(SAGE Publications, 2009) Ward, Paul Russell; Thompson, Jill; Barber, Rosemary; Armitage, Christopher J; Boote, Jonathan D; Cooper, Cindy L; Jones, Georgina L
Researchers in the area of health and social care (both in Australia and
internationally) are encouraged to involve consumers throughout the research
process, often on ethical, political and methodological grounds, or simply as
‘good practice’. This article presents findings from a qualitative study in the UK
of researchers’ experiences and views of consumer involvement in health
research. Two main themes are presented. First, we explore the ‘know–do gap’
which relates to the tensions between researchers’ perceptions of the potential
benefits of, and their actual practices in relation to, consumer involvement.
