Evidence Library

Abstract:

Aim: To find out if researchers publishing in international general medical journals had actively involved consumers in their research and to what extent they had involved consumers.

Methods: Two researchers assessed the extent of consumer involvement in 200 papers randomly selected from four international general medical journals. The corresponding authors of the papers were surveyed to find out what they thought had been the extent of that involvement.

Findings/recommendations: Consumer involvement occurred in six of the 200 papers. 132 authors replied to the survey and 54 said they had involved consumers. This mismatch occurred because some of the researchers had limited knowledge and understanding of consumer involvement and because some had not included details of consumer involvement in their original articles. A minority of the researchers were aware of the potential benefits of involving consumers.

The authors recommend that researchers and consumers need training and information about involvement as a substantial proportion of health researchers do not understand its meaning.

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Related entry: none currently available

Categories: health
nature and extent of public involvement in research
journal article

Date Entered: 2007/02/27

Date Edited: 2012/11/21