Background

The California Preterm Birth Initiative is a community-engaged research effort focused on addressing racial disparities in birth outcomes.

Objectives

To highlight three community-academic partnership strategies and identify partners' lessons learned and recommendations.

Methods

We conducted interviews (n = 38), four focus groups (n = 23), a document review (n = 174), and meeting/event observations (n = 36). We performed content analysis and structural and emerging coding of the data, which involved extracting and sorting information into themes.

Lessons learned

Five themes emerged across the strategies as essential for successful partnerships addressing racial disparities: 1) incorporate a racial equity approach; 2) value community knowledge; 3) ensure accountability to community priorities; 4) build relationships and trust; and 5) address structural barriers to community-academic partnerships.

Conclusions

Community-academic partnerships addressing racial health disparities should confront internal and structural power dynamics early on and support affected communities to lead the efforts, including committing to funding and capacity-building activities to ensure research justice.