An Introduction to the International Collaboration on Participatory Health Research (ICPHR)

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 on 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.

The activities of the 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