Patient engagement in an online coaching intervention for parents of children with suspected developmental delays

Aim To evaluate patient engagement processes in the development of a new health coaching intervention for parents of children with suspected developmental delays. Method A cross-sectional mixed-method study design was used. Researchers (n=18) and patient-partners (n=9) were surveyed using the Public and Patient Engagement Evaluation Tool (PPEET) in areas of: (1) communication/supports for participation; (2) sharing views/perspectives; (3) impacts/influence of engagement initiative; and (4) final thoughts/satisfaction. Descriptive statistics and an inductive thematic-based approach were used to analyse the data. Results For both study groups, high agreement, with responses largely ranging between 'agree' to 'strongly agree', was noted on all four sections of the PPEET. Qualitative reports reflected that patient engagement was important, meaningful, and had a significant impact on the quality of the project and on the professional development of researchers in their understanding and use of patient-oriented methodology. Patient-partners noted challenges related to having realistic deadlines in providing feedback and a lack of a broader range of representation among members. Interpretation The benefits and challenges of applying patient-oriented strategies to a multicentre trial were highlighted. These will be used to enhance our engagement processes.