A call for an International Collaboration on Participatory Research for Health

Abstract

Participatory health research (PHR) has emerged as an important approach for addressing local health issues, including building capacity for health promotion. Increasingly, PHR is drawing the attention of communities, funders, decision-makers and researchers worldwide. It is time to consolidate what we know about PHR in order to secure its place as a source of knowledge and action for public health. This can be achieved through an International Collaboration on Participatory Research for Health to addresses the following issues:Set a framework in which information can be exchanged, decisions can be reached and information can be disseminated on central issues in PHR. Provide an international forum to discuss standards and quality. Produce guidelines for researchers, practitioners and community members. Synthesize the findings of PHR internationally. Formulate recommendations regarding generalizable findings. Similar to the Cochrane Collaboration on clinical trials research, the PHR Collaboration will be dependent on a host of experts from various countries to bring together what we know about PHR and to make that knowledge accessible to an international audience. Unlike the Cochrane Collaboration, the PHR Collaboration will include both quantitative and qualitative research approaches. The goal of the PHR Collaboration will not be able to achieve a standardization of research protocols, but rather to find meaningful ways to judge the quality of PHR and to report on its findings while respecting the variety of locally based approaches to research design, data collection and interpretation.

Differences in individual empowerment outcomes of socially disadvantaged women: effects of mode of participation and structural changes in a physical activity promotion program

“…The scientific literature on participative planning, implementation, and evaluation of health promotion actions is relatively comprehensive (Zakus and Lysack 1998;Minkler and Wallerstein 2003;Butterfoss 2006;Wright et al 2010). Health promotion programs that embrace participation have been shown to be associated with a range of positive notions of empowerment (Freudenberg et al 1995;Zakus and Lysack 1998), often leading to better health This paper belongs to the special issue ''Migrants and ethnic minorities in Europe: new challenges for public health research and practice''.…”

Cluster Initiatives as Intermediaries : A Study of their Management and Stakeholders

“…The pragmatic view, however, is not concerned about collaboration in building understanding and creating knowledge, something that is central to this study and a mainstay of participatory philosophy (Wright et al, 2010). Combining a pragmatic stance with a participatory view to create synergies reflects the nature of this research and was influential in the qualitative as well as the quantitative studies in this thesis.…”

La recherche participative en CSSS-CAU

“…D'autres y trouvent également une mise en valeur de la diversité identitaire et de la légitimation des contributions de chaque secteur de la société aux projets de développe-ment de la région (Manandhar et al, 2009). Selon certains, cette modalité de recherche favoriserait, par sa nature réticulaire, une mobilisation plus dynamique et fluide des savoirs intersectoriels, et cela à l'échelle internationale (Wright et al, 2010). L'approche réseau garantirait enfin une meilleure coordination et une plus grande intégration des interventions sociosanitaires et des politiques publiques à l'échelle locale, régionale et nationale, tout en améliorant la transparence et la performance des processus de gouvernance des systèmes de santé et de services sociaux de la région ciblée Kickbusch, 2000).…”