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Priorities for child health research across the UK and Ireland
Katrina Cathie1,2, Alastair G Sutcliffe3, Srini Bandi4
1NIHR Southampton Clinical Research Facility, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK k.cathie@soton.ac.uk.
Insights
General paediatricians in the UK and Ireland identified key research priorities for child health. Top priorities include asthma, bronchiolitis, and acute wheeze, alongside diagnosis and management of common childhood conditions.
Area of Science:
- Paediatric Research
- Child Health Management
- Clinical Prioritisation
Background:
- The General and Adolescent Paediatric Research Network in the UK and Ireland (GAPRUKI) was established in 2016.
- GAPRUKI aims to unite general paediatricians, develop research ideas, and facilitate multicentre research delivery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a research prioritisation exercise among general paediatricians in the UK and Ireland.
- To identify and rank the most critical areas for future paediatric research.
Main Methods:
- A four-phase modified Delphi survey was employed.
- The study involved member surveys, scoring of research priorities, and refinement through face-to-face meetings.
- The Hanlon Prioritisation Process was used in the final stage to agree on highest-priority research areas.
Main Results:
- Phase one received 250 research questions from 61 GAPRUKI members.
- 14 research priorities were identified and ranked, with the top four focusing on respiratory conditions: asthma, bronchiolitis, and acute wheeze.
- Other key priorities included diagnosis/management of constipation, urinary tract infections, fever, gastro-oesophageal reflux, and new models of care for general paediatric clinics.
Conclusions:
- A robust methodology successfully identified key research priorities for child health in the UK and Ireland.
- Future research studies need to be designed and funded to address these identified priorities.
Background:
The General and Adolescent Paediatric Research Network in the UK and Ireland (GAPRUKI) was established in 2016. The aims of GAPRUKI are to unite general paediatricians around the UK and Ireland, to develop research ideas and protocols, and facilitate delivery of multicentre research.
Objectives:
To undertake a research prioritisation exercise among UK and Ireland general paediatricians.
Methods:
This was a four-phase study using a modified Delphi survey. The first phase asked for suggested research priorities. The second phase developed ideas and ranked them in priority. In the third phase, priorities were refined; and the final stage used the Hanlon Prioritisation Process to agree on the highest priorities.
Results:
In phase one, there were 250 questions submitted by 61 GAPRUKI members (66% of the whole membership). For phase two, 92 priorities were scored by 62 members and the mean Likert scale (1-7) scores ranged from 3.13 to 5.77. In a face-to-face meeting (phases three and four), 17 research questions were identified and ultimately 14 priorities were identified and ranked. The four priorities with the highest ranking focused on these three respiratory conditions: asthma, bronchiolitis and acute wheeze. Other priorities were in the diagnosis or management of constipation, urinary tract infection, fever, gastro-oesophageal reflux and also new models of care for scheduled general paediatric clinics.
Conclusion:
Research priorities for child health in the UK and Ireland have been identified using a robust methodology. The next steps are for studies to be designed and funded to address these priorities.
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