Role and Level of Engagement of Peer Researchers in Systematic Reviews: A Review Article (2022)
What is this research about?
This research examines the effectiveness of meaningful engagement of peer researchers in systematic reviews of sensitive topics such as research on refugees or immigrants.
The study asks three key questions about peer researchers in systematic reviews:
- What role do refugee/immigrant peers play in systematic literature reviews of collaborative research models?
- What effective models engage peer researchers, especially for refugee health research?
- How are peer researchers used in systematic reviews on sensitive topics?
What do you need to know?
The authors wanted to review how far researchers have involved refugee/immigrant voices when conducting systematic reviews. There is an opportunity to expand systematic reviews involving peer researchers with lived immigrant/refugee experience.
Traditional research often views refugees in passive roles (such as a source of data only) rather than active researchers. The study challenges mainstream scholarship that portrays refugees as “powerless beings.”
What did the researchers find?
Researchers answered their three key questions in the following ways.
What role do refugee/immigrant peers play in systematic literature reviews of collaborative research models?
- The involvement of peer researchers has improved over time. But their optimal role and level of participation remains unclear.
- No consensus exists on the roles of peer researchers in systematic reviews.
- Most peer researchers provided advice or feedback at different research stages.
- There was a complete absence of literature about refugee/immigrant peer researchers’ roles in systematic reviews.
What effective models engage peer researchers, especially for refugee health research?
Immigrant/refugee peer researchers should be seen within the ’status eligibility’ framework. They are ‘persons of self-rescue’ who take deliberate steps to assert their ‘eligibility to exist’ and ‘authority to act.’ They can shape knowledge production as well as culturally sensitive policies and responsive services.
The authors recommend that peer researchers make up at least two or 20% of the members of the research team throughout the entire research activity. Peers should have lived experience relevant to the research topic. They also recommend that researchers conduct regular check-in meetings with peer researchers to address any challenges.
How are peer researchers used in systematic reviews on sensitive topics?
A collaborator can range from someone who offers input at any stage of the research to someone involved in all tasks. Researchers established an understanding of collaborative, peer-engaged research, and outlined three levels of peer engagement:
- Advisory roles offering guidance and support.
- Employee roles where peer researchers make up core members of the team.
- Leadership/decision-making roles where peers are partners.
What did the researchers do?
The research team:
- Included two immigrant peer researchers on the research team. The team adopted a “dos” and “don’ts” framework to engage the peer researchers.
- Conducted searches across 5 databases (Ovid Medline, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL, Web of Science).
- Found 270 initial articles, narrowed to 7 relevant English language studies after screening.
- Used the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) checklist to assess article quality.
How can you use this research?
Academic Researchers & Organizations
- Develop clear practice guidelines for peer researcher involvement in systematic reviews. Have clear and detailed reporting that outlines their involvement.
- Create structured methodologies for peer researcher engagement.
- Ensure peer researchers make up more than 20% of research team members.
- Ensure peer researchers have lived experience relevant to the research topic.
Policy Makers
- Support initiatives that recognize refugees/immigrants as capable research collaborators.
- Fund more inclusive research approaches that engage peer researchers.
Future research recommendations include:
- Developing detailed protocols for involving refugee/immigrant peer researchers.
- Creating practice guidelines for peer researcher engagement in systematic reviews.
Study authors and journal name
Authors: Mariangela Castro Arteaga, Mike Workentin, Gemechu Abeshu, Ify Anene , and Akm Alamgir.
Publication: Advances in Research, 23(5):5-17 (original link)
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