Series: Public engagement with research. Part 1: The fundamentals of public engagement with research

Steven Blackburn; Megan Clinch; Maarten de Wit; Albine Moser; Jette Primdahl; Esther van Vliet; Christine Walker; Fiona Stevenson

doi:10.1080/13814788.2023.2232111

Series: Public engagement with research. Part 1: The fundamentals of public engagement with research

Eur J Gen Pract. 2023 Dec;29(1):2232111. doi: 10.1080/13814788.2023.2232111.

Authors

Steven Blackburn¹, Megan Clinch², Maarten de Wit³, Albine Moser⁴, Jette Primdahl⁵, Esther van Vliet⁶, Christine Walker⁷, Fiona Stevenson⁸

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
² Centre for Public Health & Policy, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
³ Patient Research Partner Stichting Tools, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
⁴ Department of Family Medicine, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
⁵ Department of Regional Health Research, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark.
⁶ Academic Collaborative Centers, Knowledge Transfer Office, Tilburg University, Tilburg, the Netherlands.
⁷ Research User Group, Primary Care Centre Versus Arthritis, School of Medicine, Keele University, Keele, UK.
⁸ Primary Care and Population Health, University College London, London, UK.

Abstract

Background: In the first of a four-part series, we describe the fundamentals of public engagement in primary care research.

Objectives: The article's purpose is to encourage, inform and improve the researcher's awareness about public engagement in research. For a growing number of researchers, funders and patient organisations in Europe, public engagement is a moral and ethical imperative for conducting high-quality research.

Discussion: Starting with an explanation of the role of public engagement in research, we highlight its diversity and benefits to research, researchers and the public members involved. We summarise principles of good practice and provide valuable resources for researchers to use in their public engagement activities. Finally, we discuss some of the issues encountered when researchers collaborate with members of the public and provide practical steps to address them. Case studies of real-life situations are used to illustrate and aid understanding.

Conclusion: We hope this article and the other papers in this series will encourage researchers to better consider the role and practice of public engagement and the potential added value to research that collaborating with the public could provide.

Keywords: Public engagement; patient and public involvement; primary care; research.

MeSH terms

Europe
Humans
Patient Participation*
Research Personnel*

Grants and funding

This article was supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) School for Primary Care Research. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.