Table 1 Foundational values for participatory praxis in health-related stigma research

Equity

Research is designed and conducted with the goal of social egalitarianism that improves health and well-being for marginalized groups. Researchers and communities are co-equal investigators with different sets of skills and experiences to share with each other

Justice

Research is designed and conducted with the goal of creating social change that increases access to the rights and privileges of citizenship, including access to healthcare, recourse for discrimination, and voice in decision-making and policies for marginalized groups

Dignity

The inherent worth and value of all participants is recognized at every stage of the research

Participation

The people and communities that are the subjects of research should lead the research and be meaningfully engaged at all stages, including the right not to participate

Non-othering

People and communities who are the foci of research are seen as similar to the researchers, and approached from a common base of humanity, rather than seen as essentially different, exotic, incomprehensible, or ‘other’

Accountability

Communities and researchers hold themselves and each other accountable to their commitments, including to participatory praxis

Reflexivity

Researchers and communities engage in self-reflection to examine their own stigmatizing attitudes and biases and commit to rigorously seeking out and addressing their own prejudices and to refrain from acting on them

Transparency

The rules for decision-making are clear, collective, agreed in advance, and followed

Flipping power dynamics

Research is designed and conducted with the goal of creating social change that results in marginalized groups gaining greater control and self-determination over their lives and environments