[Roles and their dynamics in participatory research communities]. / Rollen und Rollendynamiken in der partizipativen Forschungsgemeinschaft.

The participatory research approach results in changes in roles and relationships for researchers and coresearchers compared to traditional research concepts. In the form of a workshop report, this article describes reflections and findings on the question of how roles are perceived and filled in participatory health research (PHR). Researchers and practitioners from two subprojects in the research consortium PartKommPlus evaluated their experiences from several years of cooperation and developed insights into which dynamics were important for the design of roles and what should be considered for a productive development of roles.Five important elements were identified: the significance of the scope for action resulting from the ties of the participants to their respective institutions; the change of roles and relationships over the course of the project time; the significance of trust for functioning cooperative relationships; the problem of information confidentiality for scientific exploitation; and the political character of the cooperation, which is based on the claim for change of participatory research and which presupposes shared basic attitudes and goals. Finally, the importance of joint reflection on role design, which contributes to the success or failure of participatory research cooperation and the quality of its results, is highlighted.

Impact and Lessons Learned from a National Consortium for Participatory Health Research: PartKommPlus-German Research Consortium for Healthy Communities (2015-2018).

Integrated strategies of health promotion at the municipal level are receiving particular attention in public health policy and practice in Germany. These strategies are intended to provide a coordinated approach to health promotion during the entire lifespan, with a particular focus on vulnerable communities. They are also intended to be participatory in both their design and implementation, involving all sectors of the social welfare, educational and healthcare systems, civil society, and the general public. PartKommPlus-German Research Consortium for Healthy Communities is examining such strategies using participatory forms of research. The goal is to determine how participation can best be planned and implemented and what effects this participation has. In this article the work of PartKommPlus from the first funding phase (2015-2018) will be described with particular attention to the lessons learned and the forms of impact which are being considered as part of the participatory research process.