The citizen committee as a co-management strategy in participatory research in the field of mental health in Quebec/O comite cidadao como estrategia cogestiva em uma pesquisa participativa no campo da saude mental

• Published in: Ciência & saude coletiva 2013-10, Vol.18 (10), p.2919
• Main Authors: Passos, Eduardo, de Carvalho Otanari, Thais Mikie, Emerich, Bruno Ferrari, Guerini, Lorena
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Subjects: Analysis; Mental health; Strategic planning (Business)
• ISSN: 1413-8123; 1678-4561

The theme of users' rights has become a central issue in contemporary debate on mental health. Drawing from the experiences of "Comite Cidadao" (Citizen Committee), consisting of users and family members in an international research alliance between Brazil and Canada, an attempt is made to discuss the effects of the experience of co-management of the so-called Autonomous Medication Administration (GAM Gestao Autonoma da Medicacao) participatory research project on these individuals. By means of a detailed description of the background of the Committee and interviews and analysis of the voice transcriptions of its members, the problems raised by the relation of dialogue between scientific knowledge and users' knowledge are examined in a methodological approach of participatory research. As a result of the research, it was established that the experience of the Citizens Committee in co-management of health research can be propitious to the increase in the degree of autonomy, greater empowerment and the exercise of leadership and citizenship, with the consequent emergence of subjects with rights.