Engaging care home residents in research (ENGAGE Study)

End of project summary

The ENGAGE study has explored how care home residents can be better included as participants in research by identifying factors that may prevent or support their inclusion. Previous research evidence was reviewed to identify these factors and care home residents, relatives, staff, other health and social care professionals, and researchers were approached to share their views about the greatest barriers and enablers to care home residents’ inclusion in research through a survey and/or interview. These stakeholders were also asked to share their views on how we can improve resident inclusion in research, and their opinions on having conversations with residents early on to discuss their research participation wishes and preferences. The impact of difficulties in communication between stakeholders were shared throughout and so it was decided that this would be the target of an intervention, developed to support care home residents to share their wishes and preferences about research participation. 

Main messages

• Key barriers and facilitators to the inclusion of care home residents include: research design; eligibility criteria; communication; relationships; care home staff; the care home environment; preference-based decisions; and stakeholders’ understanding and beliefs about research.
• Poor communication between stakeholders was highlighted throughout the project as one of the greatest barriers to sharing research opportunities with residents, and residents communicating their research participation wishes and preferences
• A communication intervention has been developed to support care home residents to share their research participation wishes and preferences to improve inclusion in research