Needs led research: ensuring relevant research in two PhD projects within maternity care

Area of Science:

• Maternal Health Research
• Evidence-Based Practice
• Research Methodology

Background:

• Growing concern over research waste and misalignment with knowledge user needs.
• The Needs Led Research (NLR) approach aims to address evidence gaps relevant to knowledge users.
• NLR involves literature review and knowledge user collaboration to identify and prioritize research needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe and compare the implementation of the NLR approach in two PhD projects within maternity care.
• To identify and address challenges encountered during NLR implementation.
• To provide insights for future NLR initiatives in health research.

Main Methods:

• The NLR process involved four phases: scope definition, needs identification/verification, prioritization, and project design.
• Literature searches and knowledge user involvement (groups and surveys) were key components.
• Two PhD projects focused on labor induction (NLR-LINO) and fetal monitoring in low-risk deliveries (NLR-LISTEN).

Main Results:

• NLR-LINO identified 17 verified research needs, with 10 rated "very important" by 322 respondents. Project aim: investigate outpatient labor induction benefits.
• NLR-LISTEN identified 7 verified research needs, prioritized by 466 respondents. Project aim: evaluate fetal monitoring in low-risk deliveries and adherence to guidelines.
• Both projects successfully defined research aims based on identified and verified evidence gaps relevant to knowledge users.

Conclusions:

• The Needs Led Research (NLR) approach is a viable method for prioritizing research needs.
• The initial scope significantly impacts subsequent NLR phases, underscoring the need for pragmatic decision-making.
• Successful NLR implementation necessitates dedicated resources, additional time, and appropriate training, especially within academic projects.