A Patient and Provider Research Agenda on Diabetes and Hypertension Management

For which topic were research priorities identified?

diabetes and hypertension management

In which location was the research priority setting conducted?

North America - USA

Why was it conducted at all?

Given the impact of these chronic illnesses on morbidity and mortality, research is needed that addresses the challenges patients face in chronic disease management. The continuing need to understand disparities and fin evidence-based interventions to improve outcomes has been fruitful, but disparities persist - perhaps because investigators have not fully understood the challenges faced by patient.

What was the objective?

to develop a research agenda on dietary and behavioral management of diabetes and hypertension

What was the outcome?

a list of 19 research questions

How long did the research prioritization take?

February 2015 - August 2015

Which methods were used to identify research priorities?

focus group; interview; workshop

How were the priorities for research identified exactly?

Step 1: 10 interviews with local healthcare system representatives to learn about at-risk population and where they receive services in the community. Step 2: 5 focus groups and 11 interviews to identify research priorities. Step 3: workshop: topic groups were asked to develop conceptual models that explore potential causal factors leading to management of diabetes or hypertension, topic groups received training on creating research questions and then developed questions, topic groups reviewed and further discussed each question and prioritized the top questions through voting. Step 4: finalizing questions by conducting literature review

Which stakeholders took part?

Seniors with diabetes or hypertension, particularly those with co-morbid conditions, adults with diabetes or hypertension and limited healthcare access or other social or economic challenges, and nurses, health educators and other service providers.

How were stakeholders recruited?

The team recruited participants for three topic groups: (1) seniors with diabetes or hypertension, particularly those with comorbid conditions; (2) adults with diabetes or hypertension and limited healthcare access or other social or economic challenges; and (3) nurses, health educators and other service providers. The recruitment matrices were used to develop a plan for community venues and organizations to reach out to for help with recruitment. The research team recruited participants using flyers distributed to selected resource centers, community centers, and healthcare offices and employed targeted recruitment strategies through team members' professional networks.

Were stakeholders actively involved or did they just participate?

Stakeholders were mere participants of the research prioritization process; they were not actively involved in the process.