Bridging the gap: Identifying diverse stakeholder needs and barriers to accessing evidence and resources for children’s pain

Abstract

Background Stakeholder engagement in knowledge mobilization (KMb) activities can bridge the knowledge to action gap within children’s pain but may be influenced by how well stakeholder needs and barriers to evidence-based resources are addressed. The needs of different Canadian stakeholder groups related to children’s pain have not been examined, limiting the degree to which KMb efforts can be tailored to each group. Aims The study aim was to identify shared and unique needs, barriers, and accessibility of evidence for children’s pain across three stakeholder groups: knowledge users (i.e., health professionals, administrators, policy makers, educators), researchers (including trainees), and patients, caregivers, family members. Methods This study was comprised of an online needs assessment survey. Analyses included descriptive statistics, one-way analyses of variances, and chi-square tests to examine differences between stakeholder groups. Open-ended responses were analyzed using conventional content analysis. Results A total of 711 stakeholders completed the survey. Educational materials were the most utilized evidence-based resources among all stakeholders. Researchers and patients/caregivers/family members found resources significantly less accessible than knowledge users (p = .008). Knowledge of evidence was the primary barrier across all stakeholder groups (69.2%, n = 492), however each group reported a need for stakeholder-specific resources. Finally, stakeholders desired opportunities to engage in the KMb process through partnerships and an increased awareness of children’s pain. Conclusions While stakeholders experience common barriers to evidence-based resources for children’s pain, their needs to address these barriers are diverse. Evidence-based resources should be tailored for stakeholders’ contexts, with diverse audiences in mind.