Evaluating the impact of a network of research partnerships: a longitudinal multiple case study protocol

Informing pandemic management in Germany with trustworthy living evidence syntheses and guideline development: lessons learned from the COVID-19 evidence ecosystem

OBJECTIVES

We present the 'COVID-19 evidence ecosystem' (CEOsys) as a German network to inform pandemic management and to support clinical and public health decision-making. We discuss challenges faced when organizing the ecosystem and derive lessons learned for similar networks acting during pandemics or health-related crises.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING

Bringing together 18 university hospitals and additional institutions, CEOsys key activities included research prioritization, conducting living systematic reviews (LSRs), supporting evidence-based (living) guidelines, knowledge translation (KT), detecting research gaps, and deriving recommendations, backed by technical infrastructure and capacity building.

RESULTS

CEOsys rapidly produced 31 high-quality evidence syntheses and supported three living guidelines on COVID-19-related topics, while also developing methodological procedures. Challenges included CEOsys' late initiation in relation to the pandemic outbreak, the delayed prioritization of research questions, the continuously evolving COVID-19-related evidence, and establishing a technical infrastructure. Methodological-clinical tandems, the cooperation with national guideline groups and international collaborations were key for efficiency.

CONCLUSION

CEOsys provided a proof-of-concept for a functioning evidence ecosystem at the national level. Lessons learned include that similar networks should, among others, involve methodological and clinical key stakeholders early on, aim for (inter)national collaborations, and systematically evaluate their value. We particularly call for a sustainable network.

The co-development and evaluation of an e-learning course on spinal cord injury physical activity counselling: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Health, fitness and lifestyle professionals can play important roles in promoting physical activity in groups at risk of developing an inactive lifestyle, such as people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Tailored counselling is a promising tool to promote and improve physical activity levels. To support professionals to effectively have a conversation about physical activity with clients with SCI, evidence-based training and resources are needed. This project aimed to (1) co-develop an e-learning course on best practices for SCI physical activity counselling and, (2) examine the effectiveness and usability of this course.

METHODS

Guided by the technology-enhanced learning (TEL) evaluation framework, we used a systematic, multistep approach to co-develop and evaluate an e-learning course. The development process was informed by input and feedback from a diverse group of end-users and experts (n > 160) via online surveys and (think-aloud) interviews. A randomized controlled trial was used to compare learning outcomes (post-knowledge and self-efficacy) between participants who completed the course (intervention group) and the wait-listed control group. Usability, learning experiences, and satisfaction were assessed among all participants.

RESULTS

Forty-one participants (21 intervention-group; 20 control-group) with various backgrounds (e.g., lifestyle counsellors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, recreation therapists, fitness trainers) enrolled in the randomized controlled trial. After completing the course, participants in the intervention group showed significantly improved knowledge on the best practices for SCI physical activity counselling and higher self-efficacy for using these best practices in conversations with clients with SCI compared to the control group (p <.001). Participants reported above average usability scores, positive learning experiences, and high levels of satisfaction when completing the course.

CONCLUSION

We used a systematic, multi-step, theory-informed approach to co-develop and evaluate an evidence-based e-learning course on SCI physical activity counselling to support professionals to promote physical activity in their daily practices. The overall positive findings demonstrate that the e-learning course is feasible and ready for further implementation in various health and community settings. Implementation of the e-learning course can help professionals improve the physical activity support they provide to their clients, and subsequently increase physical activity participation in people with SCI.

Theoretical model for management of nursing research groups

OBJECTIVE

To develop a theoretical model for management of research groups in nursing graduate programs.

METHOD

This is a Grounded Theory developed in a stricto sensu nursing graduate program of a public university. Data collection was conducted from April to October 2018 and the theoretical sample consisted of 21 participants arranged in three sample groups.

RESULTS

Research activities are linked to research groups, which require human, material and financial resources to develop their studies. These conditions call for management strategies and national and international interactions that result in theoretical, scientific and technological development of the profession.

FINAL CONSIDERATIONS

The theoretical model for management of research groups can serve as a guide for graduate programs in nursing and health for planning the work process and so that they can contribute with research of great impact for society.

Developing, implementing, and monitoring tailored strategies for integrated knowledge translation in five sub-Saharan African countries

BACKGROUND

Integrated knowledge translation (IKT) through strategic, continuous engagement with decision-makers represents an approach to bridge research, policy and practice. The Collaboration for Evidence-based Healthcare and Public Health in Africa (CEBHA +), comprising research institutions in Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda and Germany, developed and implemented tailored IKT strategies as part of its multifaceted research on prevention and care of non-communicable diseases and road traffic injuries. The objective of this article is to describe the CEBHA + IKT approach and report on the development, implementation and monitoring of site-specific IKT strategies.

METHODS

We draw on findings derived from the mixed method IKT evaluation (conducted in 2020-2021), and undertook document analyses and a reflective survey among IKT implementers. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively and qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. The authors used the TIDieR checklist to report results in a structured manner.

RESULTS

Preliminary IKT evaluation data (33 interviews with researchers and stakeholders from policy and practice, and 31 survey responses), 49 documents, and eight responses to the reflective survey informed this article. In each of the five African CEBHA + countries, a site-specific IKT strategy guided IKT implementation, tailored to the respective national context, engagement aims, research tasks, and individuals involved. IKT implementers undertook a variety of IKT activities at varying levels of engagement that targeted a broad range of decision-makers and other stakeholders, particularly during project planning, data interpretation, and output dissemination. Throughout the project, the IKT teams continued to tailor IKT strategies informally and modified the IKT approach by responding to ad hoc engagements and involving non-governmental organisations, universities, and communities. Challenges to using systematic, formalised IKT strategies arose in particular with respect to the demand on time and resources, leading to the modification of monitoring processes.

CONCLUSION

Tailoring of the CEBHA + IKT approach led to the inclusion of some atypical IKT partners and to greater responsiveness to unexpected opportunities for decision-maker engagement. Benefits of using systematic IKT strategies included clarity on engagement aims, balancing of existing and new strategic partnerships, and an enhanced understanding of research context, including site-specific structures for evidence-informed decision-making.

Introducing the Practice Dive Approach: an extension of co-creation in physical activity promotion and health promotion

Recently, there has been increasing interest in co-creation utilized for physical activity (PA) promotion and health promotion. Co-creation involves researchers and non-academic stakeholders conjointly developing and implementing interventions. In addition to the frequently reported benefits of co-creation, critical voices highlight the associated challenges (e.g. different interests that inhibit interaction). So far, research has not identified concrete solutions to these challenges and the limitations of co-creation. This article aims to introduce the Practice Dive Approach as a potential way to strengthen cooperation between researchers and non-academic stakeholders. We build on real-life experiences from a German research project, in which researchers moved into practice to familiarize themselves with the settings and end-users. After conducting a literature search on related concepts in PA/health promotion, we developed a comprehensive approach to fostering multi-sectoral cooperation. The introduced Practice Dive Approach assumes that a significant contribution to better cooperation among co-creators is the temporal immersion of researchers in their setting of interest, which has the potential to improve the success of co-creation in the PA/health promotion field. A four-level typology characterizes the intensity of researcher interactions with the setting and the non-academic stakeholders. Potential beneficial effects for both researchers and non-academic stakeholders can be hypothesized (e.g. familiarity with the setting structures and increased understanding of the end-users), while simultaneously, some challenges need to be considered. Future research should aim to validate the concept and its postulated effects.

Collaboration among researchers and non-academic stakeholders is increasingly used to promote physical activity and health. For example, people involved in such collaborations jointly develop new interventions. Potential challenges include different interests or work routines that can complicate cooperation. This article aims to introduce the Practice Dive Approach as a potential way to improve cooperation between researchers and non-academic stakeholders. We developed the approach based on observations from a German research project and a literature search on related concepts. This approach assumes that the temporal involvement of researchers in their setting of interest can strengthen research-practice cooperation and improve its success. We describe different types of a Practice Dive and the requirements for conducting Practice Dive activities. Furthermore, we present the potential effects of a Practice Dive for the researchers and the non-academic stakeholders, such as increased familiarity between both groups. However, some challenges need to be considered when applying the Practice Dive Approach. Future research should test this approach and its potential effects.

Co-creating physical activity interventions: a mixed methods evaluation approach

BACKGROUND

Co-creation strategies, such as cooperative planning, are promising as a means to ensure that physical activity interventions address real-world problems and are tailored to the target group. This has already been validated in diverse settings. However, questions targeting the transferability of cooperative planning to new settings and the key factors influencing its success or failure remain unclear. At the same time, co-creation processes are complex, and evaluation can be challenging. Following calls for detailed reporting, this paper describes the programme activities, the underlying logic, and methodological design of a study that aims to evaluate the transfer of cooperative planning to new settings and to explore the associated key determinants.

METHODS

Cooperative planning was utilized as a strategy to target physical activity promotion in three real-world German settings in the nursing care and automotive mechatronics sectors. This involved researchers working alongside stakeholders from practice and policy to conjointly develop new interventions to promote physical activity in physically demanding jobs. A pragmatic approach is used to evaluate both the transferability and key determinants of this strategy. We developed a logic model for this co-creation process that describes the underlying assumptions and guides the evaluation. The evaluation outcomes of this study include planning meetings, newly developed interventions, and the determinants that are likely to affect cooperative planning. Quantitative and qualitative data will be collected using questionnaires, documents, and interviews. The quantitative data will be analysed descriptively, while the qualitative data will mainly be analysed using qualitative content analysis, split by settings. Subsequently, data triangulation will be used to integrate the quantitative and qualitative findings, which will then be compared across all three settings.

DISCUSSION

The study findings will contribute to a better understanding of co-creation strategies, their transferability, and key determinants. The practical implications can include a checklist for assessing key determinants and a guideline for transferring cooperative planning into new settings to benefit more people. Ultimately, this study will help to advance co-creation strategies and may be relevant for researchers, practitioners, and policy-makers targeting physical activity promotion in various contexts.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Open Science Framework: https://osf.io/r6xnt/ (retrospectively registered).

Tecnologia da informação e comunicação na gestão de grupos de pesquisa em enfermagem

Resumo Objetivo este estudo teve como objetivo compreender como as Tecnologias da Informação e Comunicação são utilizadas na gestão de grupos de pesquisa de enfermagem. Método trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa ancorada teórica e metodologicamente na Teoria Fundamentada nos Dados (perspectiva straussiana), tendo como cenário de estudo 14 grupos de pesquisa vinculados a um Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem. A amostragem teórica do estudo foi composta por 21 pesquisadores. Os dados foram coletados por meio de entrevistas e analisados a partir do sistema de codificação. Resultados as Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação são utilizadas pelos grupos de pesquisa para facilitar os processos de gestão e o desenvolvimento das pesquisas. Dividem-se em três funções principais: comunicação e armazenamento (Whatsapp® e e-mail), estratégias de visibilidade (site e mídias sociais) e estratégia operacional (software de análise de dados). Conclusão e implicações para a prática as Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação constroem um elo entre a tecnologia e a construção do conhecimento científico, tecnológico e de inovação. Os Grupos de Pesquisa podem intensificar ainda mais o uso dessas ferramentas, tanto para recrutamento de amostra como para o desenvolvimento de redes colaborativas de pesquisa.

Translating the international scientific spinal cord injury exercise guidelines into community and clinical practice guidelines: a Canadian evidence-informed resource

Study design

Knowledge translation (KT) study.

Objectives

To demonstrate how to use systematic, community-engaged methods to (1) translate the international scientific spinal cord injury (SCI) exercise guidelines into community and clinical practice guidelines, and (2) develop supporting resources.

Setting

Canada.

Methods

An expert panel of SCI researchers and stakeholders translated the guidelines and developed a supporting resource, using a KT process guided by an adapted version of the Appraisal of Guidelines, Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II Instrument. Pilot tests with end-users were conducted throughout.

Results

The panel recommended (1) the two scientific exercise guidelines be combined and presented in a single message titled “The Canadian SCI physical activity guidelines”; (2) development of an online supporting resource, with educational and motivational information presented in “layers” to address the needs and preferences of diverse end-users. The top layer presents and explains the Canadian SCI physical activity guidelines. The deeper layers include information on benefits, overcoming barriers, activity examples, safety tips, and links to existing resources. Interviews with adults with SCI (n = 8) and survey-data from end-users (n = 90) showed that the guidelines and supporting resource were perceived as clear, useful, and appropriate.

Conclusion

Using community-engaged methods, the two scientific SCI exercise guidelines were combined into one single physical activity guideline message. This KT process provides a template for groups in other countries to translate the scientific SCI exercise guidelines to their local settings using a similar systematic, community-engaged approach.

Sponsorship

Rick Hansen Institute; Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

Logic model framework for considering the inputs, processes and outcomes of a healthcare organisation-research partnership

BACKGROUND

The published literature provides few insights regarding how to develop or consider the effects of knowledge co-production partnerships in the context of delivery system science.

OBJECTIVE

To describe how a healthcare organisation-university-based research partnership was developed and used to design, develop and implement a practice-integrated decision support tool for patients with a physician recommendation for colorectal cancer screening.

DESIGN

Instrumental case study.

PARTICIPANTS

Data were ascertained from project documentation records and semistructured questionnaires sent to 16 healthcare organisation leaders and staff, research investigators and research staff members.

RESULTS

Using a logic model framework, we organised the key inputs, processes and outcomes of a healthcare organisation-university-based research partnership. In addition to pragmatic researchers, partnership inputs included a healthcare organisation with a supportive practice environment and an executive-level project sponsor, a mid-level manager to serve as the organisational champion and continual access to organisational employees with relevant technical, policy and system/process knowledge. During programme design and implementation, partnership processes included using project team meetings, standing organisational meetings and one-on-one consultancies to provide platforms for shared learning and problem solving. Decision-making responsibility was shared between the healthcare organisation and research team. We discuss the short-term outcomes of the partnership, including how the partnership affected the current research team's knowledge and health system initiatives.

CONCLUSION

Using a logic model framework, we have described how a healthcare organisation-university-based research team partnership was developed. Others interested in developing, implementing and evaluating knowledge co-production partnerships in the context of delivery system science projects can use the experiences to consider ways to develop, implement and evaluate similar co-production partnerships.

Experience of Health Leadership in Partnering With University-Based Researchers in Canada - A Call to "Re-imagine" Research

BACKGROUND

Emerging evidence that meaningful relationships with knowledge users are a key predictor of research use has led to promotion of partnership approaches to health research. However, little is known about health system experiences of collaborations with university-based researchers, particularly with research partnerships in the area of health system design and health service organization. The purpose of the study was to explore the experience and perspectives of senior health managers in health service organizations, with health organization-university research partnerships.

METHODS

In-depth, semi-structured interviews (n = 25) were conducted with senior health personnel across Canada to explore their perspectives on health system research; experiences with health organization-university research partnerships; challenges to partnership research; and suggested actions for improving engagement with knowledge users and promoting research utilization. Participants, recruited from organizations with regional responsibilities, were responsible for system-wide planning and support functions.

RESULTS

Research is often experienced as unhelpful or irrelevant to decision-making by many within the system. Research, quality improvement (QI) and evaluation are often viewed as separate activities and coordinated by different responsibility areas. Perspectives of senior managers on barriers to partnership differed from those identified in the literature: organizational stress and restructuring, and limitations in readiness of researchers to work in the fast-paced healthcare environment, were identified as major barriers. Although the need for strong executive leadership was emphasized, "multi-system action" is needed for effective partnerships.

CONCLUSION

Common approaches to research and knowledge translation are often not appropriate for addressing issues of health service design and health services organization. Nor is the research community providing expertise to many important activities that the healthcare system is taking to improve health services. A radical rethinking of how we prepare health service researchers; position research within the health system; and fund research activities and infrastructure is needed if the potential benefits of research are to be achieved. Lack of response to health system needs may contribute to research and 'evidence-informed' practice being further marginalized from healthcare operations. Interventions to address barriers must respond to the perspectives and experience of health leadership.

Move the north: evaluation of a regional stakeholder engagement initiative to support the development of a community-partnered physical activity research agenda

BACKGROUND

Although it is generally accepted that engaging with members of the public contributes to more actionable and relevant research, there are a limited number of reported evaluations of community engagement initiatives. Certain populations, such as those with lower socioeconomic status and those who live in rural or dispersed communities, tend to face increased barriers to engagement. For researchers and community members alike, it is important to understand and evaluate engagement initiatives to support participatory research methods, particularly when working with underserved or hard to reach populations.

METHODS

Over 2-days in October 2018, we hosted a Research Agenda Development Workshop and Physical Activity Summit with relevant researchers, health professionals, and community partners. The objectives of this initiative were to develop a physical activity research agenda based on community-identified priorities, create networking opportunities, and understand factors impacting physical activity participation in communities across northern British Columbia (BC). An evaluation plan was created early in the planning process to understand the reach of the event based on representation targets. Stakeholder satisfaction with the event was evaluated with a post-meeting survey.

RESULTS

The event was successful in engaging community members from a broad geographic region with at least 90 people in attendance from 11 different northern BC communities, representing 46 different organizations. Meeting attendees indicated they were satisfied with the event and felt their perspectives were heard. To advance physical activity in the region, the most commonly desired outcome from the event was the need for ongoing communication channels to support knowledge translation and capacity building in the low-resourced communities of northern BC. There were some gaps in representation targets present at the event. Namely, there were a limited number of people representing Indigenous organizations, and the education and private sectors.

CONCLUSIONS

This two-day event was successful at achieving its objectives and engaged a diverse group of stakeholders from a broad geographic region. The outcomes from this event are being used to develop a community-partnered physical activity research agenda and contribute to ongoing learning by the research team to understand contextual factors influencing physical activity in the communities of northern BC. This model of engagement could be used by other researchers interested in engaging with a diverse, multi-sector group of academics, health professionals and community members to support community-centered population health research.