Participatory health research: origins and current trends

Abstract

Participatory health research (PHR) is receiving increasing attention internationally as an approach for generating scientific knowledge to promote health equity for marginalized groups. A similar trend has been observed in Germany over the past several years. The primary characteristic of PHR is the direct participation of those people in the research process whose work or living conditions are the subject of the research. This article provides an overview of the origins, foundational principles, and current developments in the field of PHR. The international research literature is discussed in the form of a narrative review with a focus on previous review articles and publications from the International Collaboration for Participatory Health Research. The review indicates that a growing number of health researchers are engaged in participatory research and that a scientific discourse and various organizations have developed in many countries focused specifically on PHR. The following trends are of particular importance: consolidation and networking; clarifying the question of what constitutes participation in research; evaluating the impact and added value of PHR; adapting PHR to specific areas of application; and clarifying ethical questions in PHR.