Consumer Engagement in a PhD Project

Description

This Griffith University study is PhD research involving supervision by an ABIOS staff member. Focused on consumer engagement in research, the study may provide information on how ABIOS could best improve consumer engagement within their research agenda. The overall project involves 5 smaller studies that aim to:

• Describe and evaluate the engagement of consumers in a research higher degree program
• Provide a snapshot of the current status of consumers engagement in occupational therapy health-related research
• Explore what is known regarding the capabilities required for healthcare staff and consumers to effectively partner in organisational design and quality improvement at the service level
• Develop a framework and implementation strategy for best practice learning and development of consumers and clinician partnerships
• Scope the translation of the learning and development framework

Rationale

Consumer engagement is increasingly being considered an ethical, political and moral imperative for the conduct of quality research. ABIOS, as a community based and client centred service values the involvement of consumers in service development and quality improvement. To date, uptake of consumer involvement in research and quality improvement has been limited across healthcare contexts, including within ABIOS. Research is needed to inform best practice in this area.

Participants

A PhD student, two academic supervisors (one from ABIOS) and between 2 and 5 consumers

Key Features

Unique exploration of consumer engagement in higher degree research

Large body of research incorporating 5 separate studies

Key focus on translation through networking, conference presentation and social media

Funding

This research is funded within specific researcher roles and PhD funding through Griffith University

Research/Evaluation Strategies

Study one is an overarching program of research using an ethnographic design to explore the impact of consumer engagement strategies on the processes and outcomes of a research higher degree from the perspective of consumer coresearchers and academic researchers. It involves multiple methods including interviews, focus groups, observation field notes, a reflexive diary and reporting of consumer engagement activity,

Study two is a scoping review of consumer engagement health-related research as reported in the Australian Occupational Therapy Journal.

Study three is a scoping review of the capabilities and best practice learning and development strategies for healthcare staff and consumers to effectively partner in organisational design and quality improvement at the service level.

Study four involves the development and validation of a consumer engagement capabilities and best practice learning and development framework. It involves consumer co-researchers and academics working together using the findings from Study three as well as an e-Delphi validation of the framework.

Study five will involve scoping the translation of the framework and development of a strategy for implementation into practice. The methodology for this study will be determined by the research team (consumer and academic researchers) using the findings from previous studies.

Publications

Cox, R., Kendall, M., Molineaux, M., Miller, E., & Tanner, B. (2020). Consumer engagement in occupational therapy health-related research: A scoping review of the Australian Occupational Therapy Journal and a call to action. Australian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68(2), 180-192. https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1630.12704