Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, 155 College Street, Suite 425, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 3M6, Canada.
Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, 200 Elizabeth Street, 13EN-228, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2C4, Canada.
BMC Health Serv Res. 2019 Oct 30;19(1):772. doi: 10.1186/s12913-019-4573-4.
Health care researcher-research user partnerships, referred to as integrated knowledge translation (IKT), have been adopted on an international basis, and are an effective means of co-generating and implementing evidence into policy and practice. Prior research suggests that an initiation period is essential for establishing functional partnerships. To characterize IKT initiation and describe determinants of IKT initiation success, this study explored IKT initiation processes, enablers, and barriers among researchers and research users involved in IKT partnerships.
A descriptive qualitative approach was used compliant with COREQ standards. Canadian researchers and research users in research collaborations were identified on publicly-available directories and web sites, and referred by those interviewed. They were asked to describe how partnerships were initiated, influencing factors, the length of initiation, and interventions needed to support initiation. Sampling was concurrent with data collection and analysis to achieve thematic saturation. Data were analyzed using constant comparative technique by all members of the research team.
In total, 22 individuals from 6 provinces were interviewed (9 researchers, 11 research users, 2 connectors). They confirmed that IKT initiation is a distinct early phase of partnerships. The period ranged from 6 months to 2 years for 75.0% of participants in pre-existing partnerships, to 6 years for newly-formed partnerships. High-level themes were: Newly identifying and securing partners is an intensive process; Processes and activities take place over a protracted period through multiple interactions; Identifying and engaging committed partners is reliant on funding; and Partnership building is challenged by maintaining continuity and enthusiasm. Participants underscored the need for an IKT partner matching forum, IKT initiation toolkit, and funding for non-research activities required during IKT initiation to establish functional researcher-research user partnerships. Themes were largely similar regardless of participant years of experience with IKT or being involved in a new versus pre-existing partnership.
IKT initiation is a recognized and important early phase of IKT that establishes functional partnerships, and once established, ongoing partnership for subsequent projects is likely. Further research is needed to develop and evaluate approaches recommended by participants for stimulating IKT initiation.
医疗保健研究人员与研究用户之间的合作关系，被称为整合知识转化（IKT），已经在国际上得到采用，是共同生成和将证据应用于政策和实践的有效手段。先前的研究表明，建立功能性伙伴关系需要一个启动期。为了描述 IKT 的启动过程并描述其成功启动的决定因素，本研究探讨了参与 IKT 合作的研究人员和研究用户的 IKT 启动过程、促进因素和障碍。
采用符合 COREQ 标准的描述性定性方法。在公开目录和网站上确定了加拿大的研究人员和研究用户，并由接受采访的人推荐。他们被要求描述合作伙伴关系是如何启动的、影响因素、启动时间以及支持启动所需的干预措施。抽样与数据收集和分析同时进行，以达到主题饱和。所有研究小组成员都使用恒定性比较技术对数据进行分析。
共有来自 6 个省的 22 人（9 名研究人员、11 名研究用户、2 名联络人）接受了采访。他们证实，IKT 启动是伙伴关系的一个独特的早期阶段。75.0%的参与者在现有伙伴关系中的启动时间为 6 个月至 2 年，而新形成的伙伴关系则为 6 年。主要主题是：新识别和确保合作伙伴是一个密集的过程；通过多次互动，过程和活动在一个漫长的时期内进行；确定并吸引有承诺的合作伙伴依赖于资金；伙伴关系的建立受到维持连续性和积极性的挑战。参与者强调需要建立 IKT 合作伙伴匹配论坛、IKT 启动工具包以及 IKT 启动期间所需的非研究活动资金，以建立功能性的研究人员与研究用户之间的伙伴关系。无论参与者在 IKT 方面的经验年限或参与新伙伴关系还是现有伙伴关系，主题基本相似。
IKT 启动是 IKT 的一个公认的和重要的早期阶段，它建立了功能性的伙伴关系，一旦建立，随后的项目很可能会建立持续的伙伴关系。需要进一步研究以开发和评估参与者推荐的方法，以激发 IKT 启动。
