The Double-Edged Sword of Translational Research: Stakeholder Perspectives of the Enablers and Challenges...

To explore the translational research processes that emerged at the early phase of the implementation of telehealth-delivered family-based therapy (FBT) for young people with anorexia nervosa (AN) attending Australian rural health services.

Commencing mid-2019, five rural health districts across New South Wales (NSW) participated in the study.

Nine stakeholders, including study coordinators, clinicians and eating disorder coordinators, participated in a semi-structured interview during the early implementation of telehealth-delivered FBT.

Inductive thematic analysis methodology was used to identify key research factors that enabled and challenged the implementation.

The translational research improved patient access to evidence-based care, afforded health services access to clinical expertise, workforce training and supervision and assisted with meeting government directives of improving care pathways. However, the study and intervention implementation were challenged by research-related factors, including ethical and clinical dilemmas, the burden of stakeholders holding multiple roles and general challenges associated with integrating research into non-academic health services.

To optimise implementation and to bridge the access gaps particularly felt by rural families and health settings, translational studies ought to consider the enablers and challenges identified by the stakeholders.

ACTRN12620001107910.