Exploring Stakeholder Involvement in Intervention Implementation Studies: Systematic Evidence Synthesis With an...

Area of Science:

• Implementation Science
• Public Health Research
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Effective intervention implementation relies heavily on stakeholder involvement (SI).
• Existing literature offers limited practical guidance for strategic SI planning in implementation science.
• Previous work mapped SI in studies from 2015-2020, highlighting a need for updated insights.

Purpose of the Study:

• To map the current use of SI in implementation science studies.
• To identify gaps in SI strategies and planning.
• To propose a practical framework for enhancing SI in implementation research.

Main Methods:

• An evidence gap map approach was employed, updating a previous search (Mielke et al., 2022).
• PubMed searches were conducted for studies from 2021-2023 using established criteria.
• Data extraction utilized the Guidance for Reporting on Involvement of Patients and the Public checklist, analyzing 272 studies.

Main Results:

• SI was reported in 89% of studies but often lacked depth and strategic planning.
• Stakeholder engagement primarily occurred during the preparatory phase, focusing on micro- and meso-level actors.
• Consultative methods dominated, with limited active collaboration and rare evaluation of SI processes or costs.

Conclusions:

• There is a critical need for more structured and comprehensive SI planning in implementation research.
• The study provides practical recommendations to strengthen SI efforts and improve intervention sustainability.
• Enhancing SI requires moving beyond consultative approaches towards more active collaboration across all stakeholder levels.