Citizen science as a framework for improving the science-society interface in long-term care research

Context: Engaging with and involving the public in research has become a widespread consideration in many research fields, including long-term (social) and health care. Perspective: Citizen science (CS) is an umbrella concept that has grown rapidly in many scientific areas and has been noted as increasing in health research. Its root is the need to work at the science-society interface and its place in societal development. This interface is understood to operate in several ways, and the overarching CS goal is to strengthen it through a variety of practices. We seek to encourage a dialogue across long-term care research and CS to the benefit of both sides. Implications: We argue that using CS as an overarching concept for engaging with the public in long-term care research would provide a variety of benefits to that scientific field. These would include opportunities to examine the state of citizen involvement across the field, employing the most appropriate modes of involvement and engagement in specific contexts. It would also open opportunities to develop the methodological imagination by examining examples of CS in other research areas. CS could also benefit from the experience of public involvement in long-term care research, including its extensive consideration of power, payments, and including people with additional support needs. There is a need generally for greater dialogue about being more inclusive and addressing inequalities.