The importance of a strong evidence-base is widely recognised in contemporary health, social care and education practice, meaning that there is a real need for research which can be quickly and easily translated into real world situations. Research co-produced by practitioners and academics from early stages to end results can draw on each party’s knowledge and experience, in order to create high quality evidence that is relevant and appropriate to practice needs. This guide introduces the basics of co-producing research, looking at the evidence for co-produced research and outlining its theoretical underpinnings, as well as discussing barriers and facilitators to consider. It includes a practitioner perspective and an academic perspective on the benefits and challenges of co-produced research. The substantive chapters are each co-written by an academic and practitioner team and give examples of work carried out – and lessons learned – in public health, education and criminal justice settings. Key learning points are included throughout and drawn together to comprise a toolkit at the end of the book. This book teaches academics and practitioners more about how they can find practical evidence-based answers to complex questions.

Co-production and co-creation occur when citizens participate actively in delivering and designing the services they receive. It has come increasingly onto the agenda of policymakers, as interest in citizen participation has more generally soared. Expectations are high and it is regarded as a possible solution to the public sector’s decreased legitimacy and dwindling resources, by accessing more of society’s capacities. In addition, it is seen as part of a more general drive to reinvigorate voluntary participation and strengthen social cohesion in an increasingly fragmented and individualized society. "Co-Production and Co-Creation: Engaging Citizens in Public Services" offers a systematic and comprehensive theoretical and empirical examination of the concepts of co-production and co-creation and their application in practice. It shows the latest state of knowledge on the topic and will be of interest both to students at an advanced level, academics and reflective practitioners. It addresses the topics with regard to co-production and co-creation and will be of interest to researchers, academics, policymakers, and students in the fields of public administration, business administration, economics, political science, public management, political science service management, sociology and voluntary sector studies.

Offering a critical examination of the nature of co-produced research, this important new book draws on materials and case studies from the ESRC funded project ‘Imagine – connecting communities through research’. Outlining a community development approach to co-production, which privileges community agency, the editors link with wider debates about the role of universities within communities. With policy makers in mind, contributors discuss in clear and accessible language what co-production between community groups and academics can achieve. The book will be valuable for practitioners within community contexts, and researchers interested in working with communities, activists, and artists.

Alcohol, Crime and Public Health explores the issue of drinking in the criminal justice system, providing an overview of the topic from both a criminal justice and a public health perspective. The majority of prisoners in the UK (70%) have an alcohol use disorder, and evidence tells us that risky drinking is high amongst those in contact with all areas of the criminal justice system. Uniquely, this book brings both a criminal justice and a public health perspective to the topic. The book opens by exploring the levels of crime attributed to alcohol, the policy context of alcohol and crime, and the prevalence of risky alcohol consumption in the criminal justice system. The following chapters examine risky drinking amongst men, women and young people in the criminal justice system. The final chapters look at the efficacy of psychosocial interventions for risky drinking in the criminal justice system, and look forward to how researchers and practitioners can work together to produce research in the criminal justice system. Written in an accessible and concise style, Alcohol, Crime and Public Health will be of great use to students of criminology, criminal justice and public health as well as the wider area of public and social policy in relation to alcohol and crime.

Bringing together different theoretical perspectives on brand co-creation and discussing their practical applicability and ethical implications, this Research Handbook explores emerging notions of brand construction which view brands as co-created through collaborative efforts between multiple stakeholders.

This valuable textbook provides an accessible, pragmatic how-to guide for using participatory methods in research. Providing practical advice, real-world examples, and packed with reflective questions, top tips and suggested further reading, this book will be an essential resource for students and researchers alike.

Microsystems, smart textiles, telemedicine, smart implants and sensor-controlled medical devices have become important enablers for monitoring and treatment in both inpatient and outpatient care. Indeed, micro and nano technologies have tremendous potential for increasing access to care whilst managing healthcare costs. They are set to be at the heart of evolutionary and revolutionary changes in healthcare, and are crucial, not only for the future of medicine, but also for the improvement of health care and welfare processes today and tomorrow. This book presents the proceedings of the 2012 pHealth conference, held in Porto, Portugal, in June 2012. The pHealth conference has emerged as the leading international meeting on wearable micro and nano technologies for personalized medicine, attracting scientists from various disciplines, clinicians, as well as policy makers from the healthcare industry, hospital administration and allied professionals. The book includes keynotes, invited speeches and selected submitted contributions. The areas covered include: the pHealth approach, new approaches to diagnosis and therapy, monitoring special diseases, system architecture, design and implementation, wearable sensor systems, smartphone applications and ambient assisted living. Over the years, pHealth has given visibility to the tremendous potential of micro and nano technologies, not only for the future of medicine, but also for the improvement of healthcare processes today. This book will be of interest to all those involved with the provision of health and welfare services, and also to companies engaged in the development of micro and nano technologies.