| Abstrakt: |
Background: There has been a growing concern regarding research waste and the mismatch between conducted research and the research needs of knowledge users. The Needs Led Research (NLR) approach is proposed as an effective method to ensure that research address actual evidence gaps that are relevant to the users of the knowledge. By search and reviewing literature and involving knowledge users, NLR aims to identify, verify, and prioritize research needs. This paper describes and compares the implementation of the NLR approach in two separate PhD projects within maternity care, and addresses the challenges encountered throughout the processes, aiming to offer valuable insights for future NLR initiatives. Methods: The NLR processes consisted of four phases: (1) defining the scope (2) identifying and verifying research needs (3) prioritizing research needs and (4) designing the PhD projects. Literature searches were conducted during Phase 2, while knowledge user involvement took place in Phases 2 and 3. The knowledge user involvement, at a co-thinker and advocatory level, included knowledge user groups and surveys. Project groups, who were responsible for all decision-making, conducted Phases 1 and 4. The scopes of the PhD projects were labor induction (NLR-LINO) and fetal monitoring in low-risk deliveries (NLR-LISTEN). Results: In NLR-LINO, 17 research needs were identified and verified as actual evidence gaps relevant for the knowledge users. Among these, ten were rated as "very important" by a majority of the 322 survey respondents. The aim of the PhD LINO project was defined as "To investigate whether outpatient induction of labor is beneficial in a Norwegian setting." In NLR-LISTEN, seven research needs were identified and verified as actual evidence gaps relevant for the knowledge users. These were prioritized by 466 survey respondents, and the aim of the PhD LISTEN project was defined as "To investigate the methods used for fetal monitoring in low-risk deliveries in Norway and evaluate adherence to evidence-based practice while also exploring potential reasons for any deviations." Conclusions: This paper shows that the NLR is a viable approach for prioritizing research. The findings highlight the impact of the initial scope on subsequent phases and emphasize the importance of pragmatic decision-making throughout the process. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that NLR requires dedicated resources, and if integrated into PhD projects, additional time and training should be allocated accordingly. Plain English summary: This paper addresses the issue of research waste and the mismatch between conducted research and the actual needs of the users of the knowledge. The Needs Led Research (NLR) approach is proposed as an effective method for identifying and prioritizing research needs that are relevant to knowledge users and have not been adequately addressed by existing research. The paper specifically examines the implementation of the NLR approach in two separate PhD projects within the field of maternity care, aiming to provide valuable insights for future NLR initiatives. The NLR process consists of four phases: defining the scope, identifying and verifying research needs, prioritizing those needs, and designing the PhD projects. Literature searches were conducted during Phase 2 to identify existing evidence gaps in the research literature. Knowledge users were involved in both the identification and prioritization of research needs in Phases 2 and 3 through surveys and group discussions. In conclusion, this paper shows that NLR is a viable approach for prioritizing research and ensuring its relevance to the users of the knowledge. It emphasizes the importance of defining a clear scope and making pragmatic decisions throughout the process. However, it also highlights the need for dedicated resources and additional time and training when integrating the NLR approach into PhD projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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