Mrs Janet Golder1, Ms Abby Foster1,2,3
1Monash Health, Melbourne, Australia, 2Monash Health, Melbourne, Australia, 3La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
Biography:
Janet is a senior clinical dietitian and PhD candidate, with interests in nutritional status of hospitalised patients. Her PhD is focused on exploring the prevalence of vitamin C deficiency in adult hospitalised patients, the characteristics of these patients, and the impact of vitamin C deficiency on patient and health service outcomes
Abstract:
Background:
Mental health disorders contribute substantially to the disease burden and are the leading cause of disability worldwide. To respond to these growing demands, mental health decision makers must commit to changing mental health workforce attitudes, capability and actions, including implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP). As a sound base of high-quality research is required to inform EBP, enhancing research engagement and capacity within the clinical environment is required for EBP to be successfully and sustainably implemented in mental health settings.
Objectives:
Explore research capability and culture of AHPs working in mental health in a large metropolitan health network and identify barriers and enablers of research capability and culture in this workforce.
Methods:
This explanatory sequential mixed-method study had two phases: (1) the validated Research Capability and Culture (RCC) survey, with quantitative data analysed via descriptive statistics, followed by (2) focus groups, with qualitative data coded deductively to the Theoretical Domains Framework followed by inductive coding to generate workforce themes and belief statements.
Results:
91 AHPs (31%, n=292) responded to the RCC survey, with four focus groups undertaken afterwards to explore the survey findings. Findings demonstrate the current level of research activity across the cohort and describe the barriers and enablers to research engagement at an individual, team and organisational level.
Conclusion:
Research engagement is essential for AHPs working in mental health. Use of a validated survey with supplemental focus groups identified areas for targeted, context-specific intervention to support research engagement and allows for evaluation of changes over time.