خلاصة:
Research centres have been always trying to promote their knowledge translation activities. Thus, understanding the status of knowledge translation in research centres is of high importance. The aim of this study was to investigate the status of knowledge translation in Iranian medical research centres to identify their weaknesses and strengths. This was a cross-sectional and descriptive study. To collect the data, we used a self-assessment tool which consisted of four domains: “research question”, “knowledge production”, “knowledge transfer”, and “the use of evidence”. Data was analyzed using SPSS and descriptive statistics. The mean score of “knowledge translation” in the studied research centres was 3.21 (SD= 0.69, Median= 3.29). “Knowledge production” obtained the highest score (M= of 3.6, SD= 0.72), followed by “knowledge transfer” (M=3.16, SD =0.76), “research question” (M=3.09, SD= 0.73), and “the use of evidence” (M= 2.95, SD= 0.98). Medical research centres had a proper situation in all aspects of knowledge translation. However, they should try to identify and prioritize the research questions of stakeholders and target groups by making more efficient relationship with them. They should also prepare appropriate reports of research results and should consider enough budgets for disseminating the reports among target groups and healthcare decision makers in order to allow them understand the actionable message of research results.
ملخص الجهاز:
A number of studies have examined the status of knowledge management and translation in kanian research centres (Akhavan, Hosnavi, & Sanjaghi, 2009; Gholami et al.
This study aims to answer to the following questions: 1) Do kanian medical research centres identify decision makers' research needs and convert them into research questions?, 2) Do Lanian medical research centres produce useful evidence for decision making?, 3) Do Lanian medical research centres have appropriate means for disseminating the organization's research results to their target audiences?, and 4) Do Lanian medical research centres help decision makers utilize research results better?
The medical research centres in our study, were good in identifying decision makers' research needs and converting them into research questions, producing useful evidence for decision making, disseminating the organization's research results to their target audiences, and promoting the use of evidence.
Regarding the mean score of each domain of knowledge translation, “knowledge production” had the best situation in research centres followed by, “knowledge transfer”, “research question” and “the use of evidence”, respectively.
In contrast to our findings, some studies have shown that Lanian medical research centres specifically those affiliated to TUMS were unfavourable in knowledge translation and an urgent need for intervention was required (Gholami et al.
Promoting knowledge translation and the use of evidence in the health system of developing countries can be facilitated through establishing successful knowledge networks which can manage efforts made by health research centres (Yazdizadeh, Majdzadeh, Alami, & Amrolalaei, 2014).