Community engagement in Health Technology Assessment and beyond: from guests in the process to hosts.

In Health Technology Assessment (HTA), clinical and economic evidence are assessed in the regulatory and reimbursement environments, with community input considered as complementary to this. Stakeholders are calling for more meaningful community engagement, but this will not be reached without a significant shift. The Centre for Community-Driven Research (CCDR) is a nonprofit organization bringing much needed change to the way we think about community engagement in health.

Experience and Expectations of Ovarian Cancer Patients in Australia.

Some of the most significant advances in ovarian cancer treatment have been those that result in improvements in progression-free survival (PFS); however there is little research to understand the value that patients place on accessing therapies that result in PFS as a clinical outcome related to survivorship. This study therefore aimed to understand the experience and expectations of women with ovarian cancer in Australia in relation to quality of life (QoL) and treatment options. An online survey collected demographic information and 13 investigator-derived structured interview questions were developed to understand the experience of women with ovarian cancer, their understanding of terminology associated with their condition, and expectations of future treatment.

A Snapshot of Community Engagement in Research in the Context of an Evolving Public Health Paradigm: Review.

Background: Community engagement is a work in process. Researchers continue to refine the process of collaboration and look to best practice and lessons learned for guidance in this relatively new model.

Objective: The aim of this study was to provide a snapshot of whether community engagement has been included in the design and implementation of research initiatives in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom.