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Evaluating Participatory Health Research

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Participatory Health Research

Abstract

This chapter explores some of the challenges in evaluating PHR. Firstly, it examines the reasons for evaluating participatory health research (PHR), placing that need in the context of different paradigms of public health research and the ongoing debates about methodology and different models of evaluation. Four key issues/challenges are identified. Secondly, this chapter introduces the community-based participatory research (CBPR) conceptual model as a framework that helps to address these key issues. Thirdly, this chapter includes several cases to illustrate ways of PHR evaluation: from New Zealand, the USA (including communities of immigrants/refugees), and Nicaragua. Finally, this chapter ends with a discussion on ways in which PHR researchers can proactively evaluate their research, so lessons can be learnt and case studies can be developed to showcase alternative ways of documenting process, impact, and outcomes. This discussion highlights how the conceptual model addresses some of the key issues surrounding the evaluation of PHR.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    amoshealth.org

  2. 2.

    Acuna, S. AMOS field programme coordinator and former CHW. 2016.

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Acknowledgements

The following authors are associated with the cases: (a) New Zealand, John Oetzel and Rangimahora Reddy; (b) Rochester, Mark Wieland, Irene Sia, and Abigail Reese; and (c) Nicaragua, Laura Parajon. We also thank our many community partners and colleagues with whom we have collaborated and learnt from over the years. The CBPR model was originally developed and tested with US National Institutes of Health NARCH funding (U261HS300293; U261IHS0036-04-00) and revised under “Engage for Equity” National Institute of Nursing Research funding (1R01NR015241-01A1).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

    John G. Oetzel

  2. University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

    Jane Springett

  3. University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA

    Nina Wallerstein & Abigail Reese

  4. AMOS Health and Hope, Managua, Nicaragua and Potomac, Potomac, MD, USA

    Laura Parajon

  5. Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA

    Irene Sia & Mark Wieland

  6. Rauawaawa Kaumātua Charitable Trust, Hamilton, New Zealand

    Rangimahora Reddy

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  1. John G. Oetzel
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  2. Jane Springett
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  3. Nina Wallerstein
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  4. Laura Parajon
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  5. Irene Sia
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  6. Mark Wieland
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  7. Abigail Reese
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  8. Rangimahora Reddy
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Correspondence to John G. Oetzel .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Social Health, Catholic University of Applied Sciences, Berlin, Germany

    Michael T. Wright

  2. School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Krystyna Kongats

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Oetzel, J.G. et al. (2018). Evaluating Participatory Health Research. In: Wright, M., Kongats, K. (eds) Participatory Health Research. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92177-8_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92177-8_3

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