Key Dates

Related Announcements

None

Issued by

Division of Program Coordination, Planning and Strategic Initiatives, Office of Disease Prevention (ODP)

Office of AIDS Research (OAR)

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)

Purpose

Background

Young people today face many health risks. These include poor nutrition, limited physical activity, social isolation, and exposure to unsafe physical, social, and online environments. These risks can increase mental health concerns and lead to chronic health conditions over time.

Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) is an approach that includes young people as active members of the research team. Youth work alongside adult researchers to identify research questions, design studies, collect and interpret data, and share findings. By including youth perspectives, YPAR can make prevention programs more relevant, acceptable, and effective for young people.

Research also shows that participating in YPAR can benefit youth researchers. It may improve their mental health, leadership skills, and interest in research careers.

Despite these benefits, YPAR is not widely used in prevention research, including research funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Definition of Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR)

For this RFI, YPAR is defined as research that engages youth as partners in all stages of the research process — from identifying the research topic to interpreting findings and sharing results.

YPAR differs from studies that collect input from youth only as participants. In YPAR, youth serve as researchers. Projects typically involve youth ages 13–25.

Information requested

ODP and collaborating NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices invite input from youth, youth-serving organizations, schools and educational institutions, public health organizations, researchers, and others interested in YPAR and prevention research. 

We welcome responses on ways to expand and improve the use of YPAR in prevention research. The topics below are examples and are not meant to limit responses. You may address any or all these areas.

1. Health issues or conditions that may benefit from YPAR approaches or stronger youth engagement.
2. Developmental or practical considerations for involving youth in YPAR.
3. Resources or infrastructure needed to successfully conduct YPAR.
4. Challenges to starting or sustaining YPAR, including obtaining research funding.
5. Ways the following groups can promote greater use of YPAR in prevention research:
   • Researchers
   • Academic Institutions
   • Schools (including students, teachers, administrators, and school-based health centers)
   • Youth-serving organizations
   • Public health agencies
   • Research funders (including NIH)
   • Other organizations or agencies
6. Lessons learned from past or current YPAR projects that can inform future efforts.
7. Strategies to share YPAR findings and use results to influence policy or practice in schools, communities, or other settings.

How to Submit a Response

Responses must be submitted electronically through the RFI submission website by July 16, 2026, at 11:59 pm EDT. You will receive an electronic confirmation after submitting your response.

Submitting a response is voluntary. Responses may be submitted anonymously. You may choose to include your name and contact information. If you provide this information, NIH will not share it outside of NIH unless required by law.

Please do not include any personally identifiable information beyond your name and contact information. Do not include proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information.

The Government may use the information submitted in response to this RFI for planning purposes. Except for names and contact information, submitted content may be shared publicly, including on websites, in reports, in summaries of scientific knowledge, or in future funding announcements.

This RFI is for information and planning purposes only. It is not a funding announcement and does not obligate the NIH to provide financial support. The NIH will not pay for the preparation or submission of responses.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Office of Disease Prevention (ODP)
Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives
NIH Office of the Director
Email: [email protected]

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Child Development and Behavior Branch 
Email: [email protected]

Office for Disparities Research and Workforce Diversity (ODWD)  
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) 
Email: [email protected] 

National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
Email: [email protected]

Office of AIDS Research (OAR)
Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives
NIH Office of the Director
Email: [email protected]