Table 11 Influences on young people’s research priorities

Benefits on an individual or population level

F4- Well we thought it was important to find a cure otherwise it will keep on happening for generations and also if someone has it worse than another person then we need to figure out why. (England 11–15)

Extent to which the area affects you

M2- Luckily my condition doesn’t affect me that much. You know in the lupus group we go to there are people there in wheelchairs for years, missed two to three straight consecutive years of school. But I am practically normal in comparison to some people with this condition. But if I am to take a constructive approach then it is definitely underlooked. (England 16–24)

Beliefs about the extent to which research areas are already funded

Basic Science

F: Probably yes I reckon quite a lot of people find it important and find out more about it so. So I presume it is getting a lot of money. (England 11–15)

F: I think finding a cure would probably get quite a lot of funding personally, but I think the bits we say about side effects I don’t think they necessarily would. (England 16–24)

Psychosocial

I think it’s something that’s definitely overlooked, because in a way I suppose people just expect you to get on with it and manage it, obviously it’s hard for everyone, most people can, but it’s not something that’s really looked at. It’s like a touchy subject or something England 16–24

Beliefs about the amount of funding research requires

So for things like arthritis they probably don’t put money into it because they think they know the best way to treat it already. They just think, this has worked for somebody else, and then this will work for everyone. This isn’t really the right attitude to have but (England 16–24 (Clinical medicine)