[Research Designs and Collaboration within the Dutch Academic Research Networks for Long-Term Care: January...

The six Academic Research Networks for Long-Term Care (SANO) in the Netherlands link research and clinical practice to improve the quality of care and quality of life for vulnerable older people and their relatives. This study provides an overview of study designs used in SANO publications (2012-2024), and examines settings, collaborations, and inclusion of people with dementia.

A systematic synthesis of literature was conducted of long-term care studies within SANO. Six databases were searched (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Emcare, PsycINFO). Studies were included when at least one of the 14 professors of SANO was (co-)author and if the study was published between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2023.

Of the 1,567 identified manuscripts, 639 were included. Quantitative research designs were most prevalent (60.7%), followed by qualitative (20.0%), reviews (10.0%), and mixed methods (9.1%) approaches. Most studies involved one network (69.0%), although collaborations between multiple networks (31.0%) and international collaborations (32.6%) were also common. The majority focused on nursing homes (80%) and included participants with dementia (93.6%).

In SANO publications on long-term care (2012-2024), quantitative designs remained dominant, while qualitative and mixed-methods approaches were more frequently used in recent years. These findings point to methodological broadening within the SANO networks.