Participatory Action Research on empowerment in older women: A theoretical-methodological analysis

Abstract

This article aims to conceptually and methodologically analyse the use of Participatory Action Research (PAR), through field research, in order to increase knowledge about it, and to illustrate its strengths and weaknesses to encourage its use in Health Sciences.Within qualitative methodology, PAR can be used as a tool for the analysis of change and transformation, whose objective is the emancipation and liberation of people who find themselves in an oppressive social context.The assessment of this approach is based on field research with older women who sought to improve their self-care through empowerment. For this purpose, PAR was undertaken, consisting of 22 sessions and two individual telephone calls where qualitative and quantitative data generation tools were used; all this through the most critical modality of PAR. In an exercise of reflexivity, modifications and improvements in the intervention were detected to work with older women in future research.The analysis carried out makes it possible to generate new knowledge on PAR for future research thanks to the identification of critical points: the link generated, the adaptation of tools to older women, and the handling of the high volume of data produced.