Rethinking participation: design studios for health as a scalable co-design framework for health equity.

Area of Science:

• Community-based participatory research (CBPR)
• Health equity
• Co-design frameworks

Background:

• The Design Studios for Health (DSH) framework is a participatory model for equitable collaboration between communities and researchers.
• It addresses diverse health priorities by integrating design thinking and CBPR principles.
• DSH utilizes an iterative structure to foster sustained and meaningful engagement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the outcomes of 11 DSH sessions conducted over two years with historically underserved communities.
• To assess key indicators of engagement including collaboration, facilitator performance, mutual support, group cohesion, and trust.
• To explore participant experiences and the role of iterative engagement in co-creation.

Main Methods:

• Conducted 11 DSH sessions with historically underserved communities.
• Collected mixed-methods data via post-session surveys, open-ended responses, and qualitative debriefs.
• Assessed quantitative metrics for collaboration, facilitator performance, participant support, cohesion, and trust; analyzed qualitative data for experiences and perceived value.

Main Results:

• Later DSH sessions showed improved collaboration, group cohesion, and trust compared to earlier ones.
• Participants reported DSH as a safe, empowering space promoting deep listening, mutual support, and shared ownership.
• Iterative engagement enabled refinement of ideas, integration of cultural insights, and meaningful contribution to intervention development.

Conclusions:

• DSH is a scalable co-design framework strengthening academic-community partnerships and building trust.
• The model supports community-led innovation by centering lived experience and using iterative feedback loops.
• DSH offers a practical, equity-oriented approach for co-creating culturally relevant health solutions with underserved populations.