(Press-News.org) Patients and members of the public will be able to more easily take part in impactful research thanks to a new tool developed by the University of Birmingham’s work on Long COVID.
These resources are detailed in a paper published today in Nature Medicine from researchers working within the University of Birmingham’s Institute of Applied Health Research, the NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) and NIHR Applied Research Collaboration West Midlands, reporting the evaluation of patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) for the Therapies for Long COVID in non-hospitalised individuals (TLC) Study.
Researchers can use the new tool to guide in the planning, implementation and evaluation of projects that work with patient and public groups. The tool draws on best practice and enables researchers to follow checklists to ensure that all aspects of PPIE work are incorporated into research design.
The TLC Study was funded by the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and UK Research and Innovation to investigate the burden of Long COVID on patients, provide a better understanding of the condition, and explore potential interventions. As the long-term effects of Long COVID are yet to be fully understood, involving individuals with lived experiences of the condition was key to the success of the study.
The paper covers the impacts and outcomes of PPIE throughout all stages of research, reflecting on areas of success and improvement – from the development of the grant application and study set up, to study design, the co-creation of data gathering tools and interventions, and the dissemination of the findings.
Researchers faced especially tight time and resource constraints, as the TLC study was conducted in the context of urgent population-level medical need and its outcomes would inform national policy. However, by adopting a flexible approach with public contributors and providing different opportunities and modalities to get involved, the group succeeded in maximising patient involvement within the constraints of the study timeline.
As a legacy of this work, the TLC Study Group created two checklists with key and desirable considerations for PPI to be used in all studies. These are based on items that were deemed the most important by patient partners and researchers involved in the project, and cover all stages and aspects of research.
The full list of domains on the checklists comprises: development of grant proposal, project set-up, study design, undertaking research, dissemination of study findings and engagement, practical considerations, membership of PPIE group, and evaluation of PPIE. By using this tool, other medical researchers will now be able to better plan, implement, and evaluate PPIE for future studies.
Professor Melanie Calvert, Director of the University of Birmingham’s Centre for Patient-Reported Outcomes Research (CPROR), co-lead of the BRC Patient Reported Outcomes research theme and co-PI for the TLC study, said: “Patient partners play a central role in our research team, helping us understand what matters to them and ways to make our research more inclusive and accessible. Building relationships is key, but it takes time and there is a lot to consider to ensure meaningful engagement. Together with our patient partners, we have summarised key considerations for patient and public involvement in health research. Although we provide checklists, this should not be a tick box exercise – our work aims to support a considered approach to working in partnership with patients and the public to influence and shape research, that can in turn inform care and improve health outcomes.”
Dr Lee Aiyegbusi, Associate Professor at the University of Birmingham’s CPROR, co-lead of the BRC Patient Reported Outcomes research theme, and PPI lead of the TLC study, commented: “The active involvement and engagement of patient partners has had tangible and substantial impacts on the TLC study. We hope that other researchers can draw on our experience and use the checklists which we have developed and reported in this article to facilitate patient and public involvement and engagement in future health research.”
Patient partner Flic Jeyes said: “Research is fantastic in moving the world forward and providing us with evidence to prepare us all for tomorrow. Including PPI in research ensures that studies focus on real life needs, as lived and breathed by real people, and have a tangible impact for the communities we live in.
“Working with the University of Birmingham as a PPI partner to the TLC study I have felt empowered to contribute, while being encouraged to respect my own needs and limitations as someone living with Long COVID. I have been able to grow in confidence, offer suggestions that influenced the direction of the study, and learnt to balance that with a long-term health condition.”
END
New resources to improve patient and public involvement in health research
Long COVID-based research used to form new tools for maximising involvement from patients and public groups
2023-07-20
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
(How) cells talk to each other
2023-07-20
Like us, cells communicate. Well, in their own special way. Using waves as their common language, cells tell one another where and when to move. They talk, they share information, and they work together – much like the interdisciplinary team of researchers from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) and the National University of Singapore (NUS). They conducted research on how cells communicate – and how that matters to future projects, e.g. application to wound healing.
What comes to your mind when you think of biology? Animals, plants, theoretical computer models? The last one, you might not associate with it right away, although ...
Volunteering in late life may protect the brain against cognitive decline and dementia
2023-07-20
Key Takeaways:
Volunteering later in life may protect the brain against cognitive decline and dementia.
New study of older adults found better memory and executive function among those who volunteered.
Watch the video.
(Sacramento) Volunteering in late life is associated with better cognitive function — specifically, better executive function and episodic memory. Those are the findings of a new study from UC Davis Health presented today (July 20) at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2023 in Amsterdam.
“We ...
New study expands the scope of aza-friedel−crafts reactions
2023-07-20
From life-saving drugs and synthetic polymers to diverse advanced materials, the products containing organic compounds seem endless, thanks in part to regioselectivity, a feature in chemical reactions where a substituent is selectively added to a specific position of an organic compound. This favors the formation of desired products with specific functionalities. One notable regioselective reaction used for the precise design of organic compounds is the Friedel−Crafts reaction, which enables the addition of substituents to specific positions on aromatic compounds ...
Omega-3 fatty acids appear promising for maintaining lung health
2023-07-20
Omega-3 fatty acids appear promising for maintaining lung health
NIH-funded study supports new role for nutrient found in fish, dietary supplements
Omega-3 fatty acids, which are abundant in fish and fish oil supplements, appear promising for maintaining lung health, according to new evidence from a large, multi-faceted study in healthy adults supported by the National Institutes of Health. The study provides the strongest evidence to date of this association and underscores the importance of including omega-3 fatty acids in the diet, especially given that many Americans do not meet current guidelines. Funded largely by the National Heart, ...
Engineering plants for a changing climate
2023-07-20
Climate change is affecting the types of plant varieties we can cultivate, as well as how and where we can do so. A new collection of articles in the open access journal PLOS Biology explores the twin challenges of engineering plants for resilience to climate change and enhancing their carbon-capture potential. PLOS Biology Editors Pamela Ronald & Joanna Clarke provide a summary editorial, and details regarding the other papers may be found below.
To meet the agricultural challenges caused by climate change and a growing population, we need to improve crop production. This Perspective from industry leaders including Catherine Feuillet calls for more and better ...
Precision measurement of polarization
2023-07-20
NEWPORT NEWS, VA – A doctoral dissertation examining the most precise measurement of electron beam polarization ever made was just awarded the prestigious 2022 Jefferson Science Associates (JSA) Thesis Prize. Since 2017, award-winner Allison Zec has been part of a collaboration that ran experiments at the U.S. Department of Energy's Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility.
The goal of both the CREX and PREX-II experiments was to run an experiment and its mirror opposite simultaneously to determine ...
New study shows Black cancer survivors face increased mortality from heart disease; neighborhood socioeconomic status and insurance contributing factors
2023-07-20
ATLANTA, July 20, 2023 – A new study from researchers at the American Cancer Society (ACS) found that Black cancer survivors in the United States experience a higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared with White cancer survivors. The research showed Black cancer survivors carry from 30% up to a three-fold higher mortality risk from CVD, depending on the type of cancer that was diagnosed. Differences in neighborhood socioeconomic status and health insurance between Black and White cancer survivors explained the disparities in cardiovascular death rates between populations, according to the study authors. ...
High body temperature increases resistance to pathogenic viral infections, new study finds
2023-07-20
Researchers from The University of Tokyo unravel the connection between high body temperature and increased viral resistance.
Clinical evidence suggests that elderly individuals are at a higher risk of contracting viral infections. Quite notably, the older people also have lower mean body temperatures. However, the effects of increased body temperature on fighting viral infections remain largely unexplored. A team of Japanese researchers has now been able to bridge the gap by linking higher body temperature with an increased infection-fighting capability of the gut microorganisms or "microbiota." Their study was published in Volume 14 ...
New research sheds light on factors influencing trust and bias in societies
2023-07-20
People with more positive perceptions of their nation’s institutions are more likely to show favoritism toward fellow citizens, according to new research in Social Psychological and Personality Science. This research suggests that support for national institutions could pose a challenge for establishing trust across borders.
Researchers also found that people who identify strongly with their own nation are likely to favor their fellow citizens, which aligns with previous studies. The possible role of trust in national institutions, however, was an unexpected development for researchers.
“We observed greater favoritism in trust toward fellow citizens ...
Mark Hauber to lead the Advanced Science Research Center at the CUNY Graduate Center
2023-07-20
New York, NY – The City University of New York Graduate Center is pleased to announce the appointment of Mark Hauber as the executive director of its Advanced Science Research Center (CUNY ASRC).
Established in 2014, the CUNY ASRC is a world-class STEM research and education institution dedicated to interdisciplinary science that addresses global challenges and develops innovative technologies that will advance the economies of New York State and the nation. Its five research initiatives center on nanoscience, photonics, structural ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
New paper-based device boosts HIV test accuracy from dried blood samples
Pay-for-performance metrics must be more impactful and physician-controlled
GLP-1RAs may offer modest antidepressant effects compared to DPP4is but not SGLT-2is
Performance-based reimbursement increases administrative burden and moral distress, lowers perceived quality of care
Survey finds many Americans greatly overestimate primary care spending
Researchers advance RNA medical discovery decades ahead of schedule
Immune ‘fingerprints’ aid diagnosis of complex diseases in Stanford Medicine study
Ancient beaches testify to long-ago ocean on Mars
Gulf of Mars: Rover finds evidence of ‘vacation-style’ beaches on Mars
MSU researchers use open-access data to study climate change effects in 24,000 US lakes
More than meets the eye: An adrenal gland tumor is more complex than previously thought
Origin and diversity of Hun Empire populations
New AI model measures how fast the brain ages
This new treatment can adjust to Parkinson's symptoms in real time
Bigger animals get more cancer, defying decades-old belief
As dengue spreads, researchers discover a clue to fighting the virus
Teaming up tiny robot swimmers to transform medicine
The Center for Open Science welcomes Daniel Correa and Amanda Kay Montoya to its Board of Directors
Research suggests common viral infection worsens deadly condition among premature babies
UC Irvine scientists invent new drug candidates to treat antibiotic-resistant bacteria
A history of isolation and alcohol use may impact depression treatment
A new strategy to promote healthy food choices
Report reveals high levels of added sugar in US infant formula despite medical recommendations
Arctic study urges stronger climate action to prevent catastrophic warming
New technique to measure circulating tumor DNA in metastatic cancer may improve disease progression surveillance and patient outcomes
One day of sleep deprivation can alter your immune system and increase inflammation
Study shows primary care and telehealth can deliver life-changing diabetes care
The brain’s map of space: A new discovery about how our brains represent information
AI to diagnose invisible brain abnormalities in children with epilepsy
COVID-19 vaccination and odds of post–COVID-19 condition symptoms in children ages 5 to 17
[Press-News.org] New resources to improve patient and public involvement in health researchLong COVID-based research used to form new tools for maximising involvement from patients and public groups