Mixed-methods study to develop and pilot a modular evaluation tool for patient and public involvement in health services research

• Applicant: Privatdozentin Dr. Anna Levke Brütt
• Subject Area: Public Health, Healthcare Research, Social and Occupational Medicine
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 511611780

Patient and public involvement (PPI) in research is a research field that is rapidly developing internationally and recently also in Germany. As research funders and scientific journals increasingly encourage PPI, implementation is also accelerating. So far, there is only weak evidence regarding the outcomes and impacts, which are mainly based on narrative studies. There is a need to generate stronger evidence to understand which PPI approaches work best, in which contexts and with what effects. For a scientific development of the research field and the implementation of PPI in Germany, this project aims at 1. establishing an evaluation concept 2. developing a modular evaluation tool 3. piloting a modular evaluation tool The mixed-method study comprises three phases. In the first phase, meaningful and successful aspects of PPI will be explored in a web-based survey as well as through focus group interviews with researchers from the field of health services research and patients. The results are then discussed in a codesign workshop in which researchers, patients and further stakeholders consent on an evaluation framework based on a LOGIC model. In the second phase, items from internationally available instruments that evalute PPI are deductively assigned to the consented evaluation framework. Further items are developed based on the focus groups from phase 1. In addition, cognitive pretests and qualitative review will be conducted with researchers and patients in order to refine the item pool and develop an evaluation tool. In the third phase, the modular evaluation tool with modules for researchers and patients will be piloted in a web-based survey. The findings from this project make it possible to connect to the internationally developing field of PPI in research and to address relevant research gaps. Moreover, the evaluation framework and its operationalization in a modular evaluation tool provide practical instructions for the implementation and evaluation of PPI in health services research in Germany.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Canada, United Kingdom
• Cooperation Partners: Professorin Dr. Julia Abelson; Professorin Dr. Julia Jones; Professorin Dr. Sophie Staniszewska