The Research Participant Advisory Group (RPAG) engages our research participants and community in ways to improve how research is done at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) and out in community, ensuring that the participant/community voice is heard and part of the research process, from design to dissemination. 

So, what do the members think about their engagement on the Research Participant Advisory Council (RPAC) and West End Community Research Advisory Board (WE C-RAB)? Here are a few of their quotes on the matter:

“Helping researchers understand how to invite those in lower-resourced neighborhoods to participate.”
– WE C-RAB Member

“Having a voice for my own children and others.”
– RPAC Member

“Making research better for the community”
– WE C-RAB Member 

“Making a difference and learning about research.”
– RPAC Member

“Sharing our voices with researchers”
– WE C-RAB Member 

These are reminders of the reason for this work: Bi-directional connection, voice and improvement between research and participants/community.

Recent updates from Research Participant Advisory Group (RPAG):

• New CCHMC Family Partners Webpage, including RPAG. The RPAG, CCHMC Patient and Family Engagement, Champions Program, and Anderson Center have collaborated to create a new CCHMC Family Partners webpage that is a one-stop-shop for patients and families who would like to engage with the hospital in meaningful ways, such as advocacy and improving hospital care and research. The webpage also includes a link to the new RPAG webpage on the CCHMC website!  Researchers/staff can direct families to these webpages as a way for them to get involved with the hospital.

West End Community Research Advisory Board (WE C-RAB):

• Partnering to Help Conduct 2nd Round of Surveys on COVID-19 Behaviors and Vaccine Hesitancy in the West End Community. The WE C-RAB members continue to help collect survey data for a COVID-19 study on social distancing behaviors and vaccine hesitancy in their West End community. They are currently conducting a follow-up survey focused on vaccine hesitancy. Their efforts have helped to ensure greater diversity in the survey respondents.  The community’s survey responses are increasing understanding of hesitancy concerns and guiding future messaging.

• Bringing COVID-19 Vaccines to the West End. WE C-RAB is working on a pop-up COVID-19 vaccine site on May 21 in the West End using the Children’s Mobile Care Unit. As part of this effort, the WE C-RAB will be distributing flyers around the neighborhood, helping with pre-registration and sharing information about vaccines and COVID-19.

Research Participant Advisory Council (RPAC)

• RPAC is Seeking Adolescent CCHMC Research Participants. Know of a research participant who you think would be comfortable sharing their thoughts/opinions to help improve research? If so, we are seeking 11-17 year old participants from across the research hospital spectrum to join our monthly virtual RPAC meeting (4th Thursday of month 5:30 – 7pm). Contact Julie Wijesooriya for more information or to refer someone, julie.wijesooriya@cchmc.org.