Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Implement Sci. 2014 Jun 6;9:71. doi: 10.1186/1748-5908-9-71.
Health research funding agencies are increasingly promoting evidence use in health practice and policy. Building on work suggesting how agencies can support such knowledge translation (KT), this paper discusses an online survey to assess KT training needs of researchers and research users as part of a Canadian provincial capacity-building effort.
The survey comprised 24 multiple choice and open-ended questions including demographics, interest in learning KT skills, likelihood of participating in training, and barriers and facilitators to doing KT at work. More than 1,200 people completed the survey. The high number of responses is attributed to an engagement strategy involving partner organizations (health authorities, research institutes, universities) in survey development and distribution. SPSS was used to analyze quantitative results according to respondents' primary role, geographic region, and work setting. Qualitative results were analyzed in NVivo.
Over 85 percent of respondents are interested in learning more about the top KT skills identified. Research producers have higher interest in disseminating research results; research users are more interested in the application of research results. About one-half of respondents require beginner-level training in KT skills; one-quarter need advanced training. Time and cost constraints are the biggest barriers to participating in KT training. More than one-half of respondents have no financial support for travel and almost one-half lack support for registration fees. Time is the biggest challenge to integrating KT into work.
Online surveys are useful for determining knowledge translation training needs of researchers, research users and ultimately organizations. In this case, findings suggest the importance of considering all aspects of KT in training opportunities, while taking into account different stakeholder interests. Funders can play a role in developing new training opportunities as part of a broad effort, with partners, to build capacity for the use of health research evidence. Survey results would ideally be complemented with an objective needs assessment based on core competencies, and should be acted on in a way that acknowledges the complexity of knowledge translation in healthcare, existing training activities, and the expertise stakeholders already have but may not refer to as knowledge translation.
健康研究资助机构越来越多地倡导在健康实践和政策中使用证据。本研究基于一些关于机构如何支持知识转化（KT）的工作，讨论了一项在线调查，以评估研究人员和研究使用者的 KT 培训需求，这是加拿大省级能力建设工作的一部分。
该调查包括 24 个多项选择题和开放式问题，包括人口统计学信息、对学习 KT 技能的兴趣、参与培训的可能性，以及在工作中进行 KT 的障碍和促进因素。超过 1200 人完成了调查。之所以有这么多的回复，是因为一项参与策略，即让合作伙伴组织（卫生当局、研究机构、大学）参与调查的制定和分发。根据受访者的主要角色、地理位置和工作环境，使用 SPSS 分析定量结果。在 NVivo 中分析定性结果。
超过 85%的受访者有兴趣学习更多关于确定的 KT 关键技能的知识。研究生产者对传播研究成果更感兴趣；研究使用者对研究成果的应用更感兴趣。大约一半的受访者需要 KT 技能的入门级培训；四分之一的人需要高级培训。时间和成本限制是参与 KT 培训的最大障碍。超过一半的受访者没有用于差旅的资金支持，几乎一半的人缺乏注册费支持。将 KT 融入工作中最大的挑战是时间。
在线调查对于确定研究人员、研究使用者的 KT 培训需求以及最终确定组织的需求是有用的。在这种情况下，研究结果表明，在培训机会中考虑 KT 的各个方面非常重要，同时要考虑到不同利益相关者的利益。资助者可以在与合作伙伴一起开展广泛工作的过程中，发挥作用，为利用健康研究证据制定新的培训机会。调查结果最好通过基于核心能力的客观需求评估来补充，并以承认医疗保健中知识转化的复杂性、现有培训活动以及利益相关者已经拥有但可能不称为知识转化的专业知识的方式来实施。
