Advancing Health Equity Through Community-Engaged Research:
From Sept. 8-11, 2025, Humana Foundation Research Principal Soojin Conover and Population Health Lead Heather Hyden participated in the Interdisciplinary Association for Population Health Science (IAPHS) conference held in Pittsburgh, PA. This year's conference theme, "Community Engagement in Population Health Science," highlighted the critical role of integrating scientific knowledge with lived experience to co-create actionable evidence for addressing health inequity.
Throughout the event, participants engaged in robust discussions on research methods, funding mechanisms and the translation of findings into policy. The overarching goal was to share best practices to encourage more inclusive and equitable research ensuring that all communities are afforded opportunities to thrive.
Humana Foundation’s Panel on Equitable Community-Engaged Research
The Humana Foundation hosted a key panel discussion -one of the conference's highlights-featuring its 2024 research grant partners. The session, "Equitable Community-Engaged Research to Improve Health Outcomes," was facilitated by Soojin and brought together some truly inspiring experts:
- Dr. Kelley Anderson (University of Virginia)
- Dr. Alison Gustafson (University of Kentucky)
- Dr. Lu Qi (Tulane University)
- Dr. Anna Mueller (Indiana University Bloomington)
- Dr. Silvia Bigatti (Indiana University Fairbanks School of Public Health)
- Ms. Virna Diaz (Latino Health Organization)
This was the first time the Humana Foundation convened its research grant partners at a conference to exchange insights and lessons learned with the broader interdisciplinary population health research community.
Together, these experts shared their experiences implementing interventions and strategies aimed at promoting health equity, particularly in the areas of nutrition and emotional health. The conversation emphasized the application of community-engaged research practices, underscoring principles of equity such as access, opportunity, community leadership, and respect for human dignity. Panelists provided concrete examples of how equitable practices have enhanced the relevance and impact of their research within directly affected populations.
Additionally, some of the panelists candidly shared stories, challenges and lessons learned about working with communities in the current civic landscape.
The Humana Foundation hopes to continue bringing grant partners together at future IAPHS conferences to inspire peer learning, scale best practices and continue building a network of public health researchers with expertise in community-engaged methods.
Strengthening Research Through Community Engagement
Keynote speakers—including the Foundation’s grant partner, Dr. Anna Mueller—elaborated on the methodological strengths of community-engaged research, particularly its ability to enhance research quality and impact. The discussion emphasized two essential ingredients: humility and transparency—critical for building trust and fostering authentic collaboration between foundations and their partners. Approaching communities as equal partners and being open about intentions, limitations, and decision-making processes strengthens relationships and ensures the work is both ethical and impactful. This approach aligns with the Humana Foundation’s commitment to supporting research that is not only scientifically robust but also deeply attuned to community dignity and lived experience.
Below are a few additional takeaways from the keynotes and panels:
- Community engagement in research exists on a continuum, ranging from community-informed to community-driven, depending on the degree of involvement across research stages.
- Effective community engagement includes involving community members throughout the research process, sharing findings in culturally appropriate ways and inviting collaborators to co-develop policy insights and recommendations.
- Co-designing research questions, protocols and measurements with community stakeholders and minimizing their burden of participation ensures the research remains relevant to community needs and facilitates the collection of high-quality data.
These best practices not only strengthen the rigor and relevance of population and public health research but also help to reestablish trust in science within communities.
The 2025 IAPHS conference reinforced the importance of community-engaged research as a powerful vehicle for advancing health equity. The Humana Foundation remains committed to fostering such collaborations and sharing knowledge that drives meaningful improvements in health outcomes.
If you are interested in learning more about equitable research practices including examples of how the Foundation’s research partners are integrating them into their projects, check out our recent publication titled,