Engaging under-served populations in public health research
Ahead of the next PHIRST webinar looking at evaluations involving under-served groups our PHIRST Connect team has shared their reflections.
Applied public health research is rarely straightforward. It is shaped by real-world contexts, diverse communities, and complex lived experiences. These implications are amplified when research involves individuals who may be considered under-served including those experiencing poor health, social marginalisation, or structural barriers to participation.
At PHIRST Connect, we have learned that meaningful engagement with under-served populations requires flexibility, creativity, and a willingness to adapt beyond traditional research methods. Across several projects, we have intentionally reshaped our methodologies to ensure that voices often excluded from research are heard and represented.
This blog reflects on key themes from our work, using practical examples to highlight how adaptive and creative approaches can strengthen inclusivity within research.
Flexibility is key
When working with under-served populations, flexibility is essential. Research timelines, recruitment strategies, and data collection methods must be responsive to participants’ circumstances.
Adapting During Data Collection
As part of our evaluation of the prevention and promotion of better mental health and wellbeing in Lambeth, researchers worked with community members often facing challenging situations related to mental health and social circumstances. Interviews were conducted in a variety of ways; over the phone, via online platforms, or by visiting community settings, depending on what felt most appropriate and accessible for participants at the time.
These experiences reinforced the importance of meeting participants where they are, rather than adhering rigidly to data collection plans.
Rethinking recruitment and accessibility
Engagement begins long before data collection. Recruitment materials and processes play a crucial role in determining which participants feel able to take part.
Adapting Recruitment Strategies
In the Lambeth project, recruitment strategies evolved in close partnership with service providers. Beyond traditional registration forms, additional routes were created that allowed participants to express interest through community workers, who could then connect them with the research team.
An accessible, one-page participant information sheet was also developed. This could be read aloud over the phone or shared during online calls, making it easier for participants to understand the research and make informed decisions about participation.
Creative methodologies for inclusive engagement
Traditional research methods can unintentionally exclude individuals who may feel uncomfortable with formal interviews. To address this, several projects adopted creative and alternative approaches.
Diverse Methods of Engagement
Within our evaluation of drug and alcohol services in Leeds, a wide variety of engagement methods were used to reach participants from particularly marginalised groups, including sex workers and drug and alcohol service users. Creative writing exercises and text-based messaging enabled participants to share experiences in ways that felt safer and more accessible than conventional interviews.
Creative approaches were also used during post-evaluation sense checking. Participants engaged with findings through poetry, drawing, and other creative activities, allowing them to reflect on and sense check the research outcomes in meaningful ways.
Creative Sense Checking (CoPACT)
Similarity, as part of the Southampton Covid Participatory Action Research and Champions initiative Evaluation (CoPACT) creative sense checking was central to participant engagement with the evaluation results. Research participants and other service users worked collaboratively with the research team to interpret findings. This process culminated in the creation of a video poem, developed with and by service users themselves. Collaborating closely with community organisations, in this case Communicare, is key to successful engagement in these creative sessions, as already existing relationships are established and able to be built upon as part of the research.
This approach shifted sense checking from a passive validation exercise into a participatory, co-produced process.
Reflections and learning
Across these projects, adapting methods to engage under-served populations led to clear and meaningful benefits:
- + Greater inclusivity: Individuals who might not typically engage with research were able to participate, ensuring a broader range of voices were captured.
- + Richer data: Creative and flexible methods generated deeper, more nuanced insights, supporting triangulation across participant groups.
- + Stronger relationships: Participatory and accessible approaches fostered trust and sustained engagement, strengthening the researcher–participant rapport.
Looking ahead: Building participatory research futures
These experiences have shaped how we think about engaging different populations in public health research. Moving forward, we aim to embed a wider range of methodological options, particularly when working with under-served communities.
Participatory and creative methods, including photovoice, artistic activities, and collaborative storytelling, offer promising ways to support empowerment, expression, and inclusion. By continuing to challenge conventional research norms, we can create more inclusive and impactful public health research.
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