Abstract
ContextMigration is one of the most politically pressing issues of the 21st century but migrant health remains an under‐researched area. The International Collaboration for Participatory Health Research (ICPHR) working group on migration developed this position statement to address opportunities and challenges in relation to migrant health. It aims to contribute to a shift from a deficit model that sees migrants as passively affected by policies to their reconceptualization as citizens who are engaged in the co‐creation of solutions.MethodsThis paper examines the opportunities and challenges posed by the use of PHR with migrants. It draws on a broad literature to provide examples of successful PHR with migrants and highlights critical issues for consideration.FindingsSuccessful initiatives illustrate the value of engaging migrants in the definition of the research agenda, the design and implementation of health interventions, the identification of health‐protective factors and the operationalization and validation of indicators to monitor progress. Within increasingly super diverse contexts, fragmented community landscapes that are not necessarily constructed along ethnicity traits, inadequate structures of representation, local tensions and operational barriers can hamper meaningful PHR with migrants.ConclusionFor each research context, it is essential to gauge the ‘optimal’ level and type of participation that is more likely to leverage migrants’ empowerment. The development of Monitoring and Evaluation tools and methodological strategies to manage inter‐stakeholder discrepancies and knowledge translation gaps are steps in this direction.Patient or public contributionThis paper draws from contributions of migrant populations and other stakeholders to policymaking.
Highlights
Migration has become one of the most politically pressing issues of the 21st century
The International Collaboration for Participatory Health Research (ICPHR) working group on migration developed this position statement to address the opportunities and the challenges posed by the use of this research paradigm in migrant health research
PHR presents an opportunity to contribute to generating new knowledge about migrants and their health, by bringing together stakeholders who do not usually meet each other in partnerships for research and policymaking
Summary
Migration has become one of the most politically pressing issues of the 21st century It is a diverse experience, with potential for both positive and negative impacts for individuals and societies as a whole.[1]. Appropriate methodological approaches are needed to respond to the challenges associated with contemporary migration, mobility and health.[16] Participatory Health Research (PHR) is a research paradigm that has potential to address opportunities and challenges in relation to migrant health. 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, including the formulation of the research question and aim, the development of a research design, the selection of appropriate methods for data collection and analysis, the implementation of the research, the interpretation of the results, and the dissemination of the findings’.17.
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