Participant and public engagement

Theme overview

The parallel sessions within the participant and public engagement theme focused on the following issues. Select the presentation titles to download the slides as PDFs.

Creative strategies to participant engagement
Chaired by Mel Lewcock, Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents And Children
- Involving young people in research during the COVID-19 pandemic: The BRIGHTLIGHT experience
  Lorna Fern, BRIGHTLIGHT
- COVID-19 safe public engagement
  Clare Dolan, Generation Scotland

Engaging the public and external stakeholders
Chaired by Alissa Goodman, UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies
- COVID-19 Impact and Recovery Survey: how COVID-19 fear impacts social, health and economic recovery from the pandemic in people over 50
  Tamara Brown, Healthy Ageing in Scotland (HAGIS) & Generation Scotland
- Engaging Diverse Stakeholders: Strategies from the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program
  Elissa Faro, ECHO Program

Summary of key points

Studies have increased frequency of direct contact and noted increased engagement with relevant social media and websites.
The pandemic has boosted diversity and inclusion and the harmonisation of data collection.
However, there has also been a loss of personal contact and studies need to consider evidence relating to different engagement strategies for different demographics (e.g. face-to-face or email).
There should be a particular focus on engaging young people: from children taking part in studies with adults to adults taking part in their own right.
Studies should provide adequate resources to participants and value those delivering PPI.
They should also consider the use of incentives to boost engagement (e.g. the option to donate incentives to a chosen charity).
The community can work together to promote the importance of PPI to funders, in research papers and alternative dissemination methods.