The Role of Stakeholder Engagement in the Context of Community Health: A Qualitative Study on Strategic Communication and Community Empowerment

• In Event: Power [and, in, of] Public Relations

Abstract

This qualitative study explores the role of strategic communication and stakeholder engagement in community health. Interviews with Asian American community organizations and community members (n=52) revealed best practices of community engagement and empowerment. Community engagement in health context was most fruitful when taking into consideration both organizational and community needs. The relationship-focused engagement included: information, primarily through health education; consultation at the message, program, and community levels; collaboration with community through joint decision-making and resource attainment. Community organizations empowered members through relationships ranging from intimate to pragmatic ones. Regardless, trust was the most important factor and trust building needed to be culturally appropriate. Community empowerment was illustrated through basic, personal empowerment, health empowerment at the individual level, political/civic empowerment, and community-level empowerment.
Findings indicate several key implications for the theoretical development in stakeholder engagement and community empowerment as well as for advancing ethnic organizations’ engagement with community members.

Authors

• Lan Ni, U of Houston

• Zhiwen Xiao, University of Houston

• Qian Lu, U of Houston

• Beverly Gor, Houston Health Department

• Bingyang Ji, U of Houston

• Yan Cui, Nanjing Forestry U