Main Categories Of Barriers Research Articles

Exploring the barriers and facilitators to HIV information and health services among youth in N’Djamena, Chad: a qualitative descriptive study

ObjectivesIdentifying the barriers and facilitators for Chadian youth (aged 15–24 years) along the pathway of access to HIV information and health services.Study designQualitative descriptive study.Study settingThe study was conducted in...

Barriers and Facilitators for Physical Activity Among Children and Youth With Autism-A Scoping Review.

The purpose of this scoping review was to systematically synthesize barriers and facilitators for physical activity (PA) among children and youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) across the socioecological model. Five electronic databases were searched in March 2022 for studies examining barriers and facilitators for PA among children and youth with ASD. An updated search was performed in April 2024. The framework synthesis method was utilized, and the socioecological model was the chosen framework. Fifty-four studies published from 2008 to 2024 were included. Among the included studies, 57% included the perspectives of children and youth with ASD alone or together with proxies (eg,parents, teachers, and coaches), while 43% included only the perspectives of proxies. Barriers and facilitators on the intrapersonal and interpersonal levels were most substantial. The analysis led to 2 main categories of barriers and facilitators, those unique to children and youth with ASD, and those similar to what had been identified through research on children and youth, both typically developing and with other disabilities. This comprehensive scoping review shows the complexity of factors contributing to barriers and facilitators for PA among children and youth with ASD, and highlights both the factors unique to this population and more general factors affecting PA participation. The findings from this synthesis might be used to guide the development of inclusive PA in physical education, organized sports, and other community PA arenas.

Barriers to the Accessibility of Emergency Pediatric Dental Care Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study in Mashhad, Iran.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate barriers to the accessibility of emergency pediatric dental care services during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic from the viewpoint of parents in Mashhad, Iran. Materials and Methods: A qualitative study was conducted on a purposive sample of parents seeking emergency dental care for their children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected through semi-structured face-to-face interviews. The participants were asked, "Were there any barriers encountered when seeking emergency dental care for your child during the COVID-19 pandemic?". If any barrier was faced, the parents were asked to explain about it. All interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The thematic content analysis of the transcripts began after the first interview, and the interviews and analysis process continued until data saturation was achieved. Results: In total, 26 parents were interviewed. The thematic content analysis of the transcripts led to the recognition of three main categories of barriers: "fear of COVID-19", "financial constraints", and "dentists' less occupational activity". "fear of COVID-19" had two subcategories: "fear of contracting COVID-19" and "fear of transmitting COVID-19 to others". "financial constraints" also had two subcategories: "increased costs" and "decreased income". Conclusion: From the viewpoint of parents seeking emergency dental care for their children in Mashhad, Iran, there were various barriers to the accessibility of emergency pediatric dental care services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The barriers were not limited to the fear of COVID-19 and were partly outside the control of dentists and parents.

The Status of Rehabilitation in Iran: Barriers and Facilitators

Objectives Rehabilitation is one of the basic services for the elderly and people with disabilities and provides the possibility of equal opportunities and participation in the society. In fact, it is one of the main pillars of the health; however, less attention has been paid to this issue in Iran, and it does not have a specific place in the health system. The present study aims to find barriers and facilitators regarding rehabilitation programs for the elderly and people with disabilities in Iran. Methods & Materials This is a qualitative study using content analysis method. Participants were 13 experts in different fields of rehabilitation who were selected using a purposive sampling method which continued until the data saturation. The data were collected using a semi-structured in-depth interview from February 2021 to February 2022. The interviews were transcribed verbatim, and then were analyzed by using conventional content analysis method and using constant comparative analysis. Results Two main categories of barriers and facilitators, each with 4 sub-categories were identified. The barriers were: High number of rehabilitation trustees, lack of awareness of officials and people, lack of attention to the role of the municipality in rehabilitation, and poor rehabilitation management. Facilitators were: Building culture in the field of rehabilitation and disability, improving the insight of officials, the role of rehabilitation specialists, benefiting from the experiences of other countries Conclusion The identified barriers and facilitators can help officials and policymakers in Iran to improve the status of rehabilitation and provide better services to people with disabilities.

The evolution of public participation GIS (PPGIS) barriers in spatial planning practice

Over the last three decades, PPGIS practices have shifted from a paper to digital format and have become cheaper, more user-friendly, and more versatile. The literature recognizes the potential of PPGIS, but researchers also note that the impact of PPGIS in practice is not yet pronounced. This study seeks to identify the barriers that hinder the widespread adoption of PPGIS in planning practice. Building on the literature, an analytical framework is developed to identify three main categories of barriers and their respective subcategories. This analytical framework is complemented by the results of five workshops with practitioners on the use of PPGIS in planning for green open spaces. This mirroring of literature and empirical data clarifies which (sub)categories are actually perceived as barriers and which are not. The findings show a shift from epistemological and technological barriers to cultural barriers that involve institutions and participants. While each of the three categories can start or stop a PPGIS process, having a pioneer in at least one category can aid in overcoming the remaining barriers.

Analysing the Barriers for Implementation of Lean-led Sustainable Manufacturing and Potential of Blockchain Technology to Overcome these Barriers: A Conceptual Framework

Micro- Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are very significant for a country’s economy due to their contribution to manufacturing, sales and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth. The global market competition and standards have been compelling MSMEs to improve quality, reduce waste, improve environmental performance and optimize the cost of products by implementing sustainable practices. The combined approach of lean and sustainable practices can help MSMEs to minimize emissions from waste and manufacture low-cost products with energy-efficient technology. However, MSMEs face many challenges while implementing lean and sustainability tools. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to identify the barriers which create obstruction in the implementation of lean-led sustainable manufacturing practices in Indian MSMEs and prioritize them by calculating their weights. The study also proposes a framework for the integration of blockchain technology in the supply chain to overcome the barriers for the implementation of lean and sustainable manufacturing practices. Extensive literature reviews and experts’ opinions have been used to identify the critical barriers for the implementation of lean-led sustainable manufacturing practices in manufacturing firms. A total of forty barriers were selected and further categorized under seven main categories of barriers. The main category barriers and subcategory barriers are ranked based on the weight obtained through Best Worst Method (BWM). The ranking results are further analysed to assess the reliability and robustness using sensitivity analysis. The study reveals that economic and managerial barriers, knowledge and awareness barriers and organizational barriers are the most prominent category of barriers for lean and sustainable manufacturing. The study found that ‘Lack of awareness among customers towards sustainability’, ‘initial capital investment and low financial profit’, ‘lack of knowledge about potential benefits from sustainable products and practices’ and ‘resistance to change due to past failure’ are the most critical barriers for implementation of lean-led sustainable practices in Indian MSMEs. The study has analysed the features of blockchain technology and their effect on the performance of lean-led sustainable supply chain. The findings of the study will help managers and practitioners in Indian MSMEs from certain perspectives to develop an effective and efficient strategy to overcome these barriers and become sustainable. Therefore, this study provides valuable insights for researchers and practitioners.

Prioritisation of barriers for supply chain management implementation in the Malaysian automotive industry

Paper aims Several Barriers impede the robust effectiveness of the supply-chain management implementation for the Malaysian automotive industry. The purpose of the present work is to identify these Barriers and prioritize them. Originality Originality of the present work lies in identifying the Barriers, putting them into categories and subsequently prioritize them by applying a scientific method such as Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP).Research Research method This study has identified five main categories of Barriers through literature reviews. Fourteen practitioners who are involved with the automotive industry helped prioritise those Barriers by applying the AHP.Main Main findings Five main categories of Barriers are found to be technological, organisational, individual, strategic, and cultural barriers. Organisational barrier is the most critical barrier followed by technological and strategic barriers. Implications for theory and practice This research provides important feedback to the automotive company managers to take appropriate measures to minimise negative impacts of the barriers identified.

‘They’re all about pushing the products and shiny things rather than fundamental security’:Mapping socio-technical challenges in securing the smart home

ABSTRACT Insecure connected devices can cause serious threats not just to smart home-owners, but also the underlying infrastructural network. There has been increasing academic and regulatory interest in addressing cybersecurity risks from both the standpoint of IoT vendors and that of end-users. In addition to the current data protection and network security legal frameworks, for example, the UK government has initiated the ‘Secure by Design’ campaign. While there has been work on how organisations and individuals manage their own cybersecurity risks, it remains unclear to what extent IoT vendors are supporting end-users to perform day-to-day management of such risks, and what is stopping the vendors from improving such support. We interviewed 13 experts in the field of IoT and identified three main categories of barriers to making IoT products useably secure: technical, legal and organisational. In this paper we further discuss the policymaking implications of these findings and make some recommendations.

Social Inclusion in Group Homes: Determining Facilitators and Barriers to Inclusion for People with Intellectual Disabilities


 
 
 Social inclusion is central to positive life experiences for those with and without intellectual disabilities (ID). Unfortunately, those with ID experience high levels of social isolation. As group homes, one of the most common forms of community living, aim to provide an equitable quality of life for adults with disabilities, significant responsibility of promoting social inclusion falls to them. The intention of this review is to identify the facilitators and barriers associated with social inclusion for people with ID living in group homes to develop an evaluation framework. Five databases were searched, and inclusion/exclusion criteria were used to narrow the results to 21 articles. Four main categories of barriers and facilitators to inclusion became apparent in the literature: (1) Home characteristics and social inclusion, (2) Staff characteristics and social inclusion, (3) Organizational/Leadership characteristics and social inclusion, and (4) Resident characteristics and social inclusion. While the findings from these articles have been divided into four broad categories, it is acknowledged the identified barriers and facilitators are varied and highlight the important role of the group home and surrounding communities in promoting social inclusion of their residents. This review also highlights a gap in current literature surrounding social inclusion for those with ID. Overall, more emphasis on understanding the various pathways to achieving social inclusion from group home residents with ID could contribute to the creation of effective policy and practices.
 
 

Barriers to Prison Education: A Tanzanian Perspective

This article discusses the barriers to prison education from a Tanzanian perspective. The paper addresses one major research question, “What are the barriers to prison education in the Tanzanian context?”. This qualitative study employed a multiple-case study design, which involved 51 participants, including 28 inmates, six (6) inmate-teachers, 14 prison officers from five prisons, two (2) representatives from the Institute of Adult Education and a District Adult Education Officer. The data were mainly collected through individual and focus group interviews. Focus Group Interviews were employed to collect information from some inmates who were available in groups. Data from the rest of the participants, including some inmates, were collected through Individual Interviews. Thematic analysis was used to process the data. The study found two main categories of barriers – the prison and imprisonment situation and dispositional – that inhibited participation in prison education. The findings suggest that most prisoners were affected by the barriers associated with the “prison and imprisonment situation”; a few were affected by dispositional barriers. It is suggested here that Tanzania should do more to improve prisoners’ access to education in tune with global tendencies to widen participation amid marginalised populations.

Opportunities and barriers to business engagement in the UK domestic retrofit sector: An industry perspective

This paper investigates the opportunities and barriers to business engagement in the UK domestic retrofit sector. There are approximately 28 million UK dwellings accounting for 30% of UK total energy consumption. Almost all of the existing housing stock will require some form of retrofit in order to meet the UK Government’s Net Zero emissions target by 2050. However, adoption has been much lower than required. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with industry professionals to investigate the key barriers and opportunities for businesses in the retrofit market. The results suggest that there is significant opportunity for businesses, but engagement has been suppressed by three main categories of barriers: (1) Those that cause lack of consumer demand; (2) Those that constrain retrofit projects, limiting their volume and scalability; (3) Those resulting from a lack of government will or direction. Business opportunity for retrofit was seen to extend globally, with substantial market growth possible. The paper suggests potential roles and solutions key stakeholders could take to achieve the volume of retrofit required. The findings should be of interest to all stakeholders who wish to overcome the multitude of barriers to business engagement in the retrofit sector and realise the potential opportunities. Practical application: This study aims to understand the barriers preventing the large-scale adoption of domestic retrofit in the UK in order to identify avenues for increasing business engagement in the sector. Potential areas believed to present significant opportunity for businesses when engaging in, developing and upscaling the retrofit process and solutions are highlighted. This paper should be of interest to building industry professionals already or wanting to undertake domestic retrofit works in future. The paper also gathers the views of current building industry professionals through semi-structured interviews providing an industry centric assessment of the sector’s challenges and possible solutions.

Assessing the relevance of barriers to energy efficiency implementation in the building and transport sectors in eight European countries

The paper maps and evaluates the main economic, institutional, and behavioural barriers to the implementation of energy efficiency in final uses. Barriers prevent the achievement of targets of energy efficiency policies and measures. Assessing the relevance of barriers can lead to their consideration in goal-setting by policy-makers either by reducing ambition or by incorporating solutions to mitigate barriers, We consider three main categories of barriers: economic, institutional, and behavioural ones, in buildings and transport sectors. In order to assess the relevance of each specific barrier in these categories, a survey to experts in eight Countries (Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Estonia, United Kingdom, Italy, Belgium and Serbia) has been performed. The relevance of barriers is assessed by two levels of analysis: 1. their impact on policies and measures, and 2. their impact on the diffusion of key clean technologies and interventions in the two sectors. In the building sector, we find that the most relevant barriers relate to economic and behavioural categories. In the transport sector, we find that the most relevant barriers relate to institutional and economic categories. Economic barriers are also the most relevant in limiting the diffusion of technologies and interventions in both sectors. Results highlight the relevance of identifying and assessing barriers in order to improve policy design.

Main Barriers to Optimal Breastfeeding Practices in Armenia: A Qualitative Study.

In 2015, the median duration of exclusive breastfeeding was 2.2 months in Armenia, and only 15% of 4-5-month-old children were exclusively breastfed, indicating an issue with breastfeeding knowledge and practices. To identify the main barriers to optimal breastfeeding practices in Armenia. We used qualitative research methods via focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with four groups of providers from different levels of care, and mothers of young children, from Yerevan city and two provinces, Lori and Shirak. Overall, eight in-depth interviews and 13 focus group discussions were conducted with a total of 99 participants. Qualitative content analysis was applied, with elements of both inductive and deductive approaches. We identified two main categories of barriers to optimal breastfeeding-systemic barriers and knowledge deficiencies. The main themes within systemic barriers were lack of skilled breastfeeding support services and low motivation of providers-mainly related to inadequate recognition of their role in breastfeeding counseling and low remuneration. The main knowledge-related barriers were insufficient counseling of mothers, lack of reliable information sources about infant feeding, and misconceptions among both mothers and providers. Optimal breastfeeding is crucial for the best start to an infant's life; however, there were a number of barriers to optimal breastfeeding practices in Armenia. Our findings and recommendations could help policymakers apply effective strategies for improving breastfeeding rates in Armenia. Considering the similar historical backgrounds of the post-Soviet countries, our findings could also be applicable to other Commonwealth of Independent States countries.

Perceived barriers of tobacco dependence treatment: a mixed-methods study among primary healthcare physicians in Armenia.

Despite compelling evidence that physicians play a prominent role in smoking cessation, most smokers do not receive the recommended smoking cessation counseling.AimTo identify perceived barriers that hinder primary healthcare physicians (PHPs) from providing smoking cessation treatment to patients in Armenia. A sequential exploratory mixed-methods study was conducted among PHPs from two Armenian cities (Yerevan and Gyumri). We implemented qualitative phase through focus group discussions (FGDs) using a semi-structured guide. For the subsequent quantitative phase, the data were collected through cross-sectional survey. A directed deductive content analysis technique was used to analyze the FGDs and questionnaires were analyzed descriptively. Following the data collection (March 2015-May 2016) and descriptive analysis, the qualitative and quantitative data sets were merged by drawing quantitative data onto qualitative categories.FindingsOverall, 23 PHPs participated in five FGDs and 108 participants completed the survey. Three main categories of barriers were identified: physician-based, patient-based, and system-based barriers. The main physicians-based barriers were insufficient knowledge and inadequate training on tobacco-dependence treatment. Lack of patients' motivation to quit, poor compliance with the treatment, patients' withdrawal symptoms were identified as patient-based disincentives. System-based barriers included lack of reimbursement for providing smoking cessation counseling, high price and low availability of smoking cessation medications. Most of the qualitative descriptions were confirmed by quantitative findings. Targeted interventions are needed to address barriers that limited PHPs' involvement in providing smoking cessation services in Armenia. There is an urgent need to enhance PHPs' knowledge and skills in delivering smoking cessation counseling, to increase patients' demand for smoking cessation services, and to ensure availability and affordability of smoking cessation services in Armenia.

Staff Perceptions of Facilitators and Barriers to the Use of a Short- Term Risk Assessment Instrument in Forensic Psychiatry

ABSTRACTProspective adverse events within forensic settings should be assessed using structured risk assessment instruments. Our aim was to identify the barriers and facilitators of a structured instrument for assessment of short-term risk within inpatient forensic psychiatric care. The instrument was piloted at a forensic psychiatric clinic. Three focus group interviews were conducted with staff. Content analysis revealed three main categories of barriers and facilitators for clinical use: implementation object, context, and users. Complexity of the instrument, insufficient continuous training and support, difficulties retrieving assessments on wards, and insecurity about translating assessments into actions were perceived barriers to clinical use. Routines for documentation improved communication and the inclusion of protective and short-term dynamic clinical factors were perceived as clinically relevant. Problem-solving ability, attitude, and motivation of staff were facilitating factors. Comprehensive risk assessment instruments require substantial support for staff to find them manageable. Systematic documentation is required to measure actual daily clinical use.

A DEMATEL based approach for investigating barriers in green supply chain management in Canadian manufacturing firms

Green supply chain management (GSCM) involves consideration of environmental impacts of all the processes involved in a typical supply chain to minimise their negative consequences. In this paper, we present a DEMATEL-based approach for investigating barriers in GSCM in Canadian context. Seven manufacturing firms from electronic goods sector are involved. The results of our study yield three main categories of barriers. These barriers are knowledge-related (lack of awareness of the environmental impacts on business, lack of training courses/consultancy/institutions to train, monitor/mentor progress specific to each industry, lack of technical expertise and difficulty in identifying environmental opportunities), commitment-related (lack of corporate social responsibility) and product design-related (complexity of design to reuse/recycle used products). The proposed study is one of the first few to be conducted in the Canadian context for green supply chain barrier analysis for electronic goods sector. Secondly, the barriers are investigated through causality and prominence relations which can help decision-makers, policy planners and managers of organisations in addressing those critical few for making green supply chain practices a success.

Overcoming Barriers to Treatment Adherence in Adolescents with Cystic Fibrosis: A Systematic Review

Aims and objectives: To examine the recent literature on the barriers to adherence in adolescents with cystic fibrosis (CF) and to propose recommendations for providers to improve adherence and overcome these obstacles. Background: Non-adherence in chronically ill adolescents has become a public health concern as it contributes to a significant increase in morbidity and mortality. CF is a progressive, genetic disease with a particularly complex and time-consuming treatment regimen. Adolescent patients with CF fail to achieve optimal adherence goals. Design: Systematic review using the guidelines of the Cochrane Collaboration described in the 2009 PRISMA statement. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar were searched from 1/2009 to 10/2014. A systematic review of the literature was done to identify the primary barriers to treatment adherence in adolescents with CF. Results: Ten studies involving 512 participants with an average age range of 12.0 to 19.3 years across 4 countries were included. We classified the data into three main categories of barriers to adherence: psychological barriers (body image, internalizing disorders, perception of disease), physical barriers (schedule, time management, pain) and social barriers (family dynamics, friendship quality). Conclusions: There are numerous potential obstacles to adherence for adolescents with CF. Whether the barriers are physical, psychological or social, the aim of the provider is to identify areas of strength and weakness in the treatment regimen, customize the interventions in the context of their lifestyle, and then set realistic goals for improvement. Relevance to clinical practice: Screening adolescents with CF for potential psychological, physical or social obstacles to treatment compliance will allow the provider identify problematic areas and prioritize their clinic visits accordingly.Aims and objectives: To examine the recent literature on the barriers to adherence in adolescents with cystic fibrosis (CF) and to propose recommendations for providers to improve adherence and overcome these obstacles. Background: Non-adherence in chronically ill adolescents has become a public health concern as it contributes to a significant increase in morbidity and mortality. CF is a progressive, genetic disease with a particularly complex and time-consuming treatment regimen. Adolescent patients with CF fail to achieve optimal adherence goals. Design: Systematic review using the guidelines of the Cochrane Collaboration described in the 2009 PRISMA statement. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar were searched from 1/2009 to 10/2014. A systematic review of the literature was done to identify the primary barriers to treatment adherence in adolescents with CF. Results: Ten studies involving 512 participants with an average age range of 12.0 to 19.3 years across 4 countries were included. We classified the data into three main categories of barriers to adherence: psychological barriers (body image, internalizing disorders, perception of disease), physical barriers (schedule, time management, pain) and social barriers (family dynamics, friendship quality). Conclusions: There are numerous potential obstacles to adherence for adolescents with CF. Whether the barriers are physical, psychological or social, the aim of the provider is to identify areas of strength and weakness in the treatment regimen, customize the interventions in the context of their lifestyle, and then set realistic goals for improvement. Relevance to clinical practice: Screening adolescents with CF for potential psychological, physical or social obstacles to treatment compliance will allow the provider identify problematic areas and prioritize their clinic visits accordingly.

Barriers to Addressing Psychological Problems in Diabetes: Perspectives of Diabetologists on Routine Diabetes Consultations in Denmark

Background: Diabetes is associated with an increased risk of diabetes distress, depression, anxiety and eating disorders. Still, health professionals working with diabetes often fail to identify patients with serious psychological problems and to address psychological issues in general. Our aim was to explore diabetologist’s perceived barriers to addressing psychological issues in diabetes consultations. Methods: We conducted qualitative semi-structured individual interviews with 12 diabetologists working in specialist diabetes clinics in four different Danish hospitals. All interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed by systematic meaning condensation. Results: We identified three main categories of barriers: 1) the structural organisation of diabetes consultations, e.g. sparse consultation time, extensive screen work, and missing referral possibilities; 2) the relation between patients and physicians, e.g. the perception of patient attitudes or patient personality; and 3) the individual diabetologist, e.g. acquired and inherent skills, and the physicians perceived area of responsibility. Psychological aspects of diabetes were generally perceived as more important by younger diabetologists. More senior clinicians tended to regard psychological issues as of less importance and not within their core responsibility. Conclusion: The structural organisation of consultations, especially time constraints, and the perceived area of responsibility were the most prominent barriers to addressing mental health problems in diabetes consultations. Our study provides explanations for the gap between the widespread knowledge among diabetologists of the importance of psychological issues and the frequent failure to address such issues, and thus provides a basis for the development of strategies to facilitate a change of practice.

Perceived barriers in accessing food among recent Latin American immigrants in Toronto

ObjectiveIn Canada, recent immigrant households experience more food insecurity than the general population, but limited information is available about the personal, cultural, and social factors that contribute to this vulnerability. This study focused on recent Latin American (LA) immigrants to explore their perceived barriers in acquiring safe, nutritious, and culturally-appropriate food.DesignA cross-sectional mixed-method design was applied to collect information from a convenience sample of 70 adult Spanish/Portuguese speakers who had arrived in Toronto within the last five years. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with primary household caregivers to obtain responses about barriers to acquiring food for their households; data were analyzed using a thematic analysis technique.ResultsFour main categories of barriers were identified: limited financial resources; language difficulty; cultural food preferences; and poor knowledge of available community-based food resources and services. Inadequate income was the main impediment in accessing adequate food, and was related to affordability of food items, accessibility of food outlets and transportation cost, and limited time for grocery shopping due to work conditions. Language barriers affected participants’ ability to obtain well-paid employment and their awareness about and access to available community-based food resources. Cultural barriers were related to food preferences and limited access to culturally-appropriate foods and resources.ConclusionThe main barrier to food security among our sample of LA newcomers to Toronto is limited financial resources, highlighting the need for policies and strategies that could improve their financial power to purchase sufficient, nutritious, and culturally-acceptable food. Linguistic barriers and limited information among newcomers suggest the need to provide linguistically- and culturally-appropriate information related to community-based food programs and resources, as well as accessible subsidized English language programs, in the community and at workplaces. Participatory community-based food programs can augment, in a socially acceptable manner, food resources and reduce the social stigma attached to food charity. Finally, it is crucial to monitor and evaluate existing social and community-based services for their accessibility, cultural appropriateness and diversity, and effectiveness.

Barriers to Health Information Systems and Electronic Medical Records Implementation. A Field Study of Saudi Arabian Hospitals

BackgroundDespite the positive effects of Health Information Systems and Electronic Medical Records use in medical and healthcare practices, the adoption rate of such systems is still low and meets resistance from healthcare professionals. Barriers appear when they approach systems implementation. We need to understand these factors in the context of Saudi Arabian hospitals to enhance EMR adoption. This process should be treated as a change project. ObjectivesTo identify, categorize, and analyze barriers perceived by different healthcare professionals to the adoption of EMRs in order to provide suggestions on beneficial actions and options. MethodsThe study used a questionnaire to collect data from a random sample of healthcare professionals of two major Saudi hospitals, one private and the other is governmental, 158 valid respondents participated in the survey equally from both hospitals and then the results were analyzed to describe and evaluate various barriers. ResultsThe study identified six main categories of barriers, which are consistent with those reported in recent published research. 1) Human Barriers, related to the beliefs, behaviors and attitudes, 2) Professional Barriers, related to the nature of healthcare jobs, 3) Technical Barriers, related to computers and IT, 4) Organizational Barriers, related to the hospital management, 5) Financial Barriers, related to money and funding and 6) Legal and Regulatory Barriers, related to laws, regulations and legislations. The six categories of barriers were validated with the participants of the pilot sample. ConclusionsHuman barriers as well as financial barriers are the two major categories of barriers and challenges in the way of successful implementation of EMRs.