Measuring the impact of participating in community-engaged evidence synthesis research

Session: 

Oral session: Patient or healthcare consumers involvement and shared decision-making (3)

Date: 

Sunday 16 September 2018 - 14:20 to 14:40

Location: 

Ochil 2

All authors in correct order:

Springs S1, Rofeberg V1, Brown S2, Boudreau S3, Baruch J4
1 Brown University School of Public Health, United States
2 Rhode Island Council for the Arts, United States
3 Rhode Island Department of Public Health, United States
4 The Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, United States
Presenting author and contact person

Presenting author:

Stacey Springs

Contact person:

Stacey Springs
Abstract text
Background:
Community-engaged research (CEnR) involves a bidirectional partnership between researchers and community members to design and execute research studies. Including community members on research teams enhances the quality and applicability of research and promotes health equity though inclusivity. The objective of this community-engaged evidence synthesis project was to develop policy recommendations that integrate arts-based interventions within a statewide population health plan. Over the course of the 18-month project, we collaborated with > 25 community team members and provided didactic training and mentorship in evidence synthesis methods.

Objectives:
To evaluate our community-engaged evidence synthesis project to assess whether the model promotes effective engagement, empowerment, self-efficacy, confidence, community involvement and empathy.

Methods:
The project steering committee adapted existing, validated measures when available and utilised existing engagement rubrics to develop a brief 10-minute survey. Using Qualtrics software, participants were asked to respond to an anonymous survey. All members of the team (24) received an invitation to participate (4 members of the steering committee were excluded); 13 (54.2%) completed the survey and we analysed these data.

Results:
We adapted the PCORI Engagement Strategy rubric to assess the effectiveness of our approach to engagement. More than half of the participants indicated strong agreement on all 13 measures of engagement, including that researchers helped facilitate understanding of the research process (10, 76.2%) and that they felt 'heard' in decision-making (11, 84.6%). Respondents agreed that participating improved confidence in engaging with the healthcare system (8, 66.7%), developed greater empathy and understanding of others in the community (9, 69.2%), and provided social support (10, 76.2%), a sense of personal achievement (11, 84.6%) and increased interest in using science or research in advocacy efforts (10, 76.2%).

Conclusions:
This small pilot demonstrates that engaging a broader community in evidence synthesis as research partners promotes participant engagement, empowerment, self-efficacy, confidence, community involvement and empathy.

Patient or healthcare consumer involvement:
The project was co-designed/co-executed with the community research team.

Relevance to patients and consumers: 

The project described herein is a community engaged evidence synthesis project for public health policy planning. This survey was co-designed and executed by a 4 member steering committee including a research methodologist, a physician, a public health policy expert and an artists/policy advocate.