Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: There has been increasing interest in involving the public in systematic reviews to help ensure the review is focused on issues that are important and relevant to them. Case examples of this involvement are rare, especially for reviews focused on children and young people.
Objectives: This study aims to describe the process and outcome of consulting with young people in a review of the effects of school environment interventions on children and young people’s health. Young people’s perspectives were sought alongside the perspectives of teachers, policy-makers and academics to determine the scope and priorities for review.
Methods: Consultations were conducted with a pre-existing group of young people brought together to advise on public health research. Their views were sought at three stages: 1) at the beginning when general views relating to the policy problem under study were elicited; 2) half-way through when views on the map of identified evidence were sought; and 3) near the end when the review results were presented and discussed. Face-to-face to consultation methods were used, supplemented with online social networking for young people to continue discussion.
Results: Each consultation stage helped shape the review process. For example, the first and second consultations helped researchers to understand the policy problem in its current context and informed the development of inclusion criteria for priority review areas. Face-to-face consultation was better at engaging young people but social networking gave the review team greater flexibility to elicit further views when unanticipated issues arose that needed immediate input.
Conclusions: Consulting with young people alongside other stakeholders added considerable value to the review, especially in terms of helping the review team to prioritise in a relevant and meaningful way. The use of a pre-existing group facilitated engagement, but the use of social networking requires further evaluation.
Objectives: This study aims to describe the process and outcome of consulting with young people in a review of the effects of school environment interventions on children and young people’s health. Young people’s perspectives were sought alongside the perspectives of teachers, policy-makers and academics to determine the scope and priorities for review.
Methods: Consultations were conducted with a pre-existing group of young people brought together to advise on public health research. Their views were sought at three stages: 1) at the beginning when general views relating to the policy problem under study were elicited; 2) half-way through when views on the map of identified evidence were sought; and 3) near the end when the review results were presented and discussed. Face-to-face to consultation methods were used, supplemented with online social networking for young people to continue discussion.
Results: Each consultation stage helped shape the review process. For example, the first and second consultations helped researchers to understand the policy problem in its current context and informed the development of inclusion criteria for priority review areas. Face-to-face consultation was better at engaging young people but social networking gave the review team greater flexibility to elicit further views when unanticipated issues arose that needed immediate input.
Conclusions: Consulting with young people alongside other stakeholders added considerable value to the review, especially in terms of helping the review team to prioritise in a relevant and meaningful way. The use of a pre-existing group facilitated engagement, but the use of social networking requires further evaluation.