Exploration of trust in participatory health research partnerships across two timepoints: a network approach

Background The value of a participatory approach to the generation of evidence for health and social services from a moral, methodological and policy level continues to gain recognition globally. Trust is a crucial mechanism in the participatory health research (PHR) process and is strongly influenc...

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Main Authors: Meghan Gilfoyle, Anne MacFarlane, Jon Salsberg, Miriam McCarthy, Padraig MacCarron
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2025-02-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/2/e088355.full
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author Meghan Gilfoyle
Anne MacFarlane
Jon Salsberg
Miriam McCarthy
Padraig MacCarron
author_facet Meghan Gilfoyle
Anne MacFarlane
Jon Salsberg
Miriam McCarthy
Padraig MacCarron
author_sort Meghan Gilfoyle
collection DOAJ
description Background The value of a participatory approach to the generation of evidence for health and social services from a moral, methodological and policy level continues to gain recognition globally. Trust is a crucial mechanism in the participatory health research (PHR) process and is strongly influenced by context. However, gaps remain in conceptualising and operationalising trust over time in PHR partnerships.Objective This case study seeks to address these gaps by exploring the evolution of trust multidimensionally across two timepoints.Setting and participants Participants in a PHR project called the Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) Ignite Network in Ireland (n=57 (T1); n=56 (T2)) were invited to complete a network survey at two timepoints. The PPI Ignite Network had local and national partners.Network measures Several core social network measures were calculated at both timepoints to characterise the differences between trust dimensions and between local and national partners.Results Subtle changes were observed across most network measures over the two timepoints. While there was a slight decrease in the number of connections for each trust dimension throughout the PPI Ignite Network, connections that were consistently nominated in both timepoints increased slightly. Some trust dimensions, such as vulnerability and integrity, were more similar, while others, like integrity and shared values, visions and goals, differed greatly, where national partners consistently received more incoming connections compared with local partners.Conclusion These findings (1) provide empirical support for using social network analysis to operationalise trust comprehensively and multidimensionally over time in a participatory partnership, (2) offer nuanced insights into the trust development process within the PPI Ignite Network and (3) enhance our understanding of trust in the community-based participatory research model.
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spelling doaj-art-2d053764d5a94d8e971f3cea37a4a4552025-08-20T02:13:03ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552025-02-0115210.1136/bmjopen-2024-088355Exploration of trust in participatory health research partnerships across two timepoints: a network approachMeghan Gilfoyle0Anne MacFarlane1Jon Salsberg2Miriam McCarthy3Padraig MacCarron41 Women`s College Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada2 School of Medicine, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland2 School of Medicine, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland4 Health Sciences Academy, University Hospital Limerick, Limerick, Ireland5 Mathematics Applications Consortium for Science and Industry (MACSI), Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Limerick, Limerick, IrelandBackground The value of a participatory approach to the generation of evidence for health and social services from a moral, methodological and policy level continues to gain recognition globally. Trust is a crucial mechanism in the participatory health research (PHR) process and is strongly influenced by context. However, gaps remain in conceptualising and operationalising trust over time in PHR partnerships.Objective This case study seeks to address these gaps by exploring the evolution of trust multidimensionally across two timepoints.Setting and participants Participants in a PHR project called the Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) Ignite Network in Ireland (n=57 (T1); n=56 (T2)) were invited to complete a network survey at two timepoints. The PPI Ignite Network had local and national partners.Network measures Several core social network measures were calculated at both timepoints to characterise the differences between trust dimensions and between local and national partners.Results Subtle changes were observed across most network measures over the two timepoints. While there was a slight decrease in the number of connections for each trust dimension throughout the PPI Ignite Network, connections that were consistently nominated in both timepoints increased slightly. Some trust dimensions, such as vulnerability and integrity, were more similar, while others, like integrity and shared values, visions and goals, differed greatly, where national partners consistently received more incoming connections compared with local partners.Conclusion These findings (1) provide empirical support for using social network analysis to operationalise trust comprehensively and multidimensionally over time in a participatory partnership, (2) offer nuanced insights into the trust development process within the PPI Ignite Network and (3) enhance our understanding of trust in the community-based participatory research model.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/2/e088355.full
spellingShingle Meghan Gilfoyle
Anne MacFarlane
Jon Salsberg
Miriam McCarthy
Padraig MacCarron
Exploration of trust in participatory health research partnerships across two timepoints: a network approach
BMJ Open
title Exploration of trust in participatory health research partnerships across two timepoints: a network approach
title_full Exploration of trust in participatory health research partnerships across two timepoints: a network approach
title_fullStr Exploration of trust in participatory health research partnerships across two timepoints: a network approach
title_full_unstemmed Exploration of trust in participatory health research partnerships across two timepoints: a network approach
title_short Exploration of trust in participatory health research partnerships across two timepoints: a network approach
title_sort exploration of trust in participatory health research partnerships across two timepoints a network approach
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/2/e088355.full
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