Participatory Health Research: An Indian Perspective

There is a growing popularity of participatory research (PR) approaches in various areas amidst the dissatisfaction with failures resulting from conventional research. One such area has been health, and participatory health research (PHR) has gradually emerged as an important tool in global development processes. The case of India presents a very interesting example in this context. The uniqueness of the Indian case is evident from the fact that even in the absence of clear national directives on PHR, there are present some very interesting best practice examples from the nongovernmental sector in the country. While PHR is conspicuous by its absence in health policies and its implementation frameworks, the same is being innovatively and creatively pursued by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) at local levels and at small scales. The success stories of such NGOs pursuing PHR point toward the growing acceptance of the latter among local communities. This chapter documents the case of PHR in India, an area of work spearheaded by NGOs, and recommends streamlining the same in the national health directives of the country.