Patient and Public Involvement in Technology-Related Dementia Research: Scoping Review.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Health Informatics
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Technology research for people with dementia aims to support independent living and reduce hospital admissions.
• Patient and public involvement (PPI) is essential for person-centered, ethical research, though challenging with this population.
• Rapid advancements in health and care technology necessitate exploring effective collaborations between researchers and stakeholders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe current approaches to PPI in technology-related dementia research.
• To identify barriers and facilitators to PPI in this field.
• To assess the impact of PPI on research and stakeholders.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review of literature was conducted using major databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, CINAHL).
• Papers were screened, and data were extracted by two authors, with a third resolving conflicts.
• Barriers and facilitators of PPI were examined and themed.

Main Results:

• Out of 1694 papers, 31 were analyzed; most (68%) did not clearly distinguish PPI from research participation.
• Involvement often focused on reviewing or evaluating technology prototypes, with limited engagement across the full research cycle (29%).
• Reported PPI impact was largely positive, benefiting patient partners, research quality, and researchers, though only 13% used formal impact evaluation.

Conclusions:

• While researchers involve people with dementia and stakeholders in technology research, the scope of involvement is often limited.
• PPI can positively impact research, participants, and researchers.
• Improved reporting of methods, strategies, and formalized impact evaluation is needed to advance collaborative research practices.