Applying Participatory Approaches in Public Health Settings

This course specifically explores approaches and tools and how to apply them in public health settings. Students will learn how to critically analyse the power dynamics present between multidisciplinary stakeholders and appreciate the need for reciprocity between those delivering and those receiving health care; between both those conducting and those participating in research. They will also learn how to select and evaluate different participatory approaches to apply these to public health programmes and/or research. Tools with which to do this include undertaking a stakeholder-mapping exercise and needs assessment, including a critical and reasoned narrative to justify the approach.

While this course, as with the rest of the specialisation, focuses on public health and ways of involving citizens and patients in programmes and research, these concepts apply to other disciplines too. So, you don’t have to be a public health specialist or work in healthcare to gain insight from this course.

If you would like to learn more about the theories and core principles of participation within a public health context, we suggest taking Introduction to Participatory Approaches in Public Health.

If you’re planning a research project and want to learn more about participation in resaerchs, explore our course Public Involvement in Research.