A Case Study of Veteran Patient‐Researcher Partnerships in Mental Health Research and Practice
Three Recommendations From a Veteran Patient Engaged in Research (VPER)
Bibliographic Data
INTRODUCTION: Veteran patient partnerships in research improve patient-centred healthcare outcomes within US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centres. To achieve this, researchers must contextualize perspectives, motivations, and contributions of Veteran patients engaged in research (VPERs) as valued consultants within a complex healthcare environment. Our objective was to investigate best practices for research teams partnering with VPERs by utilizing the expertise of our research team's own VPER. The parent project of this case study, Hybrid Controlled Trial to Implement Collaborative Care in General Mental Health, was approved by the VA Boston Healthcare System Institutional Review Board and deemed research. OBJECTIVE: Provide three key recommendations when engaging military Veterans and/or VA Veteran Patients in research to facilitate sustained teamwork and integration. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODOLOGIES: This paper is structured as a qualitative descriptive data-based case study. Two team members used a semi-structured conversation guide to interview Dr. Colleen Turner, MSW, PhD, Lt. Col. (Ret., US Air Force Reserves) for one hour about her experience as a VPER on the 5-year research project. This manuscript was then written collaboratively by members of the team, with heavy influence and editing from Colleen for details and accuracy. RESULTS: Improving mental healthcare for Veterans motivated Colleen to serve as a VPER from 2015 to 2020. She used organizational and provider-level mental health expertise gained during her Air Force service, applied her graduate social work training, and offered her experience as a VA patient. A diverse background and an ability to codeswitch helped her navigate the study and enriched the team's partnership dynamics. CONCLUSION: This case study deepens the understanding of how to meaningfully incorporate VPERs into a partnered research study. Engagement starts early, continues throughout the study, and culminates with well-communicated outcomes as they pertain to the researchers' and VPERs' goals. These recommendations closely align with widely accepted community-engaged research practices and may guide ongoing and future studies to further improve patient engagement in research and the collaboration experiences of VPERs. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: This manuscript focuses on Colleen's contributions to the design and conduct of a hybrid implementation/effectiveness study. Colleen also contributed to the manuscript itself. Uniquely, Dr. Turner brought her experience as a practitioner with master's and doctoral degrees in social work, as an institutional communications analyst, and as an independent author. Because of this, she was able to bring even more expertise to the project beyond just that of a patient, which is valuable in its own right. Colleen was involved in the research project from inception to conclusion, including study design, general analysis, and manuscript publication, with overall consultation throughout
Community-based participatory research · Health professionals · MEDLINE · Mental health · Research design · Social research · Health Policy Implementation Science · Mental Health and Patient Involvement · Participatory Visual Research Methods
Stakeholders’ engagement for improved health outcomes
Gaps in the Engagement of People With Lived and Living Experience and Caregivers in Mental Health and Substance Use Health Research
Co‐Authoring and Reporting on Lived Experience Engagement in Mental Health and/or Substance Research
Best Practices Guidelines for the Engagement of People With Lived Experience and Family Members in Mental Health and Substance Use Health Research
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