Impact of older adult and health/social service provider partners on intervention research design, delivery, and translation

Context: Partnering with older adults and communities in health research can improve health outcomes and enhance the health system. Though the practice of citizen and community engagement in research has rapidly expanded, little is known about the impact of engaged approaches. Rigor in evaluating the impact of participatory approaches in health research have been called for. This will ensure time and money invested in carrying out engaged health research is having its intended effect. EMBOLDEN is a co-designed, evidence-informed, novel community health intervention that aims to enhance mobility in older adults. A 26-person Strategic Guiding Council (SGC) composed of health/social service providers, older adults contributed to the co-design.

Objective: To determine the impact of SGC engagement on stages of research- (preliminary, implementation phase, and translational).

Study Design and Analysis: Developmental evaluation in partnership with four older adult members of EMBOLDEN’s SGC. Focus group data and meeting notes were analyzed thematically.

Setting: Community, Hamilton, Ontario.

Population Studied: Community-dwelling older adults; health/social service providers.

Outcome Measures: Older adult SGC members set diversity, satisfaction, respect, and impact across stages of research as evaluation indicators.

Data sources: survey, focus groups, and document analysis of meeting notes from >16 SGC meetings that took place between 2019-2023.

Results: Five service providers and 4 older adults completed the evaluation survey. One service provider and four older adults participated in focus groups. The SGC designed how to work together, how to frame intervention components to best resonate with older adults, and identified how the SGC should be expanded to reflect more diverse perspectives. SGC input determined key competencies of interventionists, how intervention components were operationalized, and the delivery format. SGC members co-developed knowledge translation products including: infographics, manuscripts, program/training materials, research briefs, webinars, conference presentations, and the study website with EMBOLDEN researchers.

Conclusions: Older adults and service providers can make important contributions to the design, delivery and knowledge mobilization of health research through their lived experience and connections to community.