Patient and public involvement in research published in the British Journal of Occupational Therapy 2015–2021: A scoping review

Introduction:
The British Journal of Occupational Therapy (BJOT) recently introduced a requirement for authors to report Patient and Public Involvement (PPI). The public and people using health and social care services have knowledge which holds value in research beyond use as data. Involvement in research process can help shape the generation of critical evidence informing policies and practices; however, little is known about prior PPI reporting.
Method:
A scoping review was conducted identifying public involvement in research published in BJOT between 2015 and 2021. An electronic search was conducted using key terms. Data were extracted in duplicate or triplicate using GRIPP2 short form checklist.
Results:
Twenty-five studies were identified which reported public involvement, this was 6% of research published in BJOT. Patients and public were mainly involved in study steering or advisory groups and their primary activity was developing or piloting study materials. There were low levels of reporting the aim, outcome and critical reflections on involvement activities. Main approaches to involvement were consultation (37%) and collaboration (30%). There was inconsistent use of language and terms.
Recommendations:
Consistent PPI reporting using Guidance for Reporting Involvement of Patients and the Public (GRIPP 2), critical reflection of impact of PPI, acknowledgement of public contributors, future scoping review investigating impact of BJOT PPI authorship guidelines.