Authors:
McKenzie A, Alpers K, Heyworth J, Phuong C, Hanley B.
Authors notes:
Research Involvement and Engagement. 2016;2(1):1-15.
Keywords:
Consumer and community involvement, consumer and community, participation, patient and public involvement, training, awareness, attitudes
Abstract:
In Australia, since 2009, the Consumer and Community Involvement Program (formerly the Consumer and Community Participation Program) has developed and run workshops to help people working in health and medical research involve more consumers (patients) and community members (the public) in their research.
In 2012, workshop attendees were invited to do an online survey to find out the effect, if any, that attending a workshop had on their awareness of and attitudes to consumer and community involvement.
They were also asked about changes in their behaviour when it came to the involvement of consumers and the community in their work.
The study found that, for people who answered the survey, more than double the number found consumer and community involvement very relevant after attending a workshop, compared with the number who thought that before attending one.
Also, amongst those who answered the survey, 94 % thought that the workshop increased their understanding about involvement.