Evaluation of community-academic partnership functioning: center for the elimination of hepatitis B health disparities.

BACKGROUND Process evaluation of community-academic partnership function and fidelity to principles of community-based participatory research (CBPR) is essential to achievement of intermediate and long term partnership goals. OBJECTIVES This article describes the evaluation of B Free CEED, a community-academic partnership created to address hepatitis health disparities in Asian American and Pacific Islander (API) communities. METHODS A mixed methods approach with an online survey and qualitative key informant interviews was conducted with all partnership members at baseline and follow-up, 18 months later. RESULTS Survey findings showed stability over time, with some consistent differences in community and academic perspectives. Academic members were somewhat more satisfied with the partnership functioning. Key informant interviews provided contextual data key to further defining partnership functioning. CONCLUSIONS Conducting ongoing partnership evaluations is necessary to reassess and align processes and protocols to enhance partnership functioning and strengthen group cohesion.