webinars. 

Themes: Advocacy for prevention innovation to end AIDS 

Reference LInk

Examples of CABs

Staffs CAN

Institution: Staffordshire University 

Find out more about Staffs CAN

Summary: Staffs CAN is Staffordshire University’s community and civic advisory network, where voices of our communities are represented and our Connected Communities priorities, activities and evaluation are driven forward by the communities and organisations best placed to understand local and regional needs. Staffs CAN includes our community and civic partners: students, staff, members of the public, community organisations, alumni, and civic and industry partners. 

Resources 

Contact 

DataLoch Public Reference Group

Institution: University of Edinburgh (DataLoch)

Find out more about DataLoch

Summary:  DataLoch has engaged with volunteers who have formed our Public Reference Group. In this group there are two parallel panels: the Communications Advisory Panel and the Public Value Assessment Panel. Our Public Reference Group consists of members from local communities, all with different backgrounds and areas of interest. Group members form a critical element of our work: they influence our operation, providing ideas for further development, and are an active part of our project-approvals process including through supplying public value assessments of proposed projects.

Whilst we acknowledge that no one group of individuals can be fully representative of society, the group plays a valuable role in providing a public perspective on assessing potential benefits for society. Members also provide advice on engaging with society more broadly, including reviewing our communications to ensure we keep our language accessible.

We currently have over 20 members in the group with ongoing recruitment.

Fife Community Advisory Council

Institution: University of St. Andrews

Find out more about Fife Community Advisory Council 

Summary: Fife Community Advisory Council (FCAC) is a research group based in the University of St Andrews & NHS Fife studying health-related subjects who want to improve our research by involving and engaging with patients and the public.  The group works with members of the public who are not health professionals and who through their knowledge and experience can contribute to the development of research studies.  

The group's remit includes but is not limited to, suggesting what health problems to study and how best to study these problems, looking at what resources are available or needed to improve on these problems.  FCAC members assist with reviewing grant applications and developing materials for research studies, such as participant information sheets and protocols.  

Patient and public involvement and engagement in research helps make sure the group undertakes research that makes a difference to peoples’ lives. The key principles are sharing power, including all perspectives and skills, respecting and valuing the knowledge of all those working together, reciprocity, and building and maintaining relationships.

Scotland Talks Data: Public Panel

Institution: Research Data Scotland/Scottish Centre for Administrative Data Research (SCADR)

Find out more about Scotland Talks Data Public Panel

Summary: Established in 2019 by the Scottish Centre for Administrative Data Research (SCADR), the public panel on data helps to inform research and the use of administrative data in Scotland. Since 2023, the public panel has been jointly hosted by SCADR and Research Data Scotland (RDS) to allow it to grow in membership and enhance the different activities the panel can undertake.

The public panel is co-led by Harriet Baird, Knowledge and Impact Manager at ADR Scotland, and Katie Oldfield, Public Engagement Manager at Research Data Scotland. In Autumn 2023, the panel is increasing to a membership of 20 people representing the profile of Scotland. This means the panel will consist of members of the public from across Scotland with diverse backgrounds and lived experience of a range of issues covered in our research.

Being part of the public panel involves:

  • Discussing different research proposals
  • Advising on issues including around public trust and acceptability
  • Helping us to communicate our work in a clear and accessible manner
  • Informing further public engagement and our approach

In order to recruit a diverse range of people from across Scotland, the panel was recruited via a postcode lottery through an organisation called Sortition.

Read the blog post 'Ensuring a public voice in data research'. 

Read the blog post 'Developing and re-shaping our public panel'

Contact the team

Greater Manchester Citizens panel

Institution: Greater Manchester (GM) Universities: University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, University of Bolton, University of Salford, Royal Northern College of Music.

Find out more about GM Citizens panel

Summary: The GM Citizens Panel are a panel of 50 residents selected to represent the GM residents. They work with the Greater Manchester Universities to inform our work on the GM Civic University Agreement and with our researchers on specific projects. Panellists come from all walks of life and have been selected to represent Greater Manchester’s age, gender and ethnic profile and come from all ten authorities across Greater Manchester. 

The panel will advise on what activities the five universities in Greater Manchester might undertake to help create jobs, contribute to economic growth and to improve education and skills in Greater Manchester.  

The panel will work with the universities initially for a two-year pilot period, meeting key people from the organisations in through a programme of events and activities. During this time they will help shape priorities, explore how research and innovation can benefit Greater Manchester and advise on ways to engage with people across the city region.

Explore the 'A year of citizens panel' playlist on YouTube

Department of Public Safety Community Advisory Board

Institution: University of Southern California

Find out more about the Department of Public Safety Community Advisory Board

Summary: We are an action-oriented board committed to a community co-design process that looks at addressing issues with DPS as one part of what it means to feel safe in and around our campuses. We hope to achieve the type of inclusive collaboration needed to break down longstanding barriers to meaningful progress.

Nineteen members of the greater Trojan community have agreed to share their time and talents to getting this work done right as members of the CAB. Our undergraduate and graduate students, Trojan parents, faculty, staff, community leaders, and neighbors from both the University Park and Health Sciences campuses have met five times during the Fall semester.

CAB represents a critical component of USC’s renewed efforts to remedy broader social inequalities within our community. The CAB will be a crucial factor in ensuring an environment where everyone feels safe and respected, and in strengthening the trust between the University, DPS, and the broader community.

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