Youth Perspectives on the Flint Water Crisis and Its Health Effects.

Background: While the youth of Flint are at risk from the effects of the water crisis, little is known about their perspective of the impact of the water on their health.

Objective: To explore adolescents' perceptions of living in Flint during the water crisis, its impact on their health, and ways to address the crisis and rebuild trust.

Methods: In summer 2018, four focus groups were conducted with adolescents in Flint (ages 13 to 17 years).

Developing relevant assessments of community-engaged research partnerships: A community-based participatory approach to evaluating clinical and health research study teams.

Background/objective: In 2017, the Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research (MICHR) and community partners in Flint, Michigan collaborated to launch a research funding program and evaluate the dynamics of those research partnerships receiving funding. While validated assessments for community-engaged research (CEnR) partnerships were available, the study team found none sufficiently relevant to conducting CEnR in the context of the work. MICHR faculty and staff along with community partners living and working in Flint used a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach to develop and administer a locally relevant assessment of CEnR partnerships that were active in Flint in 2019 and 2021.

Parental Perspectives Regarding the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Their Children.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought profound changes to the health of families worldwide. Yet, there is limited research regarding its impact on children. The pandemic may exacerbate factors associated with excess weight, which is particularly concerning due to the potential association between excess weight and severity of COVID-19 infection.