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Improving allied health professionals' research implementation behaviours for children with cerebral palsy: protocol
Christine Imms1,2, Iona Novak3,4, Claire Kerr5
1Australian Catholic University, 17 Young Street, Fitzroy, Melbourne, 3065, Australia. christine.imms@acu.edu.au.
Insights
This study evaluated a multi-strategy intervention to improve research implementation among allied health professionals caring for children with cerebral palsy. The findings will inform evidence-based practices and resource allocation for better child health outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Rehabilitation
- Evidence-Based Practice Implementation
- Child Neurology
Background:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) is a common childhood physical disability affecting posture and movement, often accompanied by other health issues.
- Effective, evidence-informed care is crucial for individuals with CP, yet research findings are often slow to integrate into clinical practice.
- Accessing and adopting new research is a significant challenge for allied health professionals (AHPs) working with children with CP.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a multi-strategy intervention designed to enhance research implementation among AHPs caring for children with CP.
- To determine if routine clinical assessment using evidence-based measures can improve health outcomes for children with CP.
- To provide knowledge on efficient, evidence-informed services and allied health interventions for CP.
Main Methods:
- A 3-year before and after study design was employed across four Australian organizations, with a fifth as a comparison site.
- The intervention included knowledge brokering, an online research library, tailored training, and routine use of evidence-based measures for children aged 3-18 years.
- Effectiveness was assessed via AHP questionnaires at multiple time points and monitoring of evidence-based measure use; children's outcomes were evaluated through longitudinal analyses.
Main Results:
- Data on the effectiveness of the intervention on research implementation and children's health outcomes are currently being collected and analyzed.
- The study monitors the extent of use of evidence-based measures by allied health professionals.
- Longitudinal analyses are being conducted to evaluate the impact on children's health outcomes.
Conclusions:
- The study will provide valuable insights into effective strategies for implementing evidence-based practices in pediatric cerebral palsy care.
- Findings will inform policy, resource allocation, and clinical decision-making for improving services for children with cerebral palsy.
- This research contributes to understanding efficient, evidence-informed allied health interventions for children with cerebral palsy.
Background:
Cerebral palsy is a permanent disorder of posture and movement caused by disturbances in the developing brain. It affects approximately 1 in every 500 children in developed countries and is the most common form of childhood physical disability. People with cerebral palsy may also have problems with speech, vision and hearing, intellectual difficulties and epilepsy. Health and therapy services are frequently required throughout life, and this care should be effective and evidence informed; however, accessing and adopting new research findings into day-to-day clinical practice is often delayed.
Methods/Design:
This 3-year study employs a before and after design to evaluate if a multi-strategy intervention can improve research implementation among allied health professionals (AHPs) who work with children and young people with cerebral palsy and to establish if children's health outcomes can be improved by routine clinical assessment. The intervention comprises (1) knowledge brokering with AHPs, (2) access to an online research evidence library, (3) provision of negotiated evidence-based training and education, and (4) routine use of evidence-based measures with children and young people aged 3-18 years with cerebral palsy. The study is being implemented in four organisations, with a fifth organisation acting as a comparison site, across four Australian states. Effectiveness will be assessed using questionnaires completed by AHPs at baseline, 6, 12 and 24 months, and by monitoring the extent of use of evidence-based measures. Children's health outcomes will be evaluated by longitudinal analyses.
Discussion:
Government, policy makers and service providers all seek evidence-based information to support decision-making about how to distribute scarce resources, and families are seeking information to support intervention choices. This study will provide knowledge about what constitutes an efficient, evidence-informed service and which allied health interventions are implemented for children with cerebral palsy.
Trial Registration:
Trial is not a controlled healthcare intervention and is not registered.
