Investigation of the Role of Political Participation in Health: A Scoping Review

Political participation in health is crucial for shaping health policies and ensuring community engagement in decision-making processes. This study explores the role of political participation in health by examining citizen science, political medicine, and other forms of public health involvement.

This study was conducted as a scoping review based on the final framework (Peters et al.). The review process followed the JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis and was reported in accordance with the PRISMA‑ScR checklist. A comprehensive search of PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest, and Google Scholar was carried out on February 19, 2023, using the finalized search strategy. Two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts, and full texts, with disagreements resolved through discussion. Data were extracted using a standardized form. The final results were categorized using the STEEP framework (social, technological, economic, environmental, political) and complemented by SWOT analysis.

Of the 972 records identified, 282 duplicates were removed, and 617 abstracts and titles were excluded. Following full-text screening, 58 studies were excluded, leaving 15 publications for analysis. The influence of various factors on political participation in health was assessed using STEEP and SWOT analysis. Findings indicate that fostering community health literacy, ensuring equitable access to political processes, and addressing socio-economic determinants can enable policymakers to develop more inclusive and effective health policies.

Political participation plays a vital role in shaping health outcomes. Strengthening strategies that enhance community involvement in health decision-making is essential for achieving a more inclusive and equitable health system.