Participatory action research: why sharing power is needed to improve public health research

Abstract

Abstract Action research is a qualitative research method well-known for its purpose: to bring transformative change through the simultaneous process of taking action and doing research. It typically employs a cyclical approach of observation, reflection and action. Participatory Action Research (PAR) builds on active collaboration with professionals, practitioners and end–users (stakeholders) working in the system or setting, for instance within a health care setting like a hospital, or within an broader organizational system addressing a public health issue. It seeks to democratize knowledge production and foster opportunities for empowerment by those involved. Especially in public health research, where different organizational systems or levels are interconnected, stakeholder involvement needs to be considered early in the research process. Stakeholders possess expert and insider -experiential- knowledge, and therefore power. PAR advocates for power to be shared between academic researchers and stakeholders, already in the ideation phase of a new research project, but also in the later phases in its life cycle. However, dilemmas have to be solved, like: when in the project's life cycle is the optimal phase to involve stakeholders?how much, at what level or grade, should or could stakeholders be involved, and how much power can be shared between academic researchers and these external stakeholders?Is it worthwhile to involve stakeholders in terms of resources, and who pays the bill?can an academic researcher take the risk of not involving them?