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A transdisciplinary approach to protocol development for tobacco control research: a case study.
Melissa A Clark1, Michelle L Rogers, Julie Boergers
1Department of Epidemiology, Program in Public Health, Brown University, Providence, RI USA ; Center for Population Health and Clinical Epidemiology, Program in Public Health, Brown University, 121S. Main Street, 6th Floor, Providence, RI 02912 USA.
Developing transdisciplinary research requires significant effort but enables diverse scientific teams to create shared data collection tools. This approach is vital for tackling complex lifestyle risk factors.
Area of Science:
- Transdisciplinary research
- Team science
- Lifestyle risk factors
Background:
- Increasing complexity of lifestyle risk factors necessitates collaborative scientific approaches.
- Limited documentation exists on the practical process of conducting team science from investigators' perspectives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the experience of developing and implementing data collection protocols using transdisciplinary science principles.
- To document the process of team science from the viewpoint of those engaged in it.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a two-phase process within the New England Family Study Transdisciplinary Tobacco Use Research Center, a 10-year collaboration.
- Involved over 85 investigators from 20+ disciplines and 50+ research staff.
- All personnel participated in developing and testing 160 data collection instruments.
Main Results:
- Successfully developed and implemented 160 instruments through collaborative effort.
- Conducted 4,378 assessments with 3,501 participants using the developed instruments.
- Demonstrated the feasibility of building a cohesive scientific team from diverse backgrounds.
Conclusions:
- It is possible to establish a diverse scientific team capable of developing shared instruments with a unified conceptual approach.
- Transdisciplinary science principles can guide the creation of robust data collection tools, even with initially limited collaboration experience.
- Substantial effort can lead to successful team science outcomes in complex research areas.
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