Research Impact Statement: Previous literature has examined the benefits and effectiveness of physical activity workplace health promotion interventions, but the use of participatory approaches within workplace health promotion studies has not been synthesised. Participatory approaches to research involve the target end-user and relevant stake holders within the research process to promote and establish a sense of ownership which helps to increase the relevance of the research and allows the integration of the researchers’ expertise and the target populations lived experiences. The present scoping review protocol describes the purpose and methodology of the upcoming scoping review which aims to answer:
‘‘How have previous physical activity workplace health promotion studies, investigating office-based adults, incorporated participatory research and the end-user within their studies and to what benefit or detriment is reported?’
The expected findings offer an opportunity to understand how participatory research approaches have been implemented and evaluated within physical activity workplace health promotion studies. We expect findings will also inform future research questions and indicate the key methods when implementing participatory research within physical activity workplace health promotion interventions.
We plan to provide recommendations on the implementation of participatory research techniques in physical activity workplace health promotion studies and the involvement of end-users and their level of involvement within the different stages of planning and completing a physical activity workplace health promotion study.
Buffey, AJ., Carson, BP., Donnelly, A., Salsberg, J. (2021). Participatory approaches in the context of research into workplace health promotion to improve physical activity levels and reduce sedentary behaviour among office-based workers: protocol for a scoping review. BMJ Open, 11(12), e054402. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2021-054402
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