Developing a binational community-based participatory research partnership to address reproductive health on the U.S.–Mexico border

Background: U.S.–Mexico border communities bear a disproportionate burden of adolescent pregnancy. Binational community-based participatory research (CBPR) partnerships can help to remediate identified health disparities. Objectives: The purpose of this article is to share the experiences and lessons learned from the development of a binational CBPR partnership. Methods: Mexican and U.S. academics, community members, and promotoras used the Community Community-Campus Partnerships for Health (CCPH) Guiding Principles of Partnership to form a binational CBPR partnership to remediate adolescent pregnancy on the U.S.–Mexico border. Lessons Learned: We learned how to use existing networks to form the partnership and leverage resources to address an existing health disparity. We learned the importance of engaging in effective communication with partners and the necessity of flexibility when working within a different governmental culture. We learned how to leverage critical partnerships to bridge national, cultural, and linguistic differences to conduct binational partnership research, and to be responsive to unforeseen situations when working in low-resource communities.