Using patient and public involvement, engagement and co-production to enrich the analysis, interpretation, and utilisation of sexual health research

Over an 18-month period, our research group developed and implemented a creative, pragmatic, and collaborative data analysis and interpretation framework to illuminate initial sexual health research findings. The basis of our methodology was the use of patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) and co-production to analyse, interpret, and contextualise research findings, and to facilitate knowledge translation. Using this approach allowed stakeholders to share ideas, unconstrained by conventional academic approaches (e.g., papers and statistical outputs). Further, this approach helped to develop a more comprehensive and richer understanding of research findings, which fed into informing and co-producing novel research outputs. Creative data analysis interlinked with idea generation to help inform a dissemination strategy that prompted ownership among stakeholders, meant that stakeholders championed dissemination and adoption of the recommendations, accelerating the process of translating research evidence into national guidance and practice. This chapter includes six sections describing our creative approach from a methodological and narrative perspective, including supporting quotes and reflections from co-producers/co-authors. First, we present the national guidance context followed by the sexual health context in the UK and the need for research to inform policy and practice in this area. Then, we describe how PPIE and co-production underpinned our knowledge translation framework, and explain how these frameworks informed our analytic process. Finally, we reflect on the strengths and limitations of our analytic approach, and share recommendations to help researchers explore, adapt, and ultimately improve ways of implementing this novel approach.