Are you really doing ‘codesign’? Critical reflections when working with vulnerable populations

Sandra Moll; Michelle Wyndham-West; Gillian Mulvale; Sean Park; Alexis Buettgen; Michelle Phoenix; Robert Fleisig; Emma Bruce

doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2020-038339

journal article Open Access Nov 01, 2020

Are you really doing ‘codesign’? Critical reflections when working with vulnerable populations

Sandra Moll

Michelle Wyndham-West Gillian Mulvale

Sean Park

Alexis Buettgen Michelle Phoenix

Robert Fleisig Emma Bruce

BMJ Open Vol. 10 No. 11 pp. e038339 · BMJ

View at Publisher Save 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-038339

Abstract

‘Codesign’ and associated terms such as ‘coproduction’ or ‘patient engagement’, are increasingly common in the health research literature, due to an increased emphasis on the importance of ensuring that research related to service/systems development is meaningful to end-users.  However, there continues to be a lack of clarity regarding the key principles and practices of codesign, and wide variation in the extent to which service users are meaningfully engaged in the process. These issues are particularly acute when end-users include populations who have significant health and healthcare disparities that are linked to a range of intersecting vulnerabilities (eg, poverty, language barriers, age, disability, minority status, stigmatised conditions).  The purpose of this paper is to prompt critical reflection on the nature of codesign research with vulnerable populations, including key issues to consider in the initial planning phases, the implementation process, and final outputs.  Risks and tensions will be identified in each phase of the process, followed by a tool to foster reflexivity in codesign processes to address these issues.

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Details

Published: Nov 01, 2020
Vol/Issue: 10(11)
Pages: e038339
License: View

Authors

S

Sandra Moll

School of Rehabilitation Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

M

Michelle Wyndham-West

Faculty of Design, OCAD University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

G

Gillian Mulvale

DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

S

Sean Park

Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

A

Alexis Buettgen

School of Rehabilitation Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Canadian Centre on Disability Studies, Inc. o/a Eviance, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

M

Michelle Phoenix

School of Rehabilitation Science and CanChild, McMaster University Faculty of Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

R

Robert Fleisig

Walter G. Booth School of Engineering Practice and Technology, McMaster University Faculty of Engineering, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

E

Emma Bruce

School of Rehabilitation Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Funding

McMaster University Award: SAF2019

Cite This Article

Sandra Moll, Michelle Wyndham-West, Gillian Mulvale, et al. (2020). Are you really doing ‘codesign’? Critical reflections when working with vulnerable populations. BMJ Open, 10(11), e038339. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-038339

Are you really doing ‘codesign’? Critical reflections when working with vulnerable populations

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