“The most vulnerable groups must be included in the processes of public participation in research”

 

A new article published by the team of Constanza Jacques, a researcher at IDIAPJGol, reveals the lack of inclusion of the most vulnerable people in participatory health research studies, despite the increase in the latter.

 

 

 

Participatory research is a method in which researchers and different sectors of society collaborate to identify and understand social or health problems and act to effect change. This is a type of research the interest for which is on the rise. Even so, to obtain data of significant importance and for it to have an impact, it is important that the most marginal groups be able to participate.

This lack of participation is what has been demonstrated by a study carried out by a team of researchers led by Constanza Jacques, from IDIAPJGol. The study, carried out from March to November 2019, analyzed the critical discourse of 21 people with experience in participatory research processes, through in-depth interviews mainly from the Spanish state, and where researchers from Anglo-Saxon countries were also invited.

 

The article, published in PLOS ONE magazine, shows that among the discourses two aspects that are part of a continuum stand out, the instrumental aspect of the research, which seeks to be a research tool that responds to the interests of its institutions, and the transformative aspect, which intends to generate a change in people's social conditions.

However, neither of the two aspects implement specific strategies for those groups with more social discrimination and therefore not all parties involved in participatory research processes have the same level of contribution. "A change of perspective towards the benefits of citizen participation and public interest is necessary to make participatory research processes more equitable in health, considering differences by gender, social class, country of origin, sexual orientation, etc.", Jacques concludes.