Research Library

Empowering refugee voices: Using nominal group technique with a diverse refugee patient advisory committee (PAC) to identify health and research priorities

Abstract

Despite rising forced displacement globally, refugees’ health and research priorities are largely unknown. We investigated whether a diverse refugee committee could utilize participatory methods to identify health priorities and a research agenda to address them. We conducted a qualitative study with focus groups of current and former refugees, asylum claimants and evacuees from a specialized refugee clinic over a year. We collected sociodemographic data using standardized instruments, then utilized a four-step nominal group technique process (idea generation, recording, discussion, and voting) to identify and rank participants’ health and research priorities. Participants ranked their top five priorities across three time periods: Pre-migration/early arrival (0–3 months), post-migration (3 months–2 years), and long-term health (>2 years). Participants created overarching priorities and corroborated findings via a member checking step. Twenty-three participants (median age 35 years) attended one or more of five focus groups. Twenty-one completed sociodemographic surveys: 16/21 (76%) were women, representing 8 countries of origin. Twelve participants completed the member checking process, affirming the results with minor clarifications. This proof-of-concept study illustrates how refugees can use a rigorous consensus process without external influence to prioritize their healthcare needs, direct a health research agenda to address those needs, and co-produce research. These low-cost participatory methods should be replicated elsewhere.