The role of representation in participatory settings of health research in Germany: protocol for a scoping review.

BACKGROUND

Participatory health research (PHR) has gained growing importance as an approach to include the perspectives of patients and communities in health research. While it is widely assumed that PHR contributes to more democratic and needs-based research, the conceptual foundations of how participation and representation are understood often remain vague - particularly in the German research context. This scoping review explores how representation is conceptualized and operationalized in participatory health-related research in Germany.

METHODS

The review follows the JBI methodology for scoping reviews and is reported in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. A systematic search will be conducted across four databases (PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus), supplemented by manual searches in the German PartNet archive and reference tracking. Eligible studies must report on empirical, participatory health research conducted in collaboration with a German research institution. Documents will be screened and analyzed using qualitative content analysis in MAXQDA, following both deductive and inductive coding strategies. Representation will be analyzed along two conceptual lines: representation as a responsive relationship and externally ascribed representation.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

The review will map existing understandings and practices of representation in German PHR. Findings will support future methodological and normative debates around participation in health research and provide a foundation for international comparison.