Evaluation of the impact of patient and public involvement on doctoral students in palliative dementia care research

Abstract Background Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) has moral and practical importance by empowering stakeholders to influence research. Research by doctoral students is a major component of accepted research and research training, yet the literature on meaningful PPI in this area is limited. W...

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Main Authors: Woo Suk Yang, Joshua Rothwell, Matthew Severyn, India Tunnard, Toslima Khatun, Jane Ward, Nathan Davies, Charlotte Kenten, Elizabeth L. Sampson, Catherine J. Evans
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-07-01
Series:Research Involvement and Engagement
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40900-025-00715-1
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author Woo Suk Yang
Joshua Rothwell
Matthew Severyn
India Tunnard
Toslima Khatun
Jane Ward
Nathan Davies
Charlotte Kenten
Elizabeth L. Sampson
Catherine J. Evans
author_facet Woo Suk Yang
Joshua Rothwell
Matthew Severyn
India Tunnard
Toslima Khatun
Jane Ward
Nathan Davies
Charlotte Kenten
Elizabeth L. Sampson
Catherine J. Evans
author_sort Woo Suk Yang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) has moral and practical importance by empowering stakeholders to influence research. Research by doctoral students is a major component of accepted research and research training, yet the literature on meaningful PPI in this area is limited. We aimed to provide insights into the impact of PPI in doctoral research and education, and integrate the findings with identified published evidence to develop the Empowering Better End of Life Dementia Care (EMBED-Care) Guideline for Reporting and Evaluating PPI in doctoral research for future evaluations. Methods Documentary analysis was undertaken of the PPI panel meeting notes and written reflections by doctoral students from the five doctoral projects in the EMBED-Care programme. The data extracted were analysed using a deductive thematic approach guided by Staley’s INVOLVE framework comprising nine themes (research agenda, design and delivery, ethics, impact on public involved, researchers, participants, wider community, community organisations, wider change). To compare and interpret the findings, a literature review in PUBMED identified published evidence on PPI in doctoral research with final data integration to construct the guideline. Results There was at least one impact of PPI identified in each of the nine respective themes with the most common being ‘impact on research design and delivery’. The identified impacts were universally described as positive for the doctoral students, their projects, PPI members and the wider community. Published studies (n = 21) reporting PPI in doctoral research echoed findings of positive benefits, but the methods to utilise PPI and the reporting on outcomes were inconsistent. The EMBED-Care Guideline for Reporting and Evaluating the Impact of PPI on doctoral research was constructed to standardise PPI reports and information collected, and reflection on the impact and outcomes, to facilitate evaluation of impact in future research. Conclusions PPI primarily benefited research design and delivery, but had a variety of social benefits to the researchers, public members, study participants and wider communities. The findings demonstrate the vital role of PPI in the academic development of doctoral students to enhance skills and expertise, and research design and delivery.
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spelling doaj-art-b47db557d130496aaa7b5fc57dcc3a582025-08-20T03:42:02ZengBMCResearch Involvement and Engagement2056-75292025-07-0111111110.1186/s40900-025-00715-1Evaluation of the impact of patient and public involvement on doctoral students in palliative dementia care researchWoo Suk Yang0Joshua Rothwell1Matthew Severyn2India Tunnard3Toslima Khatun4Jane Ward5Nathan Davies6Charlotte Kenten7Elizabeth L. Sampson8Catherine J. Evans9Cicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy & Rehabilitation, Florence Nightingale, Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care, King’s College LondonGKT School of Medical Education, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College LondonGKT School of Medical Education, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College LondonCicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy & Rehabilitation, Florence Nightingale, Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care, King’s College LondonCicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy & Rehabilitation, Florence Nightingale, Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care, King’s College LondonMarie Curie Palliative Care Research Department, Department of Psychiatry, University College LondonCentre for Psychiatry and Mental Health, Queen Mary, Wolfson Institute of Population Health, University of LondonMarie Curie Palliative Care Research Department, Department of Psychiatry, University College LondonMarie Curie Palliative Care Research Department, Department of Psychiatry, University College LondonCicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy & Rehabilitation, Florence Nightingale, Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care, King’s College LondonAbstract Background Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) has moral and practical importance by empowering stakeholders to influence research. Research by doctoral students is a major component of accepted research and research training, yet the literature on meaningful PPI in this area is limited. We aimed to provide insights into the impact of PPI in doctoral research and education, and integrate the findings with identified published evidence to develop the Empowering Better End of Life Dementia Care (EMBED-Care) Guideline for Reporting and Evaluating PPI in doctoral research for future evaluations. Methods Documentary analysis was undertaken of the PPI panel meeting notes and written reflections by doctoral students from the five doctoral projects in the EMBED-Care programme. The data extracted were analysed using a deductive thematic approach guided by Staley’s INVOLVE framework comprising nine themes (research agenda, design and delivery, ethics, impact on public involved, researchers, participants, wider community, community organisations, wider change). To compare and interpret the findings, a literature review in PUBMED identified published evidence on PPI in doctoral research with final data integration to construct the guideline. Results There was at least one impact of PPI identified in each of the nine respective themes with the most common being ‘impact on research design and delivery’. The identified impacts were universally described as positive for the doctoral students, their projects, PPI members and the wider community. Published studies (n = 21) reporting PPI in doctoral research echoed findings of positive benefits, but the methods to utilise PPI and the reporting on outcomes were inconsistent. The EMBED-Care Guideline for Reporting and Evaluating the Impact of PPI on doctoral research was constructed to standardise PPI reports and information collected, and reflection on the impact and outcomes, to facilitate evaluation of impact in future research. Conclusions PPI primarily benefited research design and delivery, but had a variety of social benefits to the researchers, public members, study participants and wider communities. The findings demonstrate the vital role of PPI in the academic development of doctoral students to enhance skills and expertise, and research design and delivery.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40900-025-00715-1Public involvementDementiaDoctoral researchQualitative researchDocumentary analysis
spellingShingle Woo Suk Yang
Joshua Rothwell
Matthew Severyn
India Tunnard
Toslima Khatun
Jane Ward
Nathan Davies
Charlotte Kenten
Elizabeth L. Sampson
Catherine J. Evans
Evaluation of the impact of patient and public involvement on doctoral students in palliative dementia care research
Research Involvement and Engagement
Public involvement
Dementia
Doctoral research
Qualitative research
Documentary analysis
title Evaluation of the impact of patient and public involvement on doctoral students in palliative dementia care research
title_full Evaluation of the impact of patient and public involvement on doctoral students in palliative dementia care research
title_fullStr Evaluation of the impact of patient and public involvement on doctoral students in palliative dementia care research
title_full_unstemmed Evaluation of the impact of patient and public involvement on doctoral students in palliative dementia care research
title_short Evaluation of the impact of patient and public involvement on doctoral students in palliative dementia care research
title_sort evaluation of the impact of patient and public involvement on doctoral students in palliative dementia care research
topic Public involvement
Dementia
Doctoral research
Qualitative research
Documentary analysis
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s40900-025-00715-1
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