Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40375276›Full record

SynthesisHealth research policy and systems2025

Stakeholder engagement in healthcare research in India - A systematic review.

Remya U Rajendran, Baby S Nayak, N Siva, Tenzin Phagdol, Mamatha Shivananda Pai, Preethy D'Souza, Judith Angelitta Noronha

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Health research policy and systems, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Opportunities and challenges in patient-led research in India.Research involvement and engagement · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Remya U RajendranDepartment of Child Health Nursing, Manipal College of Nursing, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6665-7529
Baby S NayakDepartment of Child Health Nursing, Manipal College of Nursing, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India. baby.s@manipal.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9659-9860
N SivaDepartment of Child Health Nursing, SUM Nursing College, Siksha 'O' Anusandhan (SOA) University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4320-7904
Tenzin PhagdolDepartment of Child Health Nursing, Manipal College of Nursing, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6823-8267
Mamatha Shivananda PaiDepartment of Child Health Nursing, Manipal College of Nursing, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9038-3014
Preethy D'SouzaSocial Research Institute, Institute of Education, University College London, London, United Kingdom.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3454-4917
Judith Angelitta NoronhaDepartment of Obstetrics&Gynaecological Nursing, Manipal College of Nursing, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4194-588X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundStakeholder engagement is increasingly crucial in healthcare research, particularly in diverse and complex settings such as India. Stakeholder engagement in health research is about collaborating with key parties such as patients, healthcare providers and policymakers to ensure the research is relevant and impactful by addressing real-world needs, thereby enhancing its quality and effect on healthcare practices.

aimThe purpose of this study was to summarize the evidence on stakeholder engagement in healthcare research and its influence on research outcomes and healthcare policies in India.

methodsThe evaluation was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, SCOPUS, ProQuest, EMBASE, Web of Science, CINAHL Indian Citation Index and J-Gate, focussing on stakeholder involvement in healthcare settings in hospitals and communities in India. Various research methodologies were employed, with studies not centred on healthcare stakeholder engagement or unrelated sectors being excluded. Tools such as the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist for qualitative studies and the mixed methods appraisal tool were used to evaluate the quality of the studies. Data synthesis was carried out using the descriptive/narrative synthesis approach.

resultsWe included 25 articles on the basis of our eligibility criteria. These articles comprised reviews, theories of change, quantitative studies, reports, mapping, commentaries, conference proceedings, qualitative studies, experience papers and mixed methods research. The review examined different types and methods of engaging stakeholders in healthcare research projects, evaluated their influence on evidence-based practice, and investigated their relevance to reaching "hard-to-reach" populations. Overcoming financial, time, knowledge and logistical barriers and gaining support from international and governmental bodies can lead to more inclusive research with a significant impact.

conclusionsFindings suggest that stakeholder engagement contributes to more contextually relevant and ethically grounded research, though challenges related to power dynamics, resource allocation and inclusivity remain prevalent. The review concludes by providing recommendations for enhancing stakeholder engagement practices in future healthcare research in India, emphasizing the need for capacity-building and inclusive frameworks that ensure diverse voices are represented.

Indexed as

Delivery of Health CareHealth PolicyHealth Services ResearchStakeholder ParticipationHealth PersonnelHumansIndiaApproachesChild healthEngagementHealthcareHealth equityIndiaMental healthPreventable diseasesPrimary health nursingPublic healthReproductive healthResearchStakeholderUniversal health coverage

Identifiers

PMID40375276
PMCPMC12080155

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.