Public and patient involvement (PPI) in systematic reviews: challenges in Sri Lankan setting and recommendations for the potential way forward

Abstract

Introduction: Public and patient involvement (PPI) in systematic reviews is an area of growing interest due to the importance of ensuring that research is relevant, appropriate and acceptable to the people it seeks to benefit. Objectives: To provide an overview of the rationale and methods for involving the public in systematic reviews, as well as identify common and specific challenges associated with it while carrying it out in low-resource setting in a country like Sri Lanka Methods: The report begins with an introduction to PPI and its importance in health research, followed by a description of PPI involvement in each step of a systematic review. The report then explores the resources available to guide researchers on how to incorporate PPI into systematic reviews and identifies the barriers that exist to effective PPI. Conclusions & Recommendations: The report concludes by highlighting the importance of PPI in systematic reviews and the need for more work to promote greater engagement and involvement of patients and the public in research in Sri Lankan context.

Keywords

• Public and patient involvement
• Systematic review
• Sri Lanka