Exploring how to sustain ‘place-based’ rural health academic research for informing rural health systems: a qualitative investigation
Abstract Background The field of rural health research is critical for informing health improvement in rural places but it involves researching in small teams and distributed sites that may have specific sustainability challenges. We aimed to evaluate this to inform how to sustain the field of rural...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2020-08-01
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| Series: | Health Research Policy and Systems |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12961-020-00608-7 |
| _version_ | 1818276404066779136 |
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| author | Belinda O’Sullivan Alice Cairns Tiana Gurney |
| author_facet | Belinda O’Sullivan Alice Cairns Tiana Gurney |
| author_sort | Belinda O’Sullivan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The field of rural health research is critical for informing health improvement in rural places but it involves researching in small teams and distributed sites that may have specific sustainability challenges. We aimed to evaluate this to inform how to sustain the field of rural health research. Methods We conducted In-depth semi-structured interviews of 50-70 minutes with 17 rural early career researchers who were from different research sites across rural Australia. Data were thematically coded. Results Seven sustainability challenges were noted, namely recognition, workload, networks, funding and strategic grants, organisational culture, job security, and career progression options. Rural researchers were poorly recognised for their work and researchers were not extended the same opportunities enjoyed by staff at main campuses. Unpredictable and high workloads stemmed from community demand and limited staff. Strategic grant opportunities failed to target the generalist, complex research in this field and the limited time researchers had for grant writing due to their demands within small academic teams. Limited collaboration with other sites increased dissatisfaction. In the face of strong commitment to rural ‘places’ and their enthusiasm for improving rural health, fixed-term contracts and limited career progression options were problematic for researchers and their families in continuing in these roles. Conclusion A comprehensive set of strategies is needed to address the sustainability of this field, recognising its value for rural self-determination and health equity. Hubs and networks could enable more cohesively planned, collaborative research, skills sharing, senior academic supervision and career development. Targeted funding, fit to the context and purpose of this field, is urgent. Inaction may fuel regular turnover, starting after a researcher’s first years, losing rich academic theoretical and contextual knowledge that is essential to address the health of rural populations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T22:45:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ed081ee579ef449f93a61d07ef970ffe |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1478-4505 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T22:45:06Z |
| publishDate | 2020-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Research Policy and Systems |
| spelling | doaj.art-ed081ee579ef449f93a61d07ef970ffe2022-12-22T00:09:14ZengBMCHealth Research Policy and Systems1478-45052020-08-0118111410.1186/s12961-020-00608-7Exploring how to sustain ‘place-based’ rural health academic research for informing rural health systems: a qualitative investigationBelinda O’Sullivan0Alice Cairns1Tiana Gurney2The University of Queensland Rural Clinical SchoolCentre for Rural & Remote Health, James Cook UniversityThe University of Queensland Rural Clinical SchoolAbstract Background The field of rural health research is critical for informing health improvement in rural places but it involves researching in small teams and distributed sites that may have specific sustainability challenges. We aimed to evaluate this to inform how to sustain the field of rural health research. Methods We conducted In-depth semi-structured interviews of 50-70 minutes with 17 rural early career researchers who were from different research sites across rural Australia. Data were thematically coded. Results Seven sustainability challenges were noted, namely recognition, workload, networks, funding and strategic grants, organisational culture, job security, and career progression options. Rural researchers were poorly recognised for their work and researchers were not extended the same opportunities enjoyed by staff at main campuses. Unpredictable and high workloads stemmed from community demand and limited staff. Strategic grant opportunities failed to target the generalist, complex research in this field and the limited time researchers had for grant writing due to their demands within small academic teams. Limited collaboration with other sites increased dissatisfaction. In the face of strong commitment to rural ‘places’ and their enthusiasm for improving rural health, fixed-term contracts and limited career progression options were problematic for researchers and their families in continuing in these roles. Conclusion A comprehensive set of strategies is needed to address the sustainability of this field, recognising its value for rural self-determination and health equity. Hubs and networks could enable more cohesively planned, collaborative research, skills sharing, senior academic supervision and career development. Targeted funding, fit to the context and purpose of this field, is urgent. Inaction may fuel regular turnover, starting after a researcher’s first years, losing rich academic theoretical and contextual knowledge that is essential to address the health of rural populations.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12961-020-00608-7Rural health researchPlace-basedCapacity-buildingSustainabilityTurnover |
| spellingShingle | Belinda O’Sullivan Alice Cairns Tiana Gurney Exploring how to sustain ‘place-based’ rural health academic research for informing rural health systems: a qualitative investigation Health Research Policy and Systems Rural health research Place-based Capacity-building Sustainability Turnover |
| title | Exploring how to sustain ‘place-based’ rural health academic research for informing rural health systems: a qualitative investigation |
| title_full | Exploring how to sustain ‘place-based’ rural health academic research for informing rural health systems: a qualitative investigation |
| title_fullStr | Exploring how to sustain ‘place-based’ rural health academic research for informing rural health systems: a qualitative investigation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring how to sustain ‘place-based’ rural health academic research for informing rural health systems: a qualitative investigation |
| title_short | Exploring how to sustain ‘place-based’ rural health academic research for informing rural health systems: a qualitative investigation |
| title_sort | exploring how to sustain place based rural health academic research for informing rural health systems a qualitative investigation |
| topic | Rural health research Place-based Capacity-building Sustainability Turnover |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12961-020-00608-7 |
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