Can Virtual Scientific Conferences Facilitate Two-Way Learning between Dementia Researchers and Participants?

Abstract

The call to consider the perspective of research participants and care partners—referred to here as “participants”—in the design of studies on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and in dissemination of results has been increasing. Two-way learning between researchers and participants not only can potentially provide the information sought by participants, but it can also educate researchers on the lived experiences in dementia, thereby improving the quality of research and the applicability of outcomes (1-3). The inclusion of patients in medical conferences in other therapeutic areas, notably in AIDS, has had positive outcomes for both researchers and participants (4, 5); however, this practice has low acceptance in dementia research.