Co-creating palliative care research priorities in colombia through a national multi-stakeholder partnership

Background: The Lancet Commission has emphasised the urgent need to strengthen palliative care (PC) research in countries with limited resources, such as Colombia. International health organisations recommend research priority setting approaches that actively involve patients, families, and frontline professionals to ensure that research responds to real needs.<br/>Objectives: To collaboratively identify barriers, facilitators, and priority areas for PC research in Colombia through direct engagement of patients, family caregivers, and health and social care professionals.<br/>Methods: A collaborative priority setting process was conducted using a four-stage methodology: establishing the partnership, identifying gaps in existing evidence, refining research questions, and ranking priorities. Data were collected using online forms and through virtual and in-person workshops. Responses were analysed using descriptive statistics.<br/>Results: 33 stakeholders attended an online workshop and completed the Mentimeter exercise. A total of 48 attended the subsequent in-person prioritisation exercise in urban Bogota (n = 22) and rural Popayan (n = 25). The stakeholders were a diverse group of health professionals (physicians, medical students, nurses, dentists, physiotherapists, nutritionists, occupational and speech therapists), financial, administrative staff, patients, and caregivers. Top research priorities included patient and caregiver needs, service provider education and training, and better integration of PCs with cancer and non-cancer services. The key challenges included a lack of interest in PC research, along with funding, time, and resource constraints. Solutions included collaboration across disciplines and settings, highlighting the benefits of PC research, and multicentre, mixed-method research with patient involvement from the research development stage.<br/>Discussion: This first initiative in Colombia aims to engage diverse stakeholders in defining a research agenda for PC. These findings provide a foundation for future research that is patient-centred and context-specific. Dissemination of these priorities is essential to guide health policy, inform funding strategies, and promote collaborative international research.<br/>