LAUSR

BACKGROUND Somali community perspectives are essential to inform and improve FGC-related healthcare. CBPR is a proven approach to building meaningful partnerships, sustainable trust, and collaborative relationships within underserved communities. METHODS Somali community expertise informed every stage of our research including development of our Community Health Needs Assessment Survey for accurate reflection of cultural beliefs, practices, and language; assistance with recruitment of trusted members of the community; survey administration by trained community members; community forum recruitment and facilitation; and respectful dissemination of data to the Somali community. RESULTS CBPR efforts led to partnerships with 12 community stakeholders, a sample size of 879 survey participants, input from 160 Somali community forum participants, and relationships with over 60 trusted community liaisons linking research team and Somali community efforts. Challenges during data collection included limited health and financial literacy of participants and language barriers heightened by extreme fear of detainment, deportation and/or arrest post-inauguration, resulting in cautious skepticism and, sometimes, refusal to participate in the study. SUMMARY CBPR helped us combat many unforeseen challenges throughout each step of the project, allowing us to obtain rich and meaningful data. Our insights may help others improve approaches to research development with the Somali community.