Making a Difference: Participatory Health Research With Unemployed Citizens and Policymakers

Qualitative researchers are more and more keen to have social impact and make their research actionable. Participatory health research (PHR) involves people who live in vulnerable situations and fosters collaboration with other stakeholders, including policymakers, to improve the health and well-being of those whose lives are at stake. People who it concerns are engaged in every step of the research process of PHR to make a difference and strive for social change. Qualitative and elicitation methods are often the primary source of data gathering in PHR, and an arts-based approach is a powerful way to engage a salient audience, such as policymakers. This article provides a thick description of a PHR study aiming to create a learning platform for change in service delivery for unemployed people in order to better meet their needs.