Abstract
Researcher-initiated research often has little or no input from the groups who will
be affected by the results of the research. The aim of this project was to describe
practices of embracing patient-partners (i.e., individuals with aphasia and spouses/family
members) in research. Six webinars were developed for both researchers and patient-partners
that were required prior to participating in a joint conference that focused on collaborative
research teams. The conference was designed based on an appreciative inquiry approach.
Including patient-partners into research priorities and planning has been accomplished
across various health domains in the United States, but this was the first organized
national effort, in the United States, to support the inclusion of people with aphasia
and their families as active partners in the research process. Consequently, it is
hoped that future aphasia researchers also include patient-partner teams into their
research process for more ecologically valid outcomes.
Keywords:
Aphasia - Patient centered care - Collaborative research teams - Mixed Methods
