The Community Identification (CID) Process: A Discovery Model

This article depicts a structured qualitative research strategy that may be characterized as a rapid assessment method. The community identification (CID) process facilitates the collection of public health risk-related behaviors and values that are prevalent in particular communities or populations and the development of education and intervention programs that positively affect those behaviors and values. The process includes the following: (a) defining the population, creating taxonomies, and acquiring materials; (b) surveying internal knowledge; (c) summarizing internal knowledge; (d) developing an external knowledge base; (e) integrating information and refining segments; (P) interviewing gatekeepers/opinion makers and observing the community; (g) interviewing key participants; and (h) interpreting the data. It is suggested that the CID process helps researchers to confront and actively control preconceived notions, biases, and stereotypes that may affect the development of appropriate and responsive interventions and programs.