Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: Community engagement in healthcare policy and research is considered crucial. The National Institute of Health Research commissioned a multi-method systematic review of the theory, effectiveness, appropriateness and costs of community engagement in health interventions to reduce inequalities. Developing such a broad understanding of how community engagement 'works' required new methods of transdisciplinary collaboration with a range of stakeholders including members of the public, community practitioners, funders and academics.
Objectives: To describe the iterative engagement of stakeholders in the development of a conceptual framework used to test theories of change in community engagement using framework synthesis methods (familiarisation, framework selection, charting, mapping and interpretation).
Methods: We conducted a systematic review of community engagement in interventions for reducing inequalities. An initial conceptual framework was selected and modified iteratively during three meetings with key stakeholders. Within the final framework we produced: 1) a synthesis with findings that hypothesised theories of change; and 2) a synthesis testing these theories of change in a meta-analysis and meta-regression of effectiveness studies.
Results: The conceptual framework was refined as research was charted by screening and coding, and by thematic analysis during mapping. Stakeholders provided key papers during the familiarisation stage and drew on their experience to frame the interpretation of the conceptual framework findings. The iterative nature of framework synthesis allowed the integration of findings from multiple evidence syntheses to identify effective community engagement methods, and their active ingredients, to reduce inequalities.
Conclusions: Framework synthesis facilitated new understandings of community engagement, which evolved through transdisciplinary working. It transparently demonstrates stakeholders' contribution to knowledge translation.
Patient or healthcare consumer involvement: Framework synthesis can transparently, explicitly and meaningfully engage key stakeholders, including members of the public, in evidence synthesis and knowledge translation. This can make research more relevant to those it is intended to help and can bring research evidence to bear on complex issues important to key stakeholders.
Objectives: To describe the iterative engagement of stakeholders in the development of a conceptual framework used to test theories of change in community engagement using framework synthesis methods (familiarisation, framework selection, charting, mapping and interpretation).
Methods: We conducted a systematic review of community engagement in interventions for reducing inequalities. An initial conceptual framework was selected and modified iteratively during three meetings with key stakeholders. Within the final framework we produced: 1) a synthesis with findings that hypothesised theories of change; and 2) a synthesis testing these theories of change in a meta-analysis and meta-regression of effectiveness studies.
Results: The conceptual framework was refined as research was charted by screening and coding, and by thematic analysis during mapping. Stakeholders provided key papers during the familiarisation stage and drew on their experience to frame the interpretation of the conceptual framework findings. The iterative nature of framework synthesis allowed the integration of findings from multiple evidence syntheses to identify effective community engagement methods, and their active ingredients, to reduce inequalities.
Conclusions: Framework synthesis facilitated new understandings of community engagement, which evolved through transdisciplinary working. It transparently demonstrates stakeholders' contribution to knowledge translation.
Patient or healthcare consumer involvement: Framework synthesis can transparently, explicitly and meaningfully engage key stakeholders, including members of the public, in evidence synthesis and knowledge translation. This can make research more relevant to those it is intended to help and can bring research evidence to bear on complex issues important to key stakeholders.