Evaluating the Study Designs and Outcome Measures Used in Service User Involvement in Health Professional Entry-Level...

It is a regulatory requirement in the United Kingdom and Australia that people who use services are involved in health professional education. Evaluating service user involvement aims to inform curriculum development and improvement. However, although there is research evaluating service user involvement in medical education, optimal outcome measures for other health professionals have not been identified.

This study focused on service user involvement in entry-level education for nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, social workers and pharmacists. The aim was to (i) identify study characteristics, designs and methods used to measure outcomes, (ii) describe the characteristics of outcome measures used and (iii) identify the extent to which the outcome measures aligned with the modified Kirkpatrick Evaluation Framework.

Medline, CINAHL and PsychINFO databases were systematically searched for studies published over a 24-year period between 2000 and 2024. Two reviewers independently screened studies. A narrative synthesis was conducted. Measures were mapped to the modified Kirkpatrick Evaluation Framework.

Nineteen studies using 29 measures were selected. Study designs were mostly quasi-experimental with small university-based samples. Data were typically collected pre- and post-service user involvement, assessing changes in student knowledge and attitudes. Measures assessed the perspective of students (n = 29) and educators (n = 1), but not the service users' perspective (n = 0). Eight of the measures were validated; four for student health professionals and four for other populations. No measures aligned with the highest levels of the modified Kirkpatrick Evaluation Framework regarding the impact of service user involvement on the health system and patients.

Limitations in the study designs reduced the comparability and generalisability of the identified studies. None of the measures evaluated the impact of service user involvement on the health system or patients. Educators' perspectives on the service users' involvement in the education were limited. Service users' perspectives were absent. To embed a culture of involvement, future research is needed to identify the requirements of outcome measures from the perspective of service users and educators.

Co-author (S.R.), a lead for service user and carer involvement at an NHS Trust, guided the study design, data analysis and manuscript development.