Table 2 Benefits of public engagement in health research priority setting with illustrative quotes
Reason | Quote |
|---|---|
Increased chances of identifying research topics relevant to society | “…I believe that research should be relevant to the needs of society. Yeah. So those are the main ones, because you do research for them.” [#7] |
Increased chances of success | “Ensuring that you have incorporated the views of the various important stakeholders. And in this case the key stakeholders are usually the… are usually the people on the ground - the communities, the civil society. And… and if you can engage them in identifying what priorities you should be looking at, then you are successful.” [#9] |
To gain an ethical perspective | “The community leaders will basically bring in the ethical perspective.” [#3] |
To prevent future disagreements | “…So public should feel they participate because when you set priorities as government and they come out as a priority, the public starts arguing that no these are not. It distorts your planning. There’s always this tug of war with the people you feel … So they should be involved that’s what I’m saying…”[#2] |
Identify topics that respond to community experiences | “I think communities, participants need to have a say in research priority setting because they are the ones that experience whatever problems they have so they need to have a say.” [#27] “So, many of their priorities would actually come from the various experiences they have had, rather than them having read certain things and so on.”[#3] |