“We Make the Path by Walking It”: Building an Academic Community Partnership With Boston Chinatown

Background: The potential for academic community partnerships are challenged in places where there is a history of conflict and mistrust. Addressing Disparities in Asian Populations through Translational Research (ADAPT) represents an academic community partnership between researchers and clinicians from Tufts Medical Center and Tufts University and community partners from Boston Chinatown. Based in principles of community-based participatory research and partnership research, this partnership is seeking to build a trusting relationship between Tufts and Boston Chinatown.

Objectives: This case study aims to provides a narrative story of the development and formation of ADAPT as well as discuss challenges to its future viability.

Methods: Using case study research tools, this study draws upon a variety of data sources including interviews, program evaluation data and documents.

Results: Several contextual factors laid the foundation for ADAPT. Weaving these factors together helped to create synergy and led to ADAPT’s formation. In its first year, ADAPT has conducted formative research, piloted an educational program for community partners and held stakeholder forums to build a broad base of support. Conclusions: ADAPT recognizes that long term sustainability requires bringing multiple stakeholders to the table even before a funding opportunity is released and attempting to build a diversified funding base.