The DEPICT model for participatory qualitative health promotion research analysis piloted in Canada, Zambia and South Africa

TLDR

Health promotion researchers increasingly use Community‑Based Participatory Research to reduce health disparities, yet teams often exclude diverse representation from data analysis. The DEPICT model is a democratic approach to collaborative qualitative analysis that enhances rigor by including diverse stakeholders. The model comprises six sequential steps requiring strong leadership, coordination, and facilitation, yet remains flexible to adapt to various settings and expertise levels. Including diverse stakeholders enriches data analysis and yields more nuanced understandings of complex health problems.

Abstract

Health promotion researchers are increasingly conducting Community-Based Participatory Research in an effort to reduce health disparities. Despite efforts towards greater inclusion, research teams continue to regularly exclude diverse representation from data analysis efforts. The DEPICT model for collaborative qualitative analysis is a democratic approach to enhancing rigour through inclusion of diverse stakeholders. It is broken down into six sequential steps. Strong leadership, coordination and facilitation skills are needed; however, the process is flexible enough to adapt to most environments and varying levels of expertise. Including diverse stakeholders on an analysis team can enrich data analysis and provide more nuanced understandings of complicated health problems.