Peer and community (P&C) research is a key part of health and health inequalities research. P&C researchers are individuals with personal experience of a specific issue (such as a health condition), a geographical area, or a group identity (1-3). They actively participate in conducting research on these topics. The term “P&C researcher” is used to show that their role is different from a "researcher" (e.g. university-based or community-based researchers), highlighting their unique knowledge and skills without suggesting that one role is more important than the other.
P&C research helps support democratic involvement in health, social care and other public systems by generating knowledge and evidence from the ground up to inform policy. This approach aims to tackle inequalities directly and explicitly. Unlike most academic and service-based researchers, P&C researchers bring unique expertise, experience, and connections, allowing them to co-produce research with communities that are often the focus of, but not fully engaged in, research efforts (4- 10). By involving communities in developing research and solutions, P&C research can lead to equitable solutions that are more likely to succeed (11).