Training content for researchers and health personnel to facilitate consumer and community involvement in research: a systematic scoping review

The practice of consumer and community involvement (CCI) in health research is not routinely taught in the

training of researchers and health personnel. The aim of this scoping review was to identify and evaluate training

content for researchers and health personnel on CCI in research.

A systematic scoping review was carried out of empirical studies and grey literature. Three databases were searched (Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Embase) for empirical studies of any design, published from 1 January 2008 to 1 December 2020 in the English language. A targeted grey literature search included searching Google and Google Scholar; and websites of stakeholder organisations. Additionally, consultation with experts was undertaken.  Included studies and grey literature described CCI training or capacity building for researchers or health personnel. Findings were analysed using narrative synthesis.

Six full text papers and eight websites were included in the review. The academic literature described training

content focused on research designs, ethics and recruitment. Most training programs had not yet been

implemented and therefore evaluation of impact was not discussed. The grey literature focused on delivering

content about the principles and values of CCI and the practical aspects of how to do CCI. Delivery modes included face to face and online sessions.

Given the scope for, importance of, and emerging field of involving consumers and the community in research, only

a small number of published studies and grey literature directly addressed CCI training content for researchers and health personnel, and none that evaluated training delivered.