527 Giving a voice to undocumented migrants, refugees and asylum seekers: innovative approaches from the CICADA study and lessons learned

Abstract EP2.5, e-Poster Terminal 2, September 5, 2025, 13:05 - 13:30 Aims Community-based collaborative research that is done well and with careful thought is a potent approach in giving voice to undocumented migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, who are often the most underserved and least heard people within a population. It also has the potential to empower them and to highlight their strengths and assets, important in achieving equity. Methods The strengths-based mixed methods UK CICADA study used a range of collaborative approaches to explore and disseminate the experiences of disabled people from minoritised ethnic groups, with an emphasis on recent migrants, including those without documentation. The focus was on their health and social care and wellbeing and the aim was to develop solutions and recommendations to reduce inequities in these. Results My talk will consider examples from our involvement of lay co-researchers, futures-based co-design and theatre, in shaping narratives of experience and co-developed solutions and recommendations. I will also discuss lessons learned and how these have been used in further research projects that I am currently working on, all involving migrant healthcare and disability, as well as the potential of flipped engagement, in which community groups engage researchers in projects rather than the converse. Conclusions Research collaborations with migrants can take many forms, and if done well, can result in epistemic justice and equity in the shaping of their healthcare. The talk will demonstrate the importance of designing collaborative work to fit the task and collaborators at hand, rather than using a one-size-fits-all recipe approach. The CICADA study was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) [NIHR132914, HS&DR]. The views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.