Practice-based research networks (PBRN), often composed of community primary care clinicians, potentially provide a bridge between the research endeavor and communities.5, 10, 11 Since many PBRNs focus on what works at the primary care/community level of health care, there is a natural interface between PBRNs and their members’ communities.4, 12 Considering this close linkage to the community, incorporation of CBPR principles in PBRN operations would seem both logical and necessary. Indeed, there have been several calls for greater incorporation of CBPR principles in primary care research of the type that PBRNs often conduct.4-6, 9, 12, 13 However, a recent survey of PBRNs showed less than 25% of networks include community members in a network board, and less than 7% of networks work with community members as part of a network board in the review and feedback of research. There was almost no other involvement with community members in network research operations.11
