Involving children in creating a healthy environment in low socioeconomic position (SEP) neighborhoods in the Netherlands: a participatory action research (PAR) project

To ensure that health behavior interventions for children living in low socioeconomic position (SEP) neighborhoods are in line with children’s wishes and needs, participation of the children in the development, implementation, and evaluation is crucial.

In this paper, the researchers show how children living in three low-SEP neighborhoods in the Netherlands can be involved in Participatory Action Research (PAR) by using the photovoice method, and what influences this research process.

Observations, informal chats, semi-structured interviews, and focus group discussions with children and professionals were done to evaluate the research process. The photovoice method provided comprehensive information from the children’s perspectives. With the help of the community workers, the children identified feasible actions.

The authors found that it is important to constantly discuss the research process with participants, start with a concrete question or problem, and adapt the project to the local context and skills of participants.