November 1, 2014

Stakeholder Engagement for Question Prioritization

The Stakeholder Engagement in Question Development and Prioritization method, better known as the SEED Method, is a process to engage community stakeholders in developing research questions and action plans on health-related topics. The method was initially developed and tested under an award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI).

The SEED Method engages community stakeholders -- such as patients, caregivers, advocates, and health professionals -- through collaborative, participatory, and consultative processes to develop and prioritize strategies for addressing a health problem. The goals of this method are to actively engage community stakeholders and generate a relevant research agenda or action plans that address the concerns, needs, and values of stakeholders. 

Two demonstrations of the SEED Method have been completed in Virginia, a project in Richmond that focused on dietary compliance for diabetes and hypertension and another project in Martinsville concerning lung cancer outcomes. 

Research agendas were developed at each of these sites and were disseminated to local stakeholders, academic researchers, funding organizations, and policymakers. Results from the Richmond demonstration, including the research agenda, appear in an article in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine

Current SEED Method projects include one in Martinsville/Henry County focused on the opioid epidemic, and another in Minneapolis, MN, also focusing on the opioid epidemic. To learn more about the Engaging Martinsville project, visit our blog

SEED Method Toolkit:

Our toolkit provides access to SEED Method materials, including instruction documents, templates, and examples that can be adapted and modified to fit the specifics of each project, as well as a set of evaluation tools.

Downloads:

Those interested in using the SEED Method can download individual files, a zip file containing all items, or an abbreviated PDF using the links below.

Downloads: