The James Lind Alliance process approach: scoping review.

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Patient and Public Involvement in Research
• Evidence Synthesis

Background:

• The James Lind Alliance (JLA) priority setting partnership (PSP) is a structured approach to identify and prioritize research uncertainties.
• Effective patient and public involvement is crucial for aligning research with the needs of patients, carers, and clinicians.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize study descriptions of the JLA approach to the PSP process.
• To understand how the JLA PSP process identifies uncertainties and develops top 10 research priorities.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review was conducted using multiple databases (Embase, Medline, PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library) up to October 2018.
• Studies reporting JLA process steps and priority list development in adult participants were included.
• Data extraction focused on JLA process details, participant demographics, and resulting priority lists.

Main Results:

• 37 studies published between 2010-2018 met the inclusion criteria, involving patients, carers, and clinicians aged 18 years.
• Steering groups were common, but stakeholder descriptions varied; JLA PSP steps ranged from four to eight.
• Uncertainties were collected via online surveys, with participation numbers varying significantly across studies.

Conclusions:

• The JLA-based PSP is valuable for identifying research questions through collaborative efforts between patients, carers, and clinicians.
• While effective, the process's inclusivity depends on participants' capacity and resources to engage.
• No reported difficulties were found in developing the final top 10 priority lists.