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Systematic review of the role of service users as researchers in mental health studies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 October 2011

Giovanni Salvi ,
Julia Jones  and
Mirella Ruggeri
Giovanni Salvi
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Medicina e Sanità Pubblica, Sezione di Psichiatria e Psicologia Clinica, Università di Verona, Verona
Julia Jones
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Medicina e Sanità Pubblica, Sezione di Psichiatria e Psicologia Clinica, Università di Verona, Verona
Mirella Ruggeri*
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Medicina e Sanità Pubblica, Sezione di Psichiatria e Psicologia Clinica, Università di Verona, Verona
*
Address for correspondence: Professor M. Kuggen, Dipartimento di Medicina e Sanità Pubblica, Sezione di Psichiatria e Psicologia ClinicaUniversità di Verona, Policlinico G.B. Rossi, P.le A.L. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Email: [email protected] Fax: +39-045-585871
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Summary

Aims – Service user involvement in mental health service development and research is becoming more common in countries like the UK. USA and Canada. This systematic review of the international scientific literature has been carried out to assess the stage of development of mental health service users involvement in research. Method – Systematic review of any research project actively involving service users in any part of the research process. Results – Thirty-five studies met the inclusion and exclusion criteria and were included in the systematic review. Nine studies used quantitative techniques, 24 used qualitative techniques and two studies used both quantitative and qualitative techniques. While three studies were user-led, in three other studies the users were simply consulted but did not have any active role in the research. The remaining 29 studies were based on a collaboration between service users and professional researchers. Conclusions – The involvement of mental health service users in the research process is feasible both in quantitative and qualitative research studies. The involvement of service users in research has a number of benefits; such research requires more accurate planning and more time than the traditional research.

Declaration of Interest: none.

Keywords

consumer participationmental healthresearchqualitative research
Type
Original Articles
Information
Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences , Volume 14 , Issue 4 , December 2005 , pp. 217 - 226
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2005

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References

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