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Key factors influencing allied health research capacity in a large Australian metropolitan health district

Overview of attention for article published in Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, August 2017
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Title
Key factors influencing allied health research capacity in a large Australian metropolitan health district
Published in
Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, August 2017
DOI 10.2147/jmdh.s142009
Pubmed ID
Authors

Jennifer A Alison, Bill Zafiropoulos, Robert Heard

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify key factors affecting research capacity and engagement of allied health professionals working in a large metropolitan health service. Identifying such factors will assist in determining strategies for building research capacity in allied health. A total of 276 allied health professionals working within the Sydney Local Health District (SLHD) completed the Research Capacity in Context Tool (RCCT) that measures research capacity and culture across three domains: organization, team, and individual. An exploratory factor analysis was undertaken to identify common themes within each of these domains. Correlations were performed between demographic variables and the identified factors to determine possible relationships. Research capacity and culture success/skill levels were reported to be higher within the organization and team domains compared to the individual domain (median [interquartile range, IQR] 6 [5-8], 6 [5-8], 5 [3-7], respectively; Friedman χ(2)(2)=42.04, p<0.001). Exploratory factor analyses were performed to identify factors that were perceived by allied health respondents to affect research capacity. Factors identified within the organization domain were infrastructure for research (eg, funds and equipment) and research culture (eg, senior manager's support for research); within the team domain the factors were research orientation (eg, dissemination of results at research seminars) and research support (eg, providing staff research training). Within the individual domain, only one factor was identified which was the research skill of the individual (eg, literature evaluation, submitting ethics applications and data analysis, and writing for publication). The reported skill/success levels in research were lower for the individual domain compared to the organization or team domains. Key factors were identified in each domain that impacted on allied health research capacity. As these factors were different in each domain, various strategies may be required at the level of the organization, team, and individual to support and build allied health research capacity.

Mendeley readers

Mendeley readers

The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 33 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
Unknown 33 100%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Student > Master 9 27%
Student > Ph. D. Student 4 12%
Lecturer 2 6%
Student > Bachelor 2 6%
Librarian 1 3%
Other 3 9%
Unknown 12 36%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Nursing and Health Professions 6 18%
Psychology 3 9%
Medicine and Dentistry 3 9%
Social Sciences 3 9%
Business, Management and Accounting 1 3%
Other 3 9%
Unknown 14 42%