Collaborative inquiry with low-income Latina women

Collaborative inquiry is a form of research in which researchers and partic ipants work collaboratively as partners. The purpose of this paper is to de monstrate the process of collaborative inquiry through an example of a long itudinal, community-based study conducted over a six-year period. The resea rch program focused on HIV education, counseling, anti antibody testing wit h low-income Latina women attending a nutrition program for women, infants, and children (WIC) in Los Angeles. Collaborative, community-based inquiry emerges from the community and uses members of the targeted group to design the program, convey the message, act as advocates, evaluate the outcomes o f the program, and disseminate research findings. The goal is empowerment a nd emancipation of both participants and researchers. Five areas in the con duct of community-based collaborative inquiry are demonstrated here: progra m design, implementation, evaluation, dissemination of the results of the p rogram, and empowerment and emancipation.