[Older patients' involvement in research (INVOLVE-Clin): a study protocol].

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Gerontology
• Patient and Public Involvement (PPI)

Background:

• Patient involvement enhances health research relevance and outcomes.
• Implementation of patient involvement in Germany is hindered by a lack of common understanding and methods.
• Vulnerable populations, like nursing home residents, are often excluded from research due to perceived challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test the feasibility of patient advisory boards for involving nursing home residents in health research.
• To adapt a clinical trial design for medication optimization in nursing home residents through patient input.
• To establish a patient advocate role to moderate the advisory board.

Main Methods:

• Establishment of two patient advisory boards comprising nursing home residents.
• Discussion of clinical trial elements for medication optimization (cardiovascular disease) with residents and a patient advocate moderator.
• Individual interviews to examine expectations and experiences of residents, the patient advocate, and researchers.

Main Results:

• The study protocol outlines the methodology for involving nursing home residents.
• Patient advisory boards are identified as a potentially suitable method for this demographic.
• The process facilitated the development of a study design incorporating patient perspectives.

Conclusions:

• Patient advisory boards offer a viable method for engaging nursing home residents in health research.
• The developed study design will be integrated into future research proposals.
• Findings will contribute to a German handbook on active public and patient involvement.