Engaging Stakeholders in Adolescent Health Research: Insights from the TRUST Study
The involvement of key stakeholders—adolescents, parents, and clinicians—in health research is crucial for developing effective interventions that meet the needs of all parties involved. The TRUST Study provides valuable insights into this collaborative approach by utilizing a triadic stakeholder model. This blog explores the lessons learned from the study and how practitioners can implement these findings to improve their skills and encourage further research.
The Triadic Model: A Collaborative Approach
The TRUST Study emphasizes the importance of engaging a triad of stakeholders—adolescents, parents, and clinicians—in the development and implementation of clinical trials and interventions. This collaborative approach aims to improve adolescent health outcomes by aligning the priorities of each group with the goals of the research team. The study highlights that each stakeholder group contributes uniquely and complementarily to the process.
Key Takeaways for Practitioners
- Adolescent Engagement: Involving adolescents as youth advisors provides valuable insights into their perspectives and lived experiences. Practitioners should actively seek input from adolescents to ensure that interventions are relevant and engaging.
- Parental Involvement: Parents, particularly mothers, play a critical role as gatekeepers in their children's healthcare. Engaging parents in advisory boards can improve participant enrollment and retention in research studies.
- Clinician Participation: Clinicians bridge the gap between academic research and community care. Their involvement in advisory boards helps develop and test interventions, improving translation into clinical practice.
Challenges and Opportunities
The TRUST Study faced challenges in recruiting and engaging parents, particularly in rural and underserved communities. Practitioners should explore additional strategies for parent engagement, such as leveraging technology-based interventions that are accessible to diverse populations.
The study also highlights the need for tailored approaches to engage different stakeholder groups effectively. Practitioners should consider unique barriers faced by each group, such as language differences or limited access to technology, and develop strategies to address these challenges.
The Role of Technology
The TRUST Study utilized technology-based interventions to promote adolescent-clinician alone-time, which has been shown to improve health outcomes. Practitioners can leverage technology to facilitate communication between adolescents, parents, and clinicians, making healthcare more accessible and efficient.
The use of virtual platforms can also expand the reach of advisory boards by alleviating travel burdens and enabling broader participation from diverse communities.
A Call for Further Research
The TRUST Study underscores the importance of ongoing research to refine engagement strategies for different stakeholder groups. Practitioners are encouraged to conduct further research to develop best practices for integrating isolated communities into health interventions.
