What is Participatory Health Research (PHR)?
MissionAddressing health inequalities is an important goal of health systems worldwide. Participatory Health Research (PHR) has become increasingly important as a means for finding solutions in communities where the occurrence and severity of health problems is greatest.
The International Collaboration for Participatory Health Research (ICPHR) was established in 2009 to strengthen the role of PHR in intervention design and decision-making on health issues. The ICPHR is open to stakeholders from all countries interested in promoting the dissemination and further development of participatory health research approaches embedded in common values and principles. The work of the ICPHR is focused on bringing together systematically the knowledge and experience of PHR in different countries for the purpose of strengthening PHR regarding issues of quality, credibility, and impact on policy and practice. Activities of ICPHR include:
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Recent News
03/13/2023 Save the date! ICPHR Annual Working Meeting 2023 10/16/2022 Updates to the Ethics in Participatory Health Research Working Group 09/28/2022 Call for papers: "Social and Structural Determinants of Health in Migrants and Ethnic Minorities—Conceptual, Methodological, and Empirical Advancement in the Times of COVID-19" 09/09/2022 UPDATED: AWM 2022 with new virtual, hybrid, and in-person sessions! 09/08/2022 New Position Paper Posted! PHR: A Guide to Ethical Principles & Practice (2E) 06/29/2022 Register for the 2022 ICPHR Annual Working Meeting! 12/15/2021 Webinar Tomorrow: The Story of Participatory Research- History and Future 10/28/2021 Position Paper 4: Funding Participatory Health Research |
Goals and Objectives
The Goal of the ICPHR is to establish PHR as an integrated part of local, regional, and national strategies to meet the needs of disadvantaged communities by addressing issues of health inequality. This will be achieved by strengthening the position of PHR in research institutions and policy‐making structures. To reach this goal, the following objectives have been set:
Objective 1: To Define PHR
A new level of conceptual clarity regarding PHR will be reached through international consensus on:
Objective 2: To Enhance the Quality of PHR
The quality of PHR will be enhanced by defining guidelines for good practice. These include:
Objective 3: To Reinforce the impact of PHR
The impact of PHR will be strengthened by synthesizing the empirical findings and theoretical models which have been generated by PHR. Also, a knowledge base of PHR projects will be established. users will be able to both contribute their own work and also search for the work of others on key dimensions (e.g. community characteristics, methods, health issue, type of impact) in order to find approaches which may be useful for their particular setting or question.
Objective 1: To Define PHR
A new level of conceptual clarity regarding PHR will be reached through international consensus on:
- A common definition describing the distinguishing features of PHR
- An explanation of the scientific (theoretical and methodological) basis for PHR
- Ways to build theory on the social determinants of health based on PHR findings
Objective 2: To Enhance the Quality of PHR
The quality of PHR will be enhanced by defining guidelines for good practice. These include:
- Guidelines for the engagement/participation of communities
- Guidelines for research method and design
- Guidelines for translating PHR findings into action and innovation
Objective 3: To Reinforce the impact of PHR
The impact of PHR will be strengthened by synthesizing the empirical findings and theoretical models which have been generated by PHR. Also, a knowledge base of PHR projects will be established. users will be able to both contribute their own work and also search for the work of others on key dimensions (e.g. community characteristics, methods, health issue, type of impact) in order to find approaches which may be useful for their particular setting or question.
Interested in joining the ICPHR? Hear from our members!
Michael T. Wright
Katholische Hochschule für Sozialwesen Berlin, Germany |
Ezequiel Provedor
Physician, Nicaragua |
Maria Elisabeth Klebe de Silva, Marcia Regina Da Silva & Fatima Ferretti Tombini
Brazil |