Supporting consumer engagement in health research about chronic conditions: a scoping review of evidence-based resources

Abstract Context and objective ‘Consumers’ refers to individuals with lived experience of health issues, as well as their carers or family members, who are often referred to as patients or service users. The recognition of consumers' expertise through lived experience is increasingly acknowledg...

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Main Authors: Mingming Zhou, Anne Parkinson, Mengyu Andy Lyu, Hanna Suominen, Leanne Watts, Jane Desborough
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-04-01
Series:Research Involvement and Engagement
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40900-025-00707-1
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author Mingming Zhou
Anne Parkinson
Mengyu Andy Lyu
Hanna Suominen
Leanne Watts
Jane Desborough
author_facet Mingming Zhou
Anne Parkinson
Mengyu Andy Lyu
Hanna Suominen
Leanne Watts
Jane Desborough
author_sort Mingming Zhou
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Context and objective ‘Consumers’ refers to individuals with lived experience of health issues, as well as their carers or family members, who are often referred to as patients or service users. The recognition of consumers' expertise through lived experience is increasingly acknowledged as essential in health research design. Involving consumers in research enhances relevance and fosters high-quality, consumer-centric outcomes. While previous reviews have examined resources that support consumer engagement in health research, this review aimed to identify evidence-based resources specifically designed for engaging consumers in research related to chronic conditions. Design We conducted a scoping review to map diverse resources, using the Arksey and O'Malley framework, enhanced by Levac et al. and the Joanna Briggs Institute. Data collection A search strategy was developed using keywords related to consumer engagement and supporting resources, such as models, frameworks, and tools. Seven databases were searched: PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, Scopus, EconLit, PsycINFO, and ACM Digital Library, targeting peer-reviewed articles published between 2013 and 2023. Analysis We conducted a qualitative thematic analysis by coding the results sections of each included study line by line. The codes were inductively grouped into descriptive categories, which were then synthesised into analytical themes and sub-themes. Results From 15,245 identified articles, 15 met the inclusion criteria. An overarching framework for consumer engagement in health research related to chronic conditions was synthesised, comprising six themes: 1. Promoting reciprocal learning, 2. Fostering a supportive environment, 3. Providing training to build capacity, 4. Acknowledging consumer contributions, 5. Using resources to facilitate engagement, and 6. Evaluating engagement impact. Conclusion This review integrates existing evidence-based resources for supporting consumer engagement in research about chronic conditions and presents an overarching framework. The findings offer valuable guidance for researchers aiming to effectively implement consumer engagement strategies tailored to individuals with chronic conditions.
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spelling doaj-art-39f93d36152f4081af0ef91b480cc9832025-08-20T02:10:56ZengBMCResearch Involvement and Engagement2056-75292025-04-0111112310.1186/s40900-025-00707-1Supporting consumer engagement in health research about chronic conditions: a scoping review of evidence-based resourcesMingming Zhou0Anne Parkinson1Mengyu Andy Lyu2Hanna Suominen3Leanne Watts4Jane Desborough5Department of Health Economics, Wellbeing and Society, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National UniversityDepartment of Health Economics, Wellbeing and Society, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National UniversityCentre for Mental Health Research, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National UniversitySchool of Computing, Australian National UniversityDepartment of Health Economics, Wellbeing and Society, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National UniversityDepartment of Health Economics, Wellbeing and Society, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National UniversityAbstract Context and objective ‘Consumers’ refers to individuals with lived experience of health issues, as well as their carers or family members, who are often referred to as patients or service users. The recognition of consumers' expertise through lived experience is increasingly acknowledged as essential in health research design. Involving consumers in research enhances relevance and fosters high-quality, consumer-centric outcomes. While previous reviews have examined resources that support consumer engagement in health research, this review aimed to identify evidence-based resources specifically designed for engaging consumers in research related to chronic conditions. Design We conducted a scoping review to map diverse resources, using the Arksey and O'Malley framework, enhanced by Levac et al. and the Joanna Briggs Institute. Data collection A search strategy was developed using keywords related to consumer engagement and supporting resources, such as models, frameworks, and tools. Seven databases were searched: PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, Scopus, EconLit, PsycINFO, and ACM Digital Library, targeting peer-reviewed articles published between 2013 and 2023. Analysis We conducted a qualitative thematic analysis by coding the results sections of each included study line by line. The codes were inductively grouped into descriptive categories, which were then synthesised into analytical themes and sub-themes. Results From 15,245 identified articles, 15 met the inclusion criteria. An overarching framework for consumer engagement in health research related to chronic conditions was synthesised, comprising six themes: 1. Promoting reciprocal learning, 2. Fostering a supportive environment, 3. Providing training to build capacity, 4. Acknowledging consumer contributions, 5. Using resources to facilitate engagement, and 6. Evaluating engagement impact. Conclusion This review integrates existing evidence-based resources for supporting consumer engagement in research about chronic conditions and presents an overarching framework. The findings offer valuable guidance for researchers aiming to effectively implement consumer engagement strategies tailored to individuals with chronic conditions.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40900-025-00707-1Consumer engagementChronic conditionsScoping reviewThematic synthesisHealth research
spellingShingle Mingming Zhou
Anne Parkinson
Mengyu Andy Lyu
Hanna Suominen
Leanne Watts
Jane Desborough
Supporting consumer engagement in health research about chronic conditions: a scoping review of evidence-based resources
Research Involvement and Engagement
Consumer engagement
Chronic conditions
Scoping review
Thematic synthesis
Health research
title Supporting consumer engagement in health research about chronic conditions: a scoping review of evidence-based resources
title_full Supporting consumer engagement in health research about chronic conditions: a scoping review of evidence-based resources
title_fullStr Supporting consumer engagement in health research about chronic conditions: a scoping review of evidence-based resources
title_full_unstemmed Supporting consumer engagement in health research about chronic conditions: a scoping review of evidence-based resources
title_short Supporting consumer engagement in health research about chronic conditions: a scoping review of evidence-based resources
title_sort supporting consumer engagement in health research about chronic conditions a scoping review of evidence based resources
topic Consumer engagement
Chronic conditions
Scoping review
Thematic synthesis
Health research
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s40900-025-00707-1
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