Patients and citizens can be involved in scientific research in many more ways than just as participants in a study. For example, by helping to think about what should be investigated (the research agenda), collecting data, or helping to analyse data. This is called patient or public participation. Patients and citizens have a different perspective than researchers and can therefore make valuable contributions to research.
Laura, MD/PhD student in Paediatrics and Ethics, investigates how children and young people are involved in setting a research agenda and what impact this has. A research agenda lists a number of themes or research questions that researchers focus on. In her own study, she has interviewed children, young people and researchers who have participated internationally in drafting a scientific research agenda. Laura analyses these interviews together with young people from her advisory board.
