Research with and about user participation: potentials and challenges

The need of a comprehensive public health approach that responds to the needs of the aging population has been stated as one way to handle the world-wide ongoing demographic changes. One crucial issue is to whom we leave to describe the needs of older people and decide on priorities in research and societal development. Research involving users is gaining interest, in medicine and health sciences, as well as in other fields of inquiry. Such approaches are seen as positive, not the least among politicians and research sponsors. As yet, however, the evidence base for the effects and outcomes of research with user participation is insufficient and scattered.