What is Participatory Health Research (PHR)?

The goal of PHR is to maximize the participation of those whose life or work is the subject of the research in all stages of the research process. Such participation is the core, defining principle of PHR, setting this type of research apart from other approaches in the health field.  Research is not done “on” people as passive subjects providing “data” but “with” them to provide relevant information for improving their lives. The entire research process is viewed as a partnership between stakeholders which may include academic researchers; professionals in the fields of health care, education and social welfare; members of civil society; policy makers and others.[International Collaboration for Participatory Health Research, Position Paper No. 1 (2013)]
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Mission

Addressing 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:
  • Developing guidelines for conducting and evaluating PHR
  • Describing the unique impact of PHR as compared to other research approaches
  • Describing which forms of theory and evidence are produced by this approach as compared to other forms of health research
  • Finding a means for conducting systematic reviews of the PHR literature in order to contribute to the body of international knowledge on improving community health
  • Creating a database of resources on the theory, practice, and outcomes of PHR
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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:
  • 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