Neil Kara L, Rangira Daniella, Ngendahayo Edouard, McCall Natalie, Gatera Rafiki M
King Faisal Hospital Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda.
Africa Health Sciences University, Kigali, Rwanda.
PLoS One. 2024 Dec 5;19(12):e0314866. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0314866. eCollection 2024.
Building research capacity can strengthen health systems through evidence-based interventions. However, evaluating the current research capacity and increasing it is a layered process that needs to consider different institutional structures, as well as internal factors. This study collects baseline data on the research capacity and culture at King Faisal Hospital Rwanda (KFH), a tertiary-level teaching hospital in Rwanda. It also proposes ways to further strengthen it and recommends ways for other institutions in Rwanda to strengthen research capacity.
The Research Capacity and Culture Tool was distributed to full-time clinical and non-clinical KFH staff in September 2021. Participants were required to hold a position that minimally requires an Advanced Diploma. The quantitative survey data were analyzed in SPSS Version 27 and analyzed via descriptive statistics across all domains, including the individual, organizational, and team levels.
152 participants completed the questionnaire. On a 5-point Likert scale, the highest ranked skills were designing questionnaires (3.34) and using digital referencing systems (3.29), while the lowest ranked skills were securing research funding (2.40) and writing for publication in peer-reviewed journals (2.46). Perceptions about the organizational level's research system were overall stronger than those at the team level, with the weakest team-level system being having regular research forums and bulletins (2.14) and having digital tools for conducting research (2.14). Motivators to conducting research included skills development (87%) and career advancement (74%), while barriers included a lack of time (64%) and access to funding (56%).
To strengthen the research capacity and culture at KFH, focus should be on allocating tools, resources, and training opportunities to staff. Research should be integrated into staff job descriptions, with a time audit conducted to ensure they have adequate time for these activities. Finally, decentralizing research and ensuring team-level ownership will help with staff buy in.
建设研究能力可通过循证干预措施加强卫生系统。然而，评估当前的研究能力并提高该能力是一个分层过程，需要考虑不同的机构结构以及内部因素。本研究收集了卢旺达三级教学医院——卢旺达费萨尔国王医院（KFH）的研究能力和文化的基线数据。它还提出了进一步加强该能力的方法，并为卢旺达其他机构加强研究能力推荐了途径。
2021年9月，向KFH的全职临床和非临床工作人员发放了研究能力和文化工具。参与者需担任至少需要高级文凭的职位。定量调查数据在SPSS 27版中进行分析，并通过描述性统计在所有领域进行分析，包括个人、组织和团队层面。
152名参与者完成了问卷。在5分李克特量表上，排名最高的技能是设计问卷（3.34）和使用数字参考系统（3.29），而排名最低的技能是获得研究资金（2.40）和撰写同行评审期刊发表文章（2.46）。对组织层面研究系统的看法总体上强于团队层面，团队层面最弱的系统是有定期研究论坛和简报（2.14）以及有进行研究的数字工具（2.14）。开展研究的动机包括技能发展（87%）和职业发展（74%），而障碍包括时间不足（64%）和资金获取困难（56%）。
为加强KFH的研究能力和文化，应重点为工作人员分配工具、资源和培训机会。研究应纳入工作人员的职位描述，并进行时间审计以确保他们有足够时间开展这些活动。最后，将研究去中心化并确保团队层面的自主权将有助于工作人员接受。
