Knowledge transfer in Tehran University of Medical Sciences: an academic example of a developing country

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In the past two decades, scientific publications in Iran have considerably increased their medical science content, and the number of articles published in ISI journals has doubled between 1997 and 2001. The aim of the present study was to determine how frequently knowledge transfer strategies were applied in Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). We were also interested in studying the determining factors leading to the type of strategy selected.</p> <p>Methodology</p> <p>All TUMS research projects that had received grants from inside and outside the university in 2004, and were completed by the end of 2006, were included in the study. In total, 301 projects were examined, and data on each of the projects were collected by the research team using a standardized questionnaire. The projects' principle investigators filled out a second questionnaire. In all, 208 questionnaires were collected.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Researchers stated being more engaged in the passive strategies of knowledge transfer, especially those publishing in peer-reviewed journals. The mean score for the researchers' performance in passive and active strategies were 22% and 9% of the total score, respectively. Linear regression analysis showed that the passive strategy score decreased with the increase in the number of years working as a professional (p = 0.01) and personal interest as the only reason for choosing the research topic (p = 0.01). Regarding the active strategies of knowledge transfer, health system research studies significantly raised the score (p = 0.02) and 'executive responsibility' significantly lowered it (p = 0.03).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>As a study carried out in a Middle Eastern developing country, we see that, like many other universities in the world, many academicians still do not give priority to active strategies of knowledge transfer. Therefore, if 'linking knowledge to action' is necessary, it may also be necessary to introduce considerable changes in academic procedures and encouragement policies (<it>e.g.</it>, employment and promotion criteria of academic members).</p

Knowledge transfer in Tehran University of Medical Sciences: an academic example of a developing country

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In the past two decades, scientific publications in Iran have considerably increased their medical science content, and the number of articles published in ISI journals has doubled between 1997 and 2001. The aim of the present study was to determine how frequently knowledge transfer strategies were applied in Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). We were also interested in studying the determining factors leading to the type of strategy selected.</p> <p>Methodology</p> <p>All TUMS research projects that had received grants from inside and outside the university in 2004, and were completed by the end of 2006, were included in the study. In total, 301 projects were examined, and data on each of the projects were collected by the research team using a standardized questionnaire. The projects' principle investigators filled out a second questionnaire. In all, 208 questionnaires were collected.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Researchers stated being more engaged in the passive strategies of knowledge transfer, especially those publishing in peer-reviewed journals. The mean score for the researchers' performance in passive and active strategies were 22% and 9% of the total score, respectively. Linear regression analysis showed that the passive strategy score decreased with the increase in the number of years working as a professional (p = 0.01) and personal interest as the only reason for choosing the research topic (p = 0.01). Regarding the active strategies of knowledge transfer, health system research studies significantly raised the score (p = 0.02) and 'executive responsibility' significantly lowered it (p = 0.03).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>As a study carried out in a Middle Eastern developing country, we see that, like many other universities in the world, many academicians still do not give priority to active strategies of knowledge transfer. Therefore, if 'linking knowledge to action' is necessary, it may also be necessary to introduce considerable changes in academic procedures and encouragement policies (<it>e.g.</it>, employment and promotion criteria of academic members).</p

Multiple sclerosis outpatient future groups: improving the quality of participant interaction and ideation tools within service improvement activities

BackgroundImproving the patient experience is a key focus within the National Health Service. This has led us to consider how health services are experienced, from both staff and patient perspectives. Novel service improvement activities bring staff and patients together to use design-led methods to improve how health services are delivered. The Multiple Sclerosis Outpatient Future Group study aimed to explore how analogies and props can be used to facilitate rich interactions between staff and patients within these activities. This paper will consider how these interactions supported participants to share experiences, generate ideas and suggest service improvements. MethodQualitative explorative study using ‘future groups,’ a reinterpretation of the recognised focus groups method directed towards exploring future alternatives through employing analogies and physical props to engage participants to speculate about future service interactions and health experiences. Participants were people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) and outpatient staff: staff nurses, nursing assistants, junior sisters and reception staff. ResultsUse of future groups, analogies and physical props enabled PwMS and outpatient staff to invest their own ideas and feelings in the service improvement activity and envisage alternative health care scenarios. The combination of participants in the groups with their diverse perspectives and knowledge of the service led to a collaborative approach in which staff highlighted potential practical problems and patients ensured ideas were holistic. Service improvements were prototyped and tested in the outpatient clinic. ConclusionDesign-led methods such as future groups using analogies and physical props can be used to facilitate interactions between staff and patients in service improvement activities, leading to the generation of meaningful ideas. It is hoped that improving the quality of ideation tools within design-led methods can contribute to developing successful service interventions in service improvement activities. <br/

Supporting adolescent emotional health in schools: a mixed methods study of student and staff views in England

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Schools have been identified as an important place in which to support adolescent emotional health, although evidence as to which interventions are effective remains limited. Relatively little is known about student and staff views regarding current school-based emotional health provision and what they would like to see in the future, and this is what this study explored.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A random sample of 296 English secondary schools were surveyed to quantify current level of emotional health provision. Qualitative student focus groups (27 groups, 154 students aged 12-14) and staff interviews (12 interviews, 15 individuals) were conducted in eight schools, purposively sampled from the survey respondents to ensure a range of emotional health activity, free school meal eligibility and location. Data were analysed thematically, following a constant comparison approach.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Emergent themes were grouped into three areas in which participants felt schools did or could intervene: emotional health in the curriculum, support for those in distress, and the physical and psychosocial environment. Little time was spent teaching about emotional health in the curriculum, and most staff and students wanted more. Opportunities to explore emotions in other curriculum subjects were valued. All schools provided some support for students experiencing emotional distress, but the type and quality varied a great deal. Students wanted an increase in school-based help sources that were confidential, available to all and sympathetic, and were concerned that accessing support should not lead to stigma. Finally, staff and students emphasised the need to consider the whole school environment in order to address sources of distress such as bullying and teacher-student relationships, but also to increase activities that enhanced emotional health.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Staff and students identified several ways in which schools can improve their support of adolescent emotional health, both within and outside the curriculum. However, such changes should be introduced as part of a wider consideration of how the whole school environment can be more supportive of students' emotional health. Clearer guidance at policy level, more rigorous evaluation of current interventions, and greater dissemination of good practice is necessary to ensure adolescents' emotional health needs are addressed effectively within schools.</p

Indefinite detention or supervision for public protection when a life sentence is not available: Pathway outcomes among prisoners in one region.

This is the pre-peer reviewed version of the following article: Crosswaite, S, Freestone, M. and Ramsden, J. 2020. Indefinite detention or supervision for public protection when a life sentence is not available: Pathway outcomes among prisoners in one region. Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health. https://doi.org/10.1002/cbm.2147, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/cbm.2147. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived VersionsBACKGROUND: Indeterminate sentences for Public Protection (IPPs) were introduced in England and Wales under the Criminal Justice Act 2003 for offenders not eligible for a life sentence but considered to pose a serious risk to the public. In 2012, new IPPs became illegal, in part after the European Court of Human Rights ruled in three cases that failure to make appropriate provision for rehabilitation services while the men were in prison breached their rights under Article 5 of the Convention and thus from arbitrary detention. People already sentenced under this provision, however, remained in the system. Humberside Indeterminate Public Protection Project (HIPPP) supports intensive case management of male IPP offenders still serving this sentence. AIMS: To examine variables associated with pathway outcome among men under IPPs in one English region-Humberside. Our primary hypothesis was that programme engagement in prison would be significantly associated with release. METHODS: The HM Prison and Probation Services National Delius (nDelius) and Offender Assessment System (OASys) were used to identify all men from the region subject to IPPs and beyond tariff (the fixed, punishment part of their sentence) and to retrieve data on the sentence, pathway status and specific risk factors. We used content analysis to identify variables of interest, and logistic regression models to explore associations of variables with different types of pathway outcome. RESULTS: A total of 82 men were identified, 34 of whom had ever been recorded as having been given a diagnosis of anti-social personality disorder (ASPD). Men experiencing relationship difficulties with professionals were significantly more likely to be denied release [Odds Ratio (OR) = 7.75, Confidence Interval (CI) 2.08-28.57], have a deferred parole (OR = 7.81, CI 1.59-38.46) or be awaiting parole (OR = 4.46, CI 1.09-18.18) compared with men released to the community or serving in an open prison. Completion of programmes was not associated with pathway outcome. A modest association between diagnosis of anti-social personality disorder and pathway outcome association was confounded by other variables. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: While programme completion did not have the expected association with release, relational difficulties with professionals proved significant barriers to release. This suggests that ambitions for the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) pathway in supporting professionals to develop collaborative relationships with offenders are well founded. Part of this approach lies in sophisticated, psychologically informed case formulations which may help to discriminate between risk factors and personality disorder traits which have social rather than risk implications