Shining a light on the road towards conducting principle-based co-production research in rehabilitation

Co-production in health research means fully involving people with lived experience in all research stages. However, applying co-production is hard because there's no clear definition, practical guidance, or way to overcome academic barriers. To make co-production work better, focus on its core principles: sharing power, building strong relationships, and learning continuously. These principles can lead to fairer, more ethical, and impactful research with those who have relevant lived experience. The article gives practical strategies for rehabilitation researchers to use co-production. It aims to help them work with people with lived experience and their support networks in a way that's more equal and effective.

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  Power imbalances and structural inequities hinder power sharing in co-production research. Addressing this involves researchers being reflective of their status and elevating lived experience perspectives.
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  Building relational resilience is crucial, requiring sustained investment in building and maintaining meaningful relationships. This involves investing time with community partners and adopting an approach of “generous hospitality”.
• 3
  Adopting a learning mindset is essential, emphasizing flexibility, adaptability, and humility. Dialogue and iteration are key processes, involving listening, sharing, acknowledging diverse perspectives, and incorporating feedback for ongoing learning.