A systematic review of the impact of participatory approaches by UK public health units on health and social outcomes

Background: There has been a philosophical commitment to participation in public health since the 1970s. UK policy rhetoric on participation in public health has been particularly marked since 1997. It is less clear that participatory approaches have been pursued by UK public health units in practice. Methods: A systematic review was undertaken of all studies using any recognized research methodology from 1974 to 2007 reporting on health and social outcomes of participatory approaches by UK public health units. Seventeen electronic databases were searched and inclusion/exclusion criteria and quality appraisal criteria applied. Results: Five thousand and four hundred and fifty-one references were identified, reduced to 2155 once duplicates were removed. Only eight papers covering seven studies were relevant and included in the analysis. Only two studies met more than half of the relevant quality appraisal criteria. The studies fell into two distinct groups: four used qualitative methods to illustrate the complexities of effective community participation; three claimed success for their participative initiative without providing adequate evidence to substantiate such claims. Conclusions: This systematic review demonstrates that there is very little evidence in the peer-reviewed literature of participatory approaches by UK public health units or of such approaches having any noteworthy impact on health and social outcomes