title: Cancer health professionals need funding, time, research knowledge and skills to be involved in health services research.
abstract: Inadequate knowledge about research processes within cancer health services has the potential to limit the development of evidence-based care. A survey was emailed to 201 health professionals working in cancer services in a major city to identify perceived levels of research knowledge and barriers to conducting research. Eighty-five people (42%) responded. Barriers to conducting research included time-constraints (84%), workload (72%), limited research funding (74%) and limited knowledge (34%). Gaps in research knowledge included performing quantitative analyses (79%), gaining funds (71%), using qualitative and quantitative research methods (62 and 67%) and formulating a research proposal (54%). More nurses reported having gaps in research knowledge than other professions. Two thirds (66%) of participants reported an interest in further education. There is a need for research training for practising health professionals and a focus on research as the basis for providing evidence-based care in undergraduate courses. Research, translation of research into practice and evidence-based care need to be incorporated into health professional roles throughout their careers.
authors: WA Cancer and Palliative Care Research and Evaluation Unit (CaPCREU), School of Surgery M507, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia, claire.johnson@uwa.edu.au.
authors: Claire
authors: C
authors: Johnson
authors: Catalina
authors: C
authors: Lizama
authors: Megan
authors: M
authors: Harrison
authors: Emma
authors: E
authors: Bayly
authors: Joshua
authors: J
authors: Bowyer
authors: Livia
authors: L
authors: Haddow
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012109:Research Support as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors