Transdisciplinarity among tobacco harm-reduction researchers: a network analytic approach

Progress in tobacco control and other areas of health research is thought to be heavily influenced by the extent to which researchers are able to work with each other not only within, but also across disciplines. This study provides an examination of the extent to which researchers in the area of tobacco harm reduction work together. Specifically, data were collected in 2005 from a national group of 67 top tobacco-control researchers from eight broadly defined disciplines representing 17 areas of expertise. Network analysis was utilized to examine the extent to which these researchers were engaged in research that was interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary, based on the outcome or product attained. Findings revealed that interdisciplinary network ties were much denser than transdisciplinary ties, but researchers in some disciplines were more likely to work across disciplines than others, especially when synergistic outcomes resulted. The study demonstrates for the first time how tobacco-control researchers work together, providing direction for policy officials seeking to encourage greater transdisciplinarity. The study also demonstrates the value of network-analysis methods for understanding research relationships in one important area of health care.