Barriers To Collaboration Research Articles

Towards culturally inclusive healthcare in Peru: Mapping epistemic concepts in contemporary Indigenous Amazonian medicine-Traditional healers' perspectives.

Peru is among Latin American countries with the largest Indigenous population, yet ethnical health disparities persist, particularly in the Amazon region which comprises 60% of the national territory. Healthcare models that include Indigenous medicine and traditional healers present an important avenue for addressing such inequalities, as they increase cultural adequacy of services, healthcare access, and acknowledge Indigenous Rights for their perspectives to be represented in public healthcare. Understanding the underlying epistemologies of Indigenous medicine is a prerequisite for this purpose. Thus, in order to support Indigenous Organizations and governmental initiatives to develop more inclusive healthcare approaches, the current study investigated key epistemic concepts in Indigenous-Amazonian medicine from the perspective of traditional healers. We conducted systematic in-depth interviews (semi-structured) with a sample of 13 healers of three Peruvian-Amazonian regions (Loreto, Ucayali, San Martín). Data was analysed using manifest qualitative content analysis. Our findings point to an intricate medical system based on a sophisticated understanding of health, illness, and treatment. Indigenous healers described multifactorial aetiology concepts, complex interactions between material and spirit-related aspects of body and nature, diagnosis, and treatment. These often involved carefully designed applications of 'teacher plants', a concept at the heart of this medical system. Furthermore, while the healers considered traditional and biomedicine as complementary systems, they identified the lack of recognition of traditional healers as a primary barrier for collaboration. Indeed, preconceptions and stigma on Indigenous medicine along with a paucity of research, still represent an impediment to countries' ability to respond to Indigenous peoples' health-related expectations and needs, thus maintaining existing inequalities. This work offers a significant contribution to the understanding of Indigenous-Amazonian medicine and perspectives of traditional healers, relevant for Peru and adjacent countries sharing Amazonian territory and cultures. Our findings also highlight Amazonian healers' unique expertise around the therapeutic applications of psychoactives, from which the current revival of clinical scientific interest in psychedelic-assisted therapies may have a great deal to learn.

Exploring Postgraduate Student’s Experiences on Values of Humanness During COVID-19: An Inquiry for Supportive Online Learning and Assessment

Previous research highlights significant disruptions to teaching and assessment time in universities due to strikes and the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic, which began in late 2019, forced institutions worldwide to close, prompting a shift to online teaching, learning, and assessment. In Africa, additional closures occurred due to student unrest. While the transition to online learning sought to maintain academic continuity, limited research exists on how postgraduate students experienced the values of humanness (botho) during this period. This qualitative study explores how postgraduate students perceived the values of botho in online learning and assessment during the lockdown. Fifty honours students participated in an assignment completed in groups of up to four, with 15 submissions received, including group and individual efforts. Students reflected on their experiences, highlighting positive outcomes such as knowledge sharing within groups. However, challenges emerged, including group members leaving unexpectedly due to non-cooperative peers, which left others to complete tasks individually with increased effort. The findings suggest that the principles of botho should be integrated into online assessment designs to address the challenges faced by students. Additionally, the study underscores the importance of bridging the digital divide to promote equitable online learning. Further research is needed to explore strategies that incorporate the values of botho while addressing technological and collaborative barriers in online education.

PP31 Logical Model Articulating Pharmacy Commissions And Hospital-Based Health Technology Assessment Nuclei: Collaborative Strategies For The Drug Selection

IntroductionCollaborative strategies between the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee (Group 1) and hospital-based health technology assessment (HTA) nuclei (Group 2) using HTA tools can promote rational use and medicines access. The aim was to develop a logical model for the drug selection process in Brazilian university hospitals, considering the articulation between the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and hospital-based HTA nuclei (NATS).MethodsA qualitative study created and validated a logical model. The data collection considered documental analysis and semistructured interviews with key informants from both groups about the processes adopted by eight federal university hospitals. The European Project on Hospital-Based Health Technology Assessment (AdHopHTA) was selected as a theoretical reference. The model was discussed in a focal group with the participation of five experts in medicine selection tasks and HTA. The final version of the model was submitted for consistency and vulnerability analysis by the authors. The ethical approval number is 4.784.861.ResultsThe logical model was conceived with dimensions of resources, actions, products, results, and impacts. It has allowed a structured and organized view of the 15 actions in the medicine selection. From these 15 actions, seven can be articulated between both groups. The high management support, training, and dissemination of the procedures and flows that organize HTA processes were solutions to minimizing collaborative barriers. The selection of medicines was considered a dynamic process. Some actions, such as the use of pharmacovigilance data, post-selection monitoring, and horizon technology scanning can bring results in terms of treatment innovations and compliance with clinical guidelines.ConclusionsCollaborative strategies were presented in a logical model with seven joint actions to guide the medicine selection process in hospitals involving tools, flow audits, governance, and human resources. The consistency and vulnerability model analysis defined indicators for HTA collaborative actions.

What works when working together?: Cross-sector collaboration barriers & facilitators of a built environment Health Impact Assessment in Southern Nevada

ABSTRACT Purpose Cross-sector collaboration can improve community health because decisions made across sectors influence health. Health Impact Assessments (HIAs) and other health-focused, cross-sector collaborations encounter challenges. This case study uses a completed HIA to explore factors impeding and supporting health-related cross-sectoral collaboration. Methods Semi-structured key informant interviews with 10 of 12 HIA working group participants were conducted and analysed using a content analysis approach. Results Analysis generated 48 codes across seven themes in three primary groups: HIA as a collaborative tool; logistical and systemic barriers; and benefits and logistical, interpersonal, and sectoral facilitators. Recognizing the importance of knowledge, analysis, and principles outside of one’s field (n = 62) was the most common facilitator. Limited time was the most common barrier (n = 21). Participants discussed more facilitators (n = 303) than barriers (n = 144); perceived multiple benefits (n = 92), including networking and connecting land use and health; and described facilitators like communication, continuity, engagement, project management, compensation, varying perspectives, and diverse skills. They identified coordination challenges, needs to engage more with stakeholders and the community, limited time, and changes among partners as primary barriers. Conclusions Findings can help prepare cross-sector partners about what to expect, aid in mitigating challenges, and further knowledge about what supports and hinders Health in All Policies collaborations.

Analyzing Collaborative Challenges and Needs of UX Practitioners when Designing with AI/ML

UX designers and researchers who work with AI/ML face different kinds of challenges throughout the design process. Though close collaborations with AI/ML developers and data scientists could address some of these challenges, such interdisciplinary collaborations are non-routine and hard to realize. In this work, we investigate barriers for effective collaboration with ML practitioners, how they affect UX practice of AI/ML applications, and what UX practitioners need to overcome these challenges. We conducted a qualitative study with 14 UX practitioners who are working on AI/ML products as designers or researchers. Our findings show that UX practitioners face challenges in communication, understanding the model and model development processes, establishing ways to collaborate, and reconciling model-centric metrics of evaluation with user-centric outcomes. They described various needs in terms of more visibility into model development processes, access to comprehensible and contextual model information, and hypothetical tools that can potentially support collaboration with ML practitioners and enhance UX design processes. We discuss implications of this research for designing collaborative tools and empowering UX practitioners.

Resilient Sustainability Assessment Framework from a Transdisciplinary System-of-Systems Perspective

The vital role of extensive information exchange among stakeholders across diverse sectors and the interconnection of various scientific fields with nonhomogeneous technology readiness levels has created a new form of a complex engineering problem in the climate change era. Comprehensive sustainability assessment to enable the realization of needs requires transdisciplinary thinking to achieve systematic solutions that bridge the gap between multiple collaborative systems in a portfolio. Although the principal aim of dedicated sustainability regulations is to force companies to move toward sustainability development, general and non-engineered metrics that have not defined clear thresholds for evaluation have encountered severe challenges regarding implementation and economic viability. Therefore, adopting a transdisciplinary systems engineering approach can address multifaceted challenges like sustainability by overcoming collaboration barriers, and traditional disciplinary limits. This paper systematically reviews sustainability-dictated regulations from a transdisciplinary perspective. Different standards are compared, raised opportunities and challenges are discussed, and future remarks are highlighted. The sustainability problem is analyzed from a transdisciplinary systems engineering lens. Finally, a two-level resilient system sustainability assessment framework is proposed to effectively handle and enhance the resilience of companies’ sustainability development roadmaps by enabling decision makers to find robust and highly reliable solutions regarding sustainable system design. The impact of this research is to create a new insight into addressing climate change which not only assesses the current situation but also considers uncertainty sources that affect decision making for the future.

Studying University-Industry Collaboration in Latin America: A Systematic Review of the period 1993-2022

This article offers a comprehensive examination of perspectives on university-industry interactions in Latin America. Distinguishing itself from international reviews, the study employs a systematic review of 274 articles across Scopus, Scielo, and Dialnet databases. The research addresses the temporal evolution, disciplinary fields, conceptual approaches, methods, and prevailing topics in the region. Findings reveal a focus on management, economics, business, social sciences, and engineering disciplines. Qualitative methods dominate, while theoretical-conceptual approaches encompass meso-institutional and micro-interactional levels. Key research themes include collaboration results, knowledge transfer, innovation, technological transfer, and collaboration barriers.

A Bibliometric Analysis of Publications on University-Industry Collaboration Using VOSviewer and R-biblioshiny

This bibliometric analysis studied the development trends, publication and citation counts, research themes and trends, and international cooperation models related to university-industry collaboration from 1970 to 2023. Firstly, using a broader set of search terms related to university-industry collaboration, we conducted a comprehensive search of the global literature from 1970 to 2023 in the Web of Science (WoS) database. Secondly, based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, we ultimately selected 592 articles for analysis. Subsequently, we used VOSviewer and R-biblioshiny as analytical tools to extract and analyze relevant data from the selected articles. The study identified the most influential institutions, journals, authors, and countries in this field. Additionally, based on keyword co-occurrence analysis, research related to university-industry collaboration is distributed across five clusters: (1) innovation and technology transfer, (2) internships and work experience, (3) cooperative education and learning outcomes, (4) collaboration models and partnerships, and (5) collaboration barriers, challenges, and sustainability. Recent research has focused on themes such as technology transfer, barriers, benefits, and the motivations driving collaboration.

A Process Study of Evolving Paradoxes and Cross-Sector Goals: A Partnership to Accelerate Global Sustainability

Cross-sector partnerships formed to address societal challenges are widely advocated and increasingly common. Joint goal setting is an essential phase in the collaborative process that can determine the course of a partnership. Yet, little is known about how cross-sector goals change and evolve because goal alignment between partners is often taken for granted. In this article, we qualitatively investigate a case of goal setting within a high-profile partnership across the academic and business sectors called Action2020, which aimed at accelerating global corporate sustainability action based on the planetary boundaries framework. We find that cross-sector goal setting is an iterative, multiphase process complicated by deep-seated sectoral differences that trigger paradoxes and conflict. Our main contribution is a process model of cross-sector goal setting comprising three phases: coalescing, protecting, and reconciling sectoral interests. Our model offers three unique insights that advance the cross-sector paradox literature: Altering the cross-sector goal can harness new opportunities of key turning points in the collaboration, shifting the opposing poles of paradoxes may be a necessary management approach to overcome collaborative barriers, and intermediaries may dampen the ambition of collaborative goals in order to temper paradoxes. We also contribute to the corporate sustainability literature and discuss the implications of moving from organization-centric to systems-based sustainability targets.

Interprofessional collaboration during a specialised mobile palliative care service pilot in the rural area of Lucerne.

Interprofessional collaboration in outpatient palliative care is critical to ensuring good quality of care in the home care sector. We investigated facilitators and barriers (FaBs) of interprofessional collaboration among healthcare professionals who participated in a 6-month pilot of a newly implemented specialised mobile palliative care service (SMPCS) in rural Lucerne. This study used a mixed-methods approach to collect (i) qualitative data on FaBs as perceived by nurses and primary care physicians (PCPs), and (ii) quantitative data across the entire interprofessional collaboration using a validated questionnaire expanded with 10 specific questions about the pilot. Identified facilitators of interprofessional collaboration were (i) use of standardised documents, (ii) clear allocation of responsibilities, (iii) regular exchange and clear communication and (iv) consideration of care coordination. Reported barriers were (i) a deficit of knowledge and experience of palliative care among PCPs and (ii) time constraints. This study provides valuable insights into FaBs of interprofessional collaboration in palliative care. Several recommendations can be drawn for how interprofessional collaboration may be optimised. Awareness of FaBs and their consideration in the implementation phase of new services can strengthen the foundation for a successful interprofessional collaboration.

Thirty (30) years of circular economy (CE) collaboration in Zimbabwe: success factors and barriers of networks in the Business Council for Sustainable Development Zimbabwe (BCSDZ)

Over a period of 30 years from 1993 to 2023, the Business Council for Sustainable Development Zimbabwe (BCSDZ) network has implemented Circular Economy (CE) initiatives in different sectors in Zimbabwe, but has not evaluated its impact. This research aims to assess the success factors and barriers of network collaboration. Case Study design and data collection methods including questionnaires, interviews, direct observation and content analysis are used. Performance of the association is analysed over a 30-year period to derive a time-series analysis. The research concludes that the BCSDZ promotes CE through training, capacity building, workshops, demonstration projects and field visits. Success factors include a wide stakeholder network, presence of Group Standards at Multinationals and affiliation with international organisations as it is the interconnection and integration between various actors (nexus). Furthermore, international agreements and national laws, have had an effect of increasing the demand for collaboration. Barriers include lack of financing and different organisational priorities. The research concludes that in order to overcome barriers, blended financing models are required.

TAKING IT TO THE STREET: A CONCEPTUAL MODEL PROMOTING THE ESSENTIALITY OF TRUST IN COMMUNITY-FOCUSED QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Introduction/Frame: Trust is foundational to qualitative research and program evaluation to ensure that data collection, data analysis, and actionable recommendations improve programs and produce effective outcomes. Concomitantly, building trust between the university and community sectors offers a rich opportunity to join efforts to address public health issues including substance use, homelessness, criminal justice involvement, and mental illness. Research suggests cross-sector collaboration among human services organizations produces effective outcomes when stakeholders are engaged, trust one another, and have shared goals. Developing qualitative program evaluation partnerships between university researchers and human service organizations offers a valuable application of cross-sector collaboration, including the transferability of qualitative research and program evaluation findings. Objective: This conceptual paper aims to highlight the essentiality of trust, summarize the facilitators and barriers of collaboration, and share a case example of a partnership. Additionally, it offers implications for researchers and community partners while outlining the benefits of university/community collaboration. Finally, we will offer a conceptual model of the iterative relationship between trustworthiness, trust, and impact in our evaluation approach. Theoretical Framework: Our approach to community-focused qualitative program evaluation is anchored in an action research paradigm, a use evaluation approach, coupled with trust as the key factor in developing and maintaining effective evaluative relationships. The Impact of Trust: Three areas in which trust is most beneficial to qualitative program evaluation are relationships, data collection, and transferability of results. Conceptual Model: Our model is grounded in three seminal works focusing on trust in business-business relationships, organizational trustworthiness as a mediator to both cognitive and affective trust, and relationship stability in inter-organizational reliance. Final Considerations: We found that using this model allowed quicker research-to-practice implementation of evaluation recommendations, solidified community/university collaborative relationships, and facilitated strategies to address workforce shortages in community human services agencies.

Facilitators and barriers in interprofessional collaboration around physical activity on prescription-a focus group study in a Swedish school setting.

In Swedish school health services, local initiatives have been taken to use physical activity on prescription (PAP) to encourage physically inactive children to become more active. Previous research shows that interprofessional collaboration plays a crucial role in promoting physical activity in children, as well as in promoting health in schools. However, there is a lack of knowledge about PAP for children in the school setting, including how medical and educational staff can work together to encourage children who have been recommended PAP. Therefore, this study aims to explore the perceived facilitators and barriers concerning interprofessional collaboration regarding physical activity on prescription in the school setting, as viewed from the professionals' perspectives. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 professionals who work with the method in school settings. The data were analyzed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. The results reveal both barriers and facilitators for interprofessional collaboration on PAP in the school setting, as perceived by professionals. Organizational and structural obstacles within school institutions hinder collaboration, while a shared commitment to PAP, characterized by consensus-building, acts as a facilitating factor. PAP for children in a school setting is still an unexplored area and further research is required.

Night Physician-Nurse Collaboration: Developing the Scale of Physicians' Difficulties and Exploring Related Factors in Acute Care Hospitals.

Responding to inpatient deterioration is less favorable at night than during the day, and this may be related to barriers in collaboration between physicians and nurses. However, there had been no way to assess the problem. This study aimed to develop a scale for physicians to measure difficulties in nighttime collaboration with nurses in response to deteriorating inpatients and to identify factors associated with the developed scale scores. We developed a draft scale of Nighttime Collaboration Difficulties between Nurses and Physicians for Physicians (NCDNP-P) based on key informant interviews with physicians. Psychometric validations, including structural validity, criterion-related validity, and reliability tests, were conducted among physicians who worked on night duty or on call in acute-care hospitals in Japan using a cross-sectional web-based questionnaire. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed using independent variables including individual backgrounds, style of working at night, and facility characteristics. By performing exploratory factor analysis, we confirmed the structural validity of the NCDNP-P, consisting of seven items and two domains (Domain 1: Dissatisfaction with reporting, Domain 2: Barriers to working with nurses). Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega coefficients were 0.81-0.84 and 0.81-0.89, respectively. The criterion-related validity for interprofessional collaboration was confirmed. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the variables employment status, number of night shifts, frequency of nighttime calls about patients under another physician's charge, and handover between physicians before changing shifts were statistically significantly associated with NCDNP-P scores. We developed the NCDNP-P, confirming its reliability and validity. Identified factors reflect physicians' characteristics and the problems experienced working at night and may be associated with barriers in nighttime collaboration. The NCDNP-P can highlight issues in clinical settings and lead to the consideration of initiatives to address such issues.

Deploying fuzzy analytic hierarchy process and sensitivity analysis to identify and prioritize the barriers faced by early‐career social science researchers during research collaborations

AbstractResearch is about an individual's intellectual acumen and rationality, and inter‐researcher collaboration capability magnifies the outcomes. Despite common belief, there exist fundamental asymmetries in the goals, orientations and expectations among the research collaborators. Seldom studied in‐depth and empirically validated, the challenges and barriers faced by early‐career researchers (ECRs) in social sciences are crucial to understand. In this study, we aim to identify, categorize and rank the order of priority of the research collaboration barriers and their sub‐barriers. This analysis highlights which barrier is likely to impact the research collaboration outcome more as compared to other barriers, as seen through the pairwise comparison. We contribute to the literature on research collaborations by providing a much‐needed assessment of the barriers faced by ECRs in social sciences to develop a nuanced understanding of the dynamics within collaboration research. Key barriers identified and explored in this research relate to research design, interpersonal and interprofessional relationships, team‐level dynamics, spatial and temporal factors, cultural differences and institutional variables. The fuzzy AHP tool was used to prioritize and rank the barriers, check the consistency ratio and then perform the sensitivity analysis. Research design barriers emerged as the most challenging barrier to research collaborations, implying researchers place huge emphasis on the compatibility of research goals, objectives, paradigms and perspectives. The study provides insights for individuals/institutions leading and managing research collaborations into improving the collaborative dynamics in social sciences.

Transboundary water resource management and sustainable development in the lancang-mekong river basin: an analysis of international water law

ABSTRACT The Lancang-Mekong River Basin stands as one of the most critical and complex transboundary basins globally, where the utilization and protection of water resources are paramount. This basin, linking China, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam, is characterized by a dense population and rapid industrial and agricultural development, fostering frequent economic and cultural exchanges. Cooperative efforts in water resource utilization and protection among these countries lead to issues such as resource disputes, environmental pollution, and collaboration barriers. Since the six basin countries have not jointly joined any international convention on water resources development or protection, disputes have been resolved and cooperation promoted through existing inter-state cooperation mechanisms for many years. However, these mechanisms often fall short due to the lack of common guiding principles. Achieving sustainable water resource development in the Lancang-Mekong River Basin aligns with the national interests of the six countries. The basin states can establish a transboundary Environmental Impact Assessment system and a dispute settlement mechanism. Constructing a comprehensive Integrated Water Resource Management Cooperation Mechanism, rooted in the fundamental principles of international water law, is crucial for enhancing the level of international cooperation within the basin.

Collaborative Professional Development on Authentic Science May Reduce Barriers to Implementation in High School Classrooms

Teachers face challenges implementing authentic high school science lessons, particularly around inquiry practices and contemporary context. We created a collaborative curriculum design workshop to integrate authentic science activities on local invasive species into their classrooms while supplementing content knowledge via field trips to research sites and invasive species infestations. 36 teachers attended then implemented lessons they revised at the workshop in their classrooms. After implementation, we interviewed participants about barriers to lesson implementation. Teachers reported barriers of standardized testing, district mandates, time, and collaboration with other educators, all identified in previous literature. We also identified physical proximity as a barrier. Following professional development, several of the barriers were reduced or expected to be reduced for implementation of authentic science lessons, including collaboration, time, and physical proximity. We demonstrate the power of authentic science practice-based teacher professional development workshops that emphasize collaborative planning time for teachers while incorporating content presentations, in line with recommendations for teacher professional development writ large. We recommend collaborative professional development designs bringing together personnel from the same job site or district as well as from different districts while partnering with universities to retain university campus features such as access to active, authentic research sites.

Factors influencing interprofessional collaboration in long-term care from a multidisciplinary perspective: a case study approach

ABSTRACT Systematic assessments of interprofessional collaboration barriers and enablers in long-term care settings are critical for delivering person-centered healthcare. However, research on factors influencing interprofessional collaboration in long-term care settings is limited. For this study, 65 healthcare professionals across multiple facilities experienced in long-term care in Japan participated in online focus group discussions and individual interviews to discuss cases. The qualitative data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Seven themes emerged: coordination, the need for care manager training, hierarchy among healthcare professionals, specialization but not the mind-set of overspecialization, casual conversations, electronic group communication tools, and excessive fear of personal information protection. These findings highlight the need to develop coordinator roles and for interprofessional education on the proper approach to personal information protection laws. Furthermore, daily casual conversations, the use of online platforms, and the prevention of patients being left behind due to overspecialization are required.

Benefits and barriers for researcher-practitioner collaboration on marine and coastal management issues

The complex management problems facing marine and coastal systems require diverse, multidisciplinary perspectives to inform more holistic, sustainable management. Collaboration between researchers and practitioners is needed to maximise the utility of research to management and ensure management is informed by the best available scientific advice. However, collaboration across the research-policy interface is notoriously difficult. Here, using results from two online surveys, we explore the benefits and barriers for UK-based researchers and practitioners when collaborating with each other. We found complimentary motivations for collaboration: researchers were most often motivated to collaborate in order to have impact and for their research to be used, while practitioners wanted to gain access to expertise and deliver on evidence needs. For both groups the most common barrier to collaboration was time constraints. For researchers these time constraints were compounded by a lack of recognition for practitioner-focused research activity, while practitioners faced compounding issues around poor delivery or low utility of research outputs. There was also recognition of the differing agendas between the groups and how this can impede collaboration. With the exception of early-career researchers, both groups relied heavily on existing contacts when initiating collaborations and results highlight the importance of ongoing investment by both groups in relationship development, knowledge exchange and networking opportunities. Alongside that, we argue a major perception shift is needed with academia, such that (applied) science in the direct service of society has the same prestige as (blue-sky) science in the service of curiosity.

Using staged teaching and assessment approaches to facilitate inter-university collaboration and problem-based learning.

This article describes the segmented module design and problem-based learning approaches employed to enable parts of a higher education environmental health module (course) to be shared between universities in Wales, Northern Ireland, and Australia. The module requires students to identify the needs and assets of a community then design community-based interventions to address problems and undertake an evaluation of those interventions. Accreditation body and the degree program learning outcome requirements in the UK and Australia were found to hold many comparable knowledge, skills, and graduate attribute criteria, eliminating a potential barrier for international learning and teaching collaboration between higher education institutions. Instead, barriers to collaboration were associated with institutional issues and practicalities such as timetabling and assessment requirements. Taking a segmented approach to module design allowed staged and varied levels of collaboration between participating institutions, all delivering modules (courses) with similar learning outcomes. This provided a more sustainable environment to facilitate shared learning and teaching and fostered closer relations between programs, within these constraining factors. Students using problem-based learning and its group-working component exhibited the development of leadership, communication, and independent learning skills.