title: Can the impact of public involvement on research be evaluated? A mixed methods study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Public involvement is central to health and social research policies, yet few systematic evaluations of its impact have been carried out, raising questions about the feasibility of evaluating the impact of public involvement.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether it is feasible to evaluate the impact of public involvement on health and social research.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mixed methods including a two-round Delphi study with pre-specified 80% consensus criterion, with follow-up interviews. UK and international panellists came from different settings, including universities, health and social care institutions and charitable organizations. They comprised researchers, members of the public, research managers, commissioners and policy makers, self-selected as having knowledge and/or experience of public involvement in health and/or social research; 124 completed both rounds of the Delphi process. A purposive sample of 14 panellists was interviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Consensus was reached that it is feasible to evaluate the impact of public involvement on 5 of 16 impact issues: identifying and prioritizing research topics, disseminating research findings and on key stakeholders. Qualitative analysis revealed the complexities of evaluating a process that is subjective and socially constructed. While many panellists believed that it is morally right to involve the public in research, they also considered that it is appropriate to evaluate the impact of public involvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study found consensus among panellists that it is feasible to evaluate the impact of public involvement on some research processes, outcomes and on key stakeholders. The value of public involvement and the importance of evaluating its impact were endorsed.
authors.affiliation: University of Sheffield, School of Health and Related Research, Section of Public Health, Sheffield, UK. rosemary.barber@sheffield.ac.uk
authors.forename: Rosemary
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barber
authors.forename: Jonathan D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Boote
authors.forename: Glenys D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Parry
authors.forename: Cindy L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Philippa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yeeles
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cook
mesh_terms: D003256:Community Participation / Q000379:methods*; D003697:Delphi Technique; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D012107:Research Design