title: Opportunities and barriers to enhance research capacity and outputs among academic family physicians in the Arab world.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the current status of academic primary care research in Arab countries and investigate the barriers to its adequate implementation.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Research is an essential building block that ensures the advancement of the discipline of Family Medicine (FM). FM research thus ought to be contributed to by all family physicians; nevertheless, its development is being hindered worldwide by several challenges. The amount of research conducted by academic academic family physicians and general practitioners is scant. This phenomenon is more pronounced in the Arab countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  An online questionnaire was emailed to all academic family physicians practicing in member Arab countries of the World Organization of Family Doctors WONCA-East Mediterranean Region.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-six out of 139 academic family physicians from eight Arab countries completed the questionnaire. Around 75% reported that they are required to conduct research studies, yet only 46% contributed to at least one publication. While 75% and 52.6% disclosed their interest in participating in a research team and in leading a research team respectively, 64.5% reported being currently involved in research activities. Of all, 56% have attended a research ethics course. Lack of training in research, the unavailability of a healthcare system that is supportive of research, insufficient financial resources, and the unavailability of electronic health records were perceived as major barriers in conducting FM research.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although many physicians in Arab academic institutions expressed enthusiasm to conduct research projects, FM research infrastructure remains to be weak. This demonstrates the need for immense efforts from different parties particularly governments and academic institutions.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Family Medicine,American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC),Beirut,Lebanon.
authors.forename: Maya H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Romani
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Family Medicine,American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC),Beirut,Lebanon.
authors.forename: Ghassan N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Hamadeh
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Family Medicine,American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC),Beirut,Lebanon.
authors.forename: Dina M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Mahmassani
authors.affiliation: 2Medical College,Arabian Gulf University (AGU),Bahrain.
authors.forename: Adel A K
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: AlBeri
authors.affiliation: 3Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research,Iraq.
authors.forename: Abdul-Munem Y
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: AlDabbagh
authors.affiliation: 4Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Community Medicine,Menoufiya University,Egypt.
authors.forename: Taghreed M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Farahat
authors.affiliation: 5Family Medicine and Public Health Department,College of Medicine and Health Sciences,Sultan Qaboos University,Oman.
authors.forename: Mohammed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: AlShafaee
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Family Medicine,American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC),Beirut,Lebanon.
authors.forename: Najla A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Lakkis
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D018643:Arab World; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005194:Family Practice / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012106:Research; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Arab world; family medicine; primary care research; research barriers; research opportunities