Embedding Voices of Communities in Research via Community Advisory Boards

In Chiang Rai province, the majority of scrub typhus patients belong to ethnic groups known as hill tribes. There are seven main hill tribes in the province, each with distinct language and culture with members often not able to understand or communicate in Thai. To make sure the research we carry out respects cultural beliefs and customs, we started a community advisory board (CAB) focusing on hill tribe communities in September 2023, modeled on the Tak-CAB in Mae Sot. Members were recruited trying to represent all main ethnic groups, a variety of roles and positions in the community, and maintain gender balance. The CAB meets monthly and has proved extremely valuable in reviewing research projects in all their stages, including choosing research topics, adapting study design, reviewing research materials, and advising on logistical questions. During CAB meetings, news from communities is shared, mostly related to health issues but also on cultural events and gatherings, or other challenges faced by communities. It has become a place of exchange, where to find help and advice and, from a researcher’s perspective, a practical platform for quick community consultation. CAB members appreciate learning about research and health and all people called to present their work have included the CAB feedback in their project and found the experience helpful. In the presentation, the steps taken and challenges faced setting up the CAB, practical examples of CAB feedback, as well as general reflections will be discussed. Our experience strongly supports the use of CABs, their usefulness increasing over time as members and researchers familiarize with one another, we believe long-term CABs should be preferred to stand-alone, project-based ones.