A cluster of challenges relates to the realignment of relationships inherent in the CBPR process. Creating the partnership with community representatives that CBPR implies requires flexibility on the part of the researcher at each step of the research process.4 This requirement for flexibility might raise concern in the researcher about his/her ability to maintain fidelity to the scientific approach and about loss of control over the research process. On the contrary, we have found that open communication with the community does not require a sacrifice of elements of the research process, but can in fact strengthen the process by improving efficiency of data collection and enhancing relevance of the findings.
