背景:为临床医生提供资金以保护时间进行研究可以解决通常被引用的研究障碍-缺乏时间。然而,有限的研究评估了这种资助举措的影响或机制。在当前的经济环境下,重要的是,有效和审慎地利用资金,并确定可能有助于最大限度地提高筹资举措成果的机制和背景。本研究旨在描述促进专职卫生研究活动的资助计划的中期结果,并确定促进这些结果的关键机制和背景。
方法:我们使用了一种基于现实性评估的定性研究设计,与1-3年前参与资助计划的专职医疗专业人员进行10次半结构化访谈。探索结果的问题,筹资倡议的机制和背景。数据以主题方式编码为上下文-机制-结果配置。
结果:中期结果包括增加个人研究机会,对团队研究文化的影响和对临床工作/实践的影响。其他结果包括增加临床医生的信心,知识和技能,和研究成果。然而,一些参与者仍然难以推进研究。确定了四个上下文-机制-结果配置,以解释哪些上下文和机制产生了这些结果。背景的例子包括对管理支持的感知,承担以研究为基础的更高学位和联合应用,而机制包括获取基础设施和资源以及动机等个人研究者因素。
结论:为专职医疗专业人员提供资金来进行和完成研究可以带来重要的结果,包括增加研究机会,能力和文化,增加研究产出,以及临床实践的变化。结果受到独特的背景和机制的影响,在今后实施类似的筹资举措时应予以考虑。
BACKGROUND: Providing funding for clinicians to have protected time to undertake research can address a commonly cited barrier to research - lack of time. However, limited research has evaluated the impact or mechanisms of such funding initiatives. In the current economic environment, it is important that funding is used efficiently and judiciously and that mechanisms and contexts that may assist with maximising outcomes of funding initiatives are identified. This study aimed to describe the medium-term outcomes of a funding initiative to promote allied health research activity and to identify the key mechanisms and contexts that facilitated these outcomes.
METHODS: We used a qualitative research design informed by a realist evaluation, to conduct 10 semi-structured interviews with allied health professionals who had participated in a funding initiative 1-3 years ago. Questions explored outcomes, mechanisms and contexts of the funding initiative. Data was thematically coded into context-mechanism-outcome configurations.
RESULTS: Medium term outcomes included increased individual research opportunities, influence on team research culture and impact on clinical work/practice. Other outcomes included increased clinician confidence, knowledge and skill, and research outputs. However, some participants still had difficulties progressing research. Four context-mechanism-outcome configurations were identified to explain which contexts and mechanisms produced these outcomes. Examples of contexts included perception of managerial support, undertaking a research-based higher degree and joint applications, while mechanisms included accessing infrastructure and resources as well as individual researcher factors like motivation.
CONCLUSIONS: Providing funding to allied health professionals to undertake and complete research can lead to important outcomes, including increased research opportunities, capacity and culture, increased research outputs, and changes to clinical practice. Outcomes are influenced by unique contexts and mechanisms and these should be considered in future implementation of similar funding initiatives.