How to generate statistics and influence policy using participatory methods in research

This paper aims to show that it is possible to generate statistics which will be taken seriously by policy makers from research using participatory methods. A key requirement is to produce results from a representative sample, which can be generalised in order to reach conclusions for the population of interest. This implies working in a larger number of sites than is common for most studies which use participatory methods. However, the Malawi experience presented in this paper shows that it is possible to organise such studies at a reasonable cost. Key requirements are for the study design to incorporate statistical principles; and for PRA tools to be adapted to meet the demands of standardisation and comparability of data produced across sites. It is argued that if research studies using participatory methods follow this approach, the data generated will be suitable for standard statistical analysis. The statistics produced by such studies should be capable of informing policy at national level. However, there are some concerns about empowerment and ethical issues, which present challenges for the future.