scholarly journals Assessment of Health Research Capacity in Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD): A Study on Medical, Nursing and Allied Health Professionals

2020 ◽  
Vol Volume 13 ◽  
pp. 153-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon Lee ◽  
Karen Byth ◽  
Janelle Gifford ◽  
Madhan Balasubramanian ◽  
Carolyn Fozzard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Professionals ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Research Capacity ◽  
Health District ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Allied Health Professionals

Surveying Allied Health Professionals Within a Public Health Service: What Works Best, Paper or Online?

2019 ◽  
pp. 016327871987056
Author(s):  
Joanna C. Kidd ◽  
Sue Colley ◽  
Sarah Dennis
Keyword(s):  
Selection Bias ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Poor Response ◽  
Research Capacity ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Paper Form ◽  
Paper Survey

Poor response rate, self-selection bias, and item noncompletion negatively impact the generalization of results from surveys. This study examined differences in these factors between a paper and online survey among allied health clinicians. Clinicians within a large local health district were initially invited to complete the Research Capacity in Context Tool online via an e-mail link. Following a lower-than-expected response rate, potential selection bias, and item noncompletion, the survey was readministered in paper form to the same cohort of clinicians 6–12 months later. The response rate to the paper survey was higher than to the online survey (27.6% vs. 16.5%). Selection biases were evident, characterized by seniority and discipline: Junior clinicians responded at rates significantly less than expected to the online survey but as expected to the paper survey. Occupational therapists, speech pathologists, and podiatrists responded more highly to the online survey, while other disciplines responded more highly to the paper survey. The rate of item noncompletion was higher for online than paper survey (6.72% vs. 3.8% questions not completed, respectively), with patterns of noncompletion also differing. These data suggest paper surveys are likely to produce less biased and more generalizable data from allied health clinicians.

Research culture in a regional allied health setting

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donna Borkowski ◽  
Carol McKinstry ◽  
Matthew Cotchett
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Research Capacity ◽  
Research Culture ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Regional Area ◽  
Open Coding ◽  
Conducting Research

Research evidence is required to guide best practice, inform policy and improve the health of communities. Current indicators consider allied health research culture to be low. This study aimed to measure the allied health research culture and capacity in a Victorian regional health service. The Research Capacity and Culture tool was used to evaluate research capacity and culture across individual, team and organisation domains. One-way ANOVA was used to determine differences between allied health professions, whereas responses to open-ended questions were themed using open coding. One hundred thirty-six allied health professionals completed the survey. There were statistically significant differences in the organisation domain between social work, physiotherapy and occupational therapy professions; in the team domain, between social work and all other professions. Motivators for conducting research included providing a high-quality service, developing skills and increasing job satisfaction. Barriers included other work roles taking priority, a lack of time and limited research skills. Multi-layered strategies including establishing conjoint research positions are recommended to increase allied health research culture in this regional area.

Research culture in allied health: a systematic review

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donna Borkowski ◽  
Carol McKinstry ◽  
Matthew Cotchett ◽  
Cylie Williams ◽  
Terry Haines
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Research Culture ◽  
Positive Research ◽  
Research Skills ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
The Impact

Research evidence is required to guide optimal allied health practice and inform policymakers in primary health care. Factors that influence a positive research culture are not fully understood, and nor is the impact of a positive research culture on allied health professionals. The aim of this systematic review was to identify factors that affect allied health research culture and capacity. An extensive search of 11 databases was conducted in June 2015. Studies were included if they were published in English, had full-text availability and reported research findings relating to allied health professions. Study quality was evaluated using the McMaster Critical Review Forms. Fifteen studies were eligible for inclusion. A meta-analysis was not performed because of heterogeneity between studies. Allied health professionals perceive that their individual research skills are lower in comparison to their teams and organisation. Motivators for conducting research for allied health professionals include developing skills, increasing job satisfaction and career advancement. Barriers include a lack of time, limited research skills and other work roles taking priority. Multilayered strategies, such as collaborations with external partners and developing research leadership positions, aimed at addressing barriers and enablers, are important to enhance allied health research culture and capacity.

scholarly journals Building Allied Health Research Capacity at a Regional Australian Hospital: A Follow-up Study.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tilley Pain ◽  
Michelle Petersen ◽  
Malindu Fernando
Keyword(s):  
Capacity Building ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Research Capacity ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Research Support ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Research Profile

Purpose This study determined if research experience increased among allied health professionals (AHPs) at a regional tertiary hospital following a research capacity building initiative. Methods A cross sectional electronic survey was used to collect data from allied health professionals on their research experience, research support needs, enablers and barriers to research and their perceptions regarding benefits of research. A baseline survey was conducted in 2011 which was compared to a follow up survey in 2015. Comparison of variables between the two surveys used Chi squared tests. Results The response rate for the 2011 survey was 43% (n=248) while the 2015 survey achieved a 37% response rate (n=234). There was a significant increase in allied health professionals research experience as well as need for research support between the 2011 and 2015 surveys in many (but not all) activities on the research continuum. Time availability was the greatest barrier and the perceived benefit of research was to improve clinical care. Conclusions This study demonstrates a significant increase in allied health professionals research experience over the four years of capacity building. However, the increase has not reached the level where it is recorded by traditional research outcome measures such as publication. The greatest barrier to allied health professionals conducting research is time. Therefore, investment in clinician-researcher career pathways may increase research capacity of allied health practitioners to increase publication output. The implication of this research is that allied professionals’ research profile is unlikely to increase without significant input of time or resources to allow them to conduct research.

scholarly journals Quali-Quantitative Analysis (QQA): Why It Could Open New Frontiers for Holistic Health Practice

2006 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 2285-2295
Author(s):  
Erica Bell
Keyword(s):  
Health Professionals ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Holistic Health ◽  
Health Practice ◽  
Remote Communities ◽  
Allied Health Professionals

Holistic health practice is often described as being about understanding the larger contexts of patients, their health services, and their communities. Yet do traditional quantitative and qualitative health research methods produce the best possible evidence for the holistic practices of doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals? This paper argues ““no”, and examines the potential of a cutting-edge, social science research method — Quali-Quantitative Research (QQA) — for providing better evidence for holistic practice, particularly in small-N populations, such as rural and remote communities. It does so with reference to the international literature on holistic medicine, as well as three holistic health projects conducted in Tasmania: about prevention of falls in older people, adolescent substance abuse, and interventions for children aged 0–5 exposed to domestic violence. The findings suggest that much health research fails to capture rigorously the contextual complexity of holistic health challenges: the multiple different needs of individual patients, and the interprofessional approaches needed to deliver multidisciplinary and multiservice health interventions tailored to meet those needs in particular community contexts. QQA offers a “configurational”, case-based, diversity-oriented approach to analysing data that combines qualitative and quantitative techniques to overcome the limitations of both research traditions. The author concludes that QQA could open new frontiers for holistic health by helping doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals answer a fundamental question presented by complex health challenges: “Given this set of whole-of-patient needs, what elements of which interventions in what services would work best in this particular community?””

scholarly journals Frontline Allied Health Professionals in a Tertiary Children’s Hospital: Moving Forward Research Capacity, Culture and Engagement

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-49
Author(s):  
Hortensia Gimeno ◽  
Lucy Alderson ◽  
Gillian Waite ◽  
Deepti Chugh ◽  
Graeme O'Connor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Professionals ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Clinical Work ◽  
Research Capacity ◽  
Research Activity ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Children's Hospital ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Children’S Hospital ◽  
Culture Development

Higher levels of research activity within healthcare contexts are known to result in improvements to staff and patient satisfaction as well as treatment outcomes. In the United Kingdom (UK), clinical academic careers for Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) are a key priority development area. This article presents the results of a study that aimed to scope the research capacity of four AHP professions in a tertiary children’s hospital using the Research Capacity and Culture Tool. This tool captures individuals’ views of success or skill required for a number of research-related items within the three domains of individual, team and organisation. Response rate ranged between 45-71% across the four groups. Reported barriers to carrying out research included a lack of time, clinical work taking priority, and lack of suitable backfill (i.e., employing a therapist to cover the clinical post for the AHP to complete research activity). Motivators, on the other hand, included skill development, career advancement, and increased job satisfaction. As a first step to strengthen research skills, a systematic process was used to devise a suite of supportive strategies targeting the individuals’ perceived gaps in their research abilities across four pillars: (i) awareness, (ii) accessibility, (iii) opportunity and capacity, and (iv) knowledge and skills. This process drew on previously published accounts of successful research capacity and culture development, as well as the unique needs of staff at this tertiary children’s hospital. The outcome of this process was a structured framework to support research capacity, culture and engagement. The specific details of this framework are reported in this article together with further recommendations to promote research capacity, culture and engagement amongst AHPs.

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