Building Capacity for Research and Audit: Outcomes of a Training Workshop for Pacific Physicians and Nurses

Building the research capacity of clinicians in the Pacific Island countries is important in addressing evidence gaps relevant to local policy and clinical practice. This paper aimed to assess the effectiveness of a reproductive health research workshop in increasing research knowledge and intention to perform research amongst a diverse group of clinicians. An online survey of clinicians and stakeholders in the Pacific Islands informed a research workshop curriculum. Physicians and nurses/midwives (n = 28) from six Pacific Island countries were selected as workshop participants as part of a research capacity building program. Questionnaires before after the workshop were used to measure the changes in knowledge, confidence, competence, attitudes and intention to perform research and these were analysed thematically. Sixty-three of 85 (74%) stakeholders and clinicians responded to an online survey, which informed workshop curriculum development. Of the 28 workshop participants, seven were obstetrician-gynaecologists, eight junior physicians and eleven nurses/midwives. The mean pre-test score was 36% (±10) and the post-test was 43% (±6) (p<0.01). By profession, the obstetricians had higher prior research knowledge whereas nurses had a higher knowledge gain after the workshop. Attitude, intention and motivation to perform research was high and the participants learnt that research is important, to start small; to use routinely collected data; to encourage others to do research; and to network regionally. This paper has confirmed that online surveys, in low resource settings, can have an acceptable response rate. It has also shown that a research workshop for a diverse group of clinicians can be effective in increasing knowledge although knowledge gained was more significant amongst nurses/midwives compared to physicians. The other benefits of the research workshop were increased motivation and attitudes for research, which if well supported, should result in an increase in research output in the Pacific Islands. Future evaluation will assess the long-term effectiveness of annual research workshops and mentoring support in improving research performance and evidence utilisation in care

Screening for Diabetes and Prediabetes

Not provided

Patient Error: A Preliminary Taxonomy

PURPOSE Current research on errors in health care focuses almost exclusively on system and clinician error. It tends to exclude how patients may create errors that influence their health. We aimed to identify the types of errors that patients can contribute and help manage, especially in primary care

Under the same roof: co-location of practitioners within primary care is associated with specialized chronic care management

Abstract Background International and national bodies promote interdisciplinary care in the management of people with chronic conditions. We examine one facilitative factor in this team-based approach - the co-location of non-physician disciplines within the primary care practice. Methods We used survey data from 330 General Practices in Ontario, Canada and New Zealand, as a part of a multinational study using The Quality and Costs of Primary Care in Europe (QUALICOPC) surveys. Logistic and linear multivariable regression models were employed to examine the association between the number of disciplines working within the practice, and the capacity of the practice to offer specialized and preventive care for patients with chronic conditions. Results We found that as the number of non-physicians increased, so did the availability of special sessions/clinics for patients with diabetes (odds ratio 1.43, 1.25–1.65), hypertension (1.20, 1.03–1.39), and the elderly (1.22, 1.05–1.42). Co-location was also associated with the provision of disease management programs for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, and asthma; the equipment available in the centre; and the extent of nursing services. Conclusions The care of people with chronic disease is the ‘challenge of the century’. Co-location of practitioners may improve access to services and equipment that aid chronic disease management

Additional file 2: of Development and use of a research productivity assessment tool for clinicians in low-resource settings in the Pacific Islands: a Delphi study

Delphi Questionnaire 2: Determining research performance activity or indicators for pacific clinical researchers. (DOC 156 kb