Transdisciplinary Partnerships Research Articles

Evaluating the outcomes and processes of a research-action partnership: The need for continuous reflective evaluation

Background: The KwaZulu-Natal Sandstone Sourveld (KZNSS) Research Programme is part of a collaborative, transdisciplinary research partnership between the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the eThekwini Municipality (EM), aimed at bridging the science-policy-practice gap. The research programme focuses on generating knowledge and capacity to support local land-use planning, management and policy development related to biodiversity and climate change issues. Objectives: The objectives were (1) to describe how a continuous reflective evaluation approach helped to better understand the research programme and its outcomes; and (2) to assess research outputs and outcomes, relevance of outcomes to the requirements of EM, and participants’ perceptions of the programme (both the outcomes and the process). Methods: The evaluation took a mixed methods approach, combining various quantitative and qualitative methods such as anonymous individual questionnaires, reflective exercises and group reflections. Results: The KZNSS programme was successful in capacity building and establishing a long-term partnership, but had lower scientific publication output and practice uptake than expected. Participants’ perceptions changed over time, with a decrease in the perceived success of addressing tangible research outcomes, and an increase in the perceived success of collaborative relationships in the partnership. Conclusion: Transdisciplinary partnerships can be a means of integrating research into policy and practice through knowledge exchange. An important lesson in the early stages of this partnership was to pay attention to the process and not only the outputs. The study highlights the importance of continuous participatory reflection and evaluation in such partnerships.

Conservation (In)Action: Renewing the Relevance of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves

AbstractThe research and policy landscape for biodiversity conservation is changing. Protected areas are now expected to meet a broad range of objectives including effective and equitable management. In this new landscape, organizations strive to find ways to ensure the rights of local and Indigenous peoples are respected while conservation scientists have endorsed the need for platforms for international research and practice. For 40 years, a growing international network of sites support such research and practice, yet, it has been underutilized and largely ignored by scientists and decision‐makers alike. To better understand this paradox, this article explores the evolution of the World Network of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves internationally and its application in Canada. Analysis of archived materials, a national survey of practitioners, and interviews with past and present members of Canada's national committee reveals an expanded mandate for biosphere reserves beyond conservation science and biodiversity protection. The article recommends that to support the expanded conservation agenda, biosphere reserves work with governments and conservation scientists to connect more effectively with global concerns and initiatives such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and Sustainable Development Goals; establish appropriate, reliable, and active transdisciplinary partnerships; and meaningfully engage a broader range of knowledge holders.

Presentation Number 07 - Preventing Non-Device Related Pneumonia with Comprehensive Oral Care

BACKGROUND: Non-ventilator (i.e., non-device related) hospital acquired pneumonia (NV-HAP) is an understudied disease, with substantial fiscal impacts and potential for reduction of morbidity and mortality. Because it is not required by regulatory agencies, most hospitals do not monitor NV-HAP. In 2014, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's reported that NV-HAP now represents 60% of the HAP with mortality similar to VAP. Due to the association between the oral microbiome and pneumonia, we sought to utilize transdisciplinary partnerships to determine the incidence and implement a standardized oral care protocol to reduce NV-HAP.

Presentation Number 08 - Electronic Hand Hygiene Monitoring with a Complementary Improvement Program Significantly Increases Hand Hygiene Rates

BACKGROUND: Non-ventilator (i.e., non-device related) hospital acquired pneumonia (NV-HAP) is an understudied disease, with substantial fiscal impacts and potential for reduction of morbidity andmortality. Because it is not required by regulatory agencies, most hospitals do notmonitor NV-HAP. In 2014, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s reported that NV-HAP now represents 60% of the HAP with mortality similar to VAP. Due to the association between the oral microbiome and pneumonia, we sought to utilize transdisciplinary partnerships to determine the incidence and implement a standardized oral care protocol to reduce NV-HAP. METHODS:We used a descriptive, retrospective comparative study to determine changes in oral care delivery and incidence of NV-HAP. We implemented a universal (all adult units and all perioperative patients) standardized oral care protocol from May 1, 2012 to December 31, 2014 at a 550 bed urban hospital. We computed percent of oral care delivered, NV-HAP cases/total discharges, and odds ratio of NV-HAP during the intervention period compared to the reference period. RESULTS: Implementation of a universal oral care protocol resulted in a 70% decrease in NV-HAP in the year 2014, with a 75% decrease in post-operative patients (P < .0001:OR = 0.51; 95% CI = 0.38, 0.70). Since 2012, we avoided 170 cases of NV-HAP and prevented 32 patient deaths. In addition, we saved $6.8M in costs, minus $320K for therapeutic equipment and supplies, which resulted in a return on investment of $6.48M. CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensive oral care is correlated with prevention of NV-HAP in the acute care setting. NV-HAP should be elevated to the same level of concern, attention, and effort as prevention of VAP. Infection Preventionists using a team-based, transdisciplinary approach, can take the lead in their hospital system to monitor and implement effective programs to protect their patients from NV-HAP, saving lives and dollars.

From the inside out to the outside in: Exploring the role of parks and protected areas as providers of human health and well-being

Research consistently documents positive links between human contact with nature and health and well-being. Recent work has explored the role of visitation to parks and protected areas in providing health and well-being benefits. This conceptual paper identifies the state-of-the-art research findings on this issue from an interdisciplinary perspective. The results reveal increasing understanding of the positive relationships between park and protected area visitation and the associated health and well-being benefits to the visitors. It also establishes the need for better collaboration between park and protected area and health institutions, which will require new and innovative transdisciplinary partnerships in order to better understand salient issues, realign common interests where appropriate, and effectively integrate empirical evidence into relevant policy, planning and management. Recommendations are made for specific knowledge user groups, such as policy makers, social and health professionals, protected areas professionals, and researchers, with the ultimate objective of better linking human health and well-being and protected areas policies to enhance delivery mechanisms for health promotion activities. Management Implications•Visitation to parks and protected areas plays a vital role in human health and well-being.•Public health and protected areas' agencies should collaborate more intensively.•The “Healthy Parks, Healthy People” program has become paradigmatic.•There is a need for further research on the effects of parks visitation on health.

The adaptation and implementation of a community-based participatory research curriculum to build tribal research capacity.

We studied community-based participatory research in American Indian/Alaska Native communities. We have presented a case study describing a community-clinic-academic partnership with the goal of building tribal capacity and infrastructure to conduct health disparities research. The 2-year intensive training was guided by the framework of an evidence- and community-based participatory research curriculum, adapted and implemented with practice-based data collection activities and seminars to address issues specific to community-based participatory research with sovereign tribal nations. The initiative highlighted important challenges and opportunities in transdisciplinary partnerships; identified gaps in conducting health disparities research at the tribal, clinical, and university levels; and led to important policy change initiatives in all the partner settings.

New Ways for Occupational Scientists to Tackle “Wicked Problems” Impacting Population Health

It is time for more occupational scientists to begin addressing complex socio-environmental problems, such as climate change and obesity. Such daunting problems are considered wicked as they have been defying the traditional research methods used to solve them. Therefore, occupational scientists who choose to focus on population health problems need to adopt new ways of doing research. Effective contributions to and imaginative solutions for population health require occupational scientists to develop transdisciplinary partnerships, align themselves with public health's fifth wave and new integrative model of health, and think more creatively about the future.

Developing Research Infrastructure: The Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research

This article reviews the 15 years of research development efforts of the Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research (IASWR); delineates IASWR's roles in relation to the social work practice, education, and research communities; presents the transdisciplinary and transorganizational partnerships in which IASWR engages to influence national-level policy; identifies markers that demonstrate increased capacity; and, finally, points toward opportunities for the profession to carry gains to the next level. Specifically discussed are IASWR's role in partnerships and coalitions to influence federal policy and research resource development and IASWR's leadership work in promoting evidence-based practices in social work. KEY WORDS: collaboration; evidence-based practice; infrastructure; policy development; resource development; social work research ********** The Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research (IASWR) was created in 1993 to be an infrastructure through which the profession's research capacity and knowledge development could be both strengthened and demonstrated (Zlotnik, Biegel, & Solt, 2001; Zlotnik & Solt, 2006). IASWR HISTORY Despite the dual traditions of social work research and social work practice, there have been few organized and sustained national efforts focused on developing social work researchers or building social work research resources. In 1988, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Director Lewis Judd funded the creation of the Task Force on Social Work Research (Task Force), recognizing that whereas 70% of mental health services are provided by social workers, fewer than one-half of 1% of NASW members identified their primary professional activity as research (Task Force, 1991). The Task Force met for three years and gathered input from a broad range of social workers and other stakeholders to assess the current state of social work research. The culminating report, Building Social Work Knowledge for Effective Services and Policies: A Plan for Research Development (Task Force, 1991) stated the following: There is a crisis in the current development of research resources in social work.... This has serious consequences for individuals using social work services, for professional practitioners, for the credibility of the profession, and for the American society. Billions of dollars are being spent for services to deal with critical social problems, including services provided by social workers. Extremely little is being spent on research to improve the effectiveness of such services. (p. viii) This report laid the groundwork for IASWR's creation. IASWR's founding organizations, NASW; the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE); the Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors (BPD); the National Association of Deans and Directors of Schools of Social Work (NADD); the Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education (GADE); and, in 2000, the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) made a long-term commitment to the importance of social work research for the profession and for their organizations and constituents. IASWR's mission is to advance the profession's knowledge base by building research capacity; by increasing support and opportunities for research; by promoting linkages among social work practice, research, and education communities; and by representing the profession within the national scientific community. IASWR's work follows two parallel paths: one focuses on building research capacity and research practice connections within social work, and the other focuses on advocacy and increased social work research visibility with federal agencies, with legislators, and with sister scientific societies. SUPPORTING RESEARCH AND BUILDING RESEARCH CAPACITY Building capacity within schools of social work required development of expertise in writing and reviewing federal research grants. …

Community-Based Research in India: A Case Example of International and Transdisciplinary Collaboration

While there has been a trend toward greater disciplinary collaboration over the last several decades, the emergence of the HIV pandemic has required that disciplines work more closely and creatively to generate the multiple and innovative approaches necessary to meet the demands for effective prevention and treatment. This paper describes the nature of collaborative relationships among U.S. and Indian anthropologists, psychologists, demographers, epidemiologists, physicians and representatives of other fields and sectors in conducting a large scale, multi-year HIV/STD prevention project directed toward married men in urban poor communities in Mumbai (Bombay), India. The project has challenged members of the participating disciplines to develop a transdisciplinary conceptual model, to test the model with community-based formative research and to utilize the results in the development and implementation of a multi-level (community, provider and patient) intervention. The paper describes the interaction among disciplines and international sectors in the conceptualization, methodology and community-based action components of the project. In addition, it examines both the inhibiting and facilitating factors that are a part of the collaborative process. The paper concludes with implications for future transdisciplinary partnerships.

Educating Health Professionals to Respond to Bioterrorism

In September 2003, a consortium of bioterrorism and health education experts from the University of Louisville, the University of Kentucky, the Kentucky Department for Public Health, and the Louisville Metro Health Department received funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to develop a broadly based bioterrorism education program for health professionals in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the surrounding region. This grant will fund a series of presentations tailored to the needs of professionals in medicine, dentistry, public health, nursing, behavioral medicine, allied health, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, and agriculture, providing coordinated training both on site and through distance learning technology. This article outlines the major grant-funded activities envisioned for the grant years 2003 through 2005, focusing on the use of standardized patients and computerized biosimulators, the transdisciplinary partnerships of the universities involved, and the essential collaboration provided by the state and local health departments.