Tracking funded health intervention research.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the research publication outputs from intervention research funded by Australia's National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).


METHODS
Analysis of descriptive data and data on publication outputs collected between 23 July 2012 and 10 December 2013 relating to health intervention research project grants funded between 1 January 2003 and 31 December 2007.


METHODS
Stages of development of intervention studies (efficacy, effectiveness, replication, adaptation or dissemination of intervention); types of interventions studied; publication output per NHMRC grant; and whether interventions produced statistically significant changes in primary outcome variables.


RESULTS
Most of the identified studies tested intervention efficacy or effectiveness in clinical or community settings, with few testing the later stages of intervention development, such as replication, adaptation or dissemination. Studies focused largely on chronic disease treatment and management, and encompassed various medical and allied health disciplines. Equal numbers of studies had interventions that produced statistically significant results on primary outcomes, (27) and those that did not (27). The mean number of total published articles per grant was 3.3, with 2.0 articles per grant focusing on results, and the remainder covering descriptive, exploratory or methodological aspects of intervention research.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study provides a benchmark for the publication outputs of NHMRC-funded health intervention research in Australia. Research productivity is particularly important for intervention research, where findings are likely to have more immediate and direct applicability to health policy and practice. Tracking research outputs in this way provides information on whether current research investment patterns match the need for evidence about health care interventions.
University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW simon.chapman@sydney.edu.au.
Lesley A
LA
King
University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW.
Robyn S
RS
Newson
University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW.
Gillian E
GE
Cohen
University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW.
Jacqueline
J
Schroeder
The Sax Institute, Sydney, NSW.
Selina
S
Redman
University of Notre Dame Australia (Sydney), Sydney, NSW.
Lucie
L
Rychetnik
New South Wales Ministry of Health, Sydney, NSW.
Andrew J
AJ
Milat
University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW.
Adrian
A
Bauman
University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW.
Simon
S
Chapman
D001315:Australia; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D010506:Periodicals as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011642:Publications / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012109:Research Support as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data