Open AccessUnderstanding the motivations of patients: A co‐designed project to understand the factors behind patient engagement
Author(s) -
McCarron Tamara L.,
Noseworthy Thomas,
Moffat Karen,
Wilkinson Gloria,
Zelinsky Sandra,
White Deborah,
Hassay Derek,
Lorenzetti Diane L.,
Marlett Nancy J.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
health expectations
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.314
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1369-7625
pISSN - 1369-6513
DOI - 10.1111/hex.12942
Subject(s) - cronbach's alpha , psychology , exploratory factor analysis , scale (ratio) , health care , flexibility (engineering) , variance (accounting) , applied psychology , medical education , social psychology , medicine , clinical psychology , psychometrics , statistics , physics , business , mathematics , accounting , quantum mechanics , economics , economic growth
Background Large‐scale transformation depends on effective engagement of diverse stakeholders. With the evolution of the role of the ‘patient partner’ in health‐care decision making, understanding the motivations of these individuals is essential to the success of engagement initiatives. This study reports on motivational factors associated with patient engagement in health care. Methods Patient co‐investigators and a researcher co‐designed and conducted this study. A survey was administered to patients and family members. Key informant interviews and previous research informed the development of the survey tool. The survey data were analysed using exploratory factor analysis to identify the underlying dimensions in the data. Cronbach's alpha was used to determine reliability. Results A total of 1449 individuals participated in the survey. Of these, 543 completed and 427 partially completed the survey (67% complete rate). The mean age of the respondents was 54 years. The majority of participants were female, well‐educated, retired, married and lived in an urban centre. Seven motivational factors explained 65% of the total variance. Analysis of internal consistency revealed acceptable reliability for all items. The seven motivations were as follows: Self‐fulfillment , Improving Healthcare , Compensation , Influence , Learning New Things , Conditional and Perks.Conclusion The results of this research describe a sample of patient and family members currently engaged with health systems. We identified seven motivational factors underlying their engagement. A deeper knowledge of volunteer motivations will not only create meaningful engagement opportunities for patients, but also enable health organizations to gain from the experience of these individuals, thereby enhancing quality and sustainability of patient engagement programmes.