Summary

As part of the KEG project “Municipal Development of Health Strategies: Science and Practice in Dialogue”, we conducted two case studies: one in Esslingen (Baden-Württemberg) and one in Rothenburgsort (a neighbourhood in Hamburg).

We were primarily aiming at gaining knowledge about cooperation and concerns surrounding health promotion at local level in order to advance integrated municipal strategies (IMS) and to develop transfer opportunities in order to enhance municipal health promotion practice.

In both subprojects, we formed research communities with participants from science and practice. In Esslingen, the research community also included local young co-researchers. In Hamburg, it also consisted of health promotion professionals and residents of the neighbourhood. We worked and researched on an equal footing. Among others, we applied the participatory methods of Photovoice in Esslingen and Appreciative Inquiry in Hamburg.

In order to describe the impact, we focus on the Hamburg case study. In our view, the central impact has been the development and practical transfer of the advisory tool RIMS[1]. The main impact factors at KEG were both bringing together academia, practice and the life world and the collaborative and open research on an equal footing.

In-depth knowledge, a variety of different perspectives, different framework conditions and opportunities to exert influence of the diverse participants in the research community made it possible to combine theory, empiricism and practice in developing the RIMS advisory tool.

To develop and implement the advisory tool for the practice of municipal health promotion, we found a fitting cooperation partner in the HAG (Hamburg Association for Health Promotion), as its mandate is to be involved in political decision-making and establish structures at Hamburg’s state level.

The appreciative work attitude and cooperation in the research community and the process approach correspond to the characteristics of participatory health research. The research community discussed and jointly decided, what kind of instrument RIMS should be and what purpose it is supposed to achieve. We also created the space and time for reflection in the research community.

The main impact factors and how they interact enabled us to develop an instrument that is based on practical requirements while taking into account the status of current developments on federal and state level.

[1] RIMS: Readiness for establishing and expanding integrated municipal strategies of health promotion