Abstract:
This paper argues that if research is to be relevant to the issues faced by service users, they must be actively involved in this research at all stages.
Fisher draws on a range of research projects to expand on his argument.
Fisher sets out some distinctions in the meaning of user involvement in different models of social research. He argues that more traditional methods - such as consulting with service users and participatory research - are not enough to respond to the demands of service users for "genuine involvement in research design". Instead, he calls for a three-way relationship between the practitioner, research and the service user.
Fisher draws on a range of examples of user-led and user-controlled research to suggest that problem formulation benefits from user involvement. He gives illustrations that show how service users have challenged the assumptions made by researchers and research commissioners.
He also argues that user involvement can help researchers to access the 'right people', giving examples of how user controlled research can improve response rates. Fisher goes on to describe how the quality of interview data may be improved if service users act as interviewers.
Fisher moves on to consider how user perspectives can alter the research approach to outcomes, outlining three principles for user perspectives on outcome measurement. Finally, he argues that service users can improve the analysis of qualitative data, again by drawing on a number of examples.
External link: The following links will take you to information on this entry on an external website. INVOLVE is not responsible for the content or the reliability of the external websites. Link to abstract
Related entry: none currently available
Categories: social care
Identifying topics, prioritising and commissioning
Designing research
Undertaking research
Analysing and interpreting
impact on funding/commissioning
impact on research
impact on researchers
impact of public involvement
reflecting on public involvement in research
journal article
Recruitment
Date Entered: 2007/02/20
Date Edited: 2012/12/06
Additional Info:
