A factor analytic study of midwives' attitudes to research

Midwives are increasingly being encouraged to undertake research activities at various levels, as a routine part of their job. However, despite topdown directives to this end, there is some evidence that relatively little research is published and reasons, such as lack of time, confidence and skill have been put forward to explain the short-fall. While these reasons may be valid obstacles, it is also conceivable that they are manifestations of a set of underlying attitudes to research in midwifery. If attitudes are assumed to be predictors of behaviour, then it may be relevant to study midwives' attitudes to research more closely in order to identify whether these are responsible in some measure for the short-fall in research output. To this end, a national survey of 397 midwives was undertaken to establish their attitudes to research. The results were subjected to factor analysis, using an orthogonal solution, in order to establish whether any coherent source components existed in the sample's attitude responses. The factor analysis yielded four coherent factors, which were (i) other health care professionals' views of the value of midwifery research; (ii) the value of research for midwifery practice; (iii) the research role of the midwife; (iv) midwives' competence to carry out research. On further analysis the first two factors were also found to be significantly related to midwives' likelihood of undertaking research and publishing research findings. These factors could form the basis for future attitude change and staff development and training programmes as a means by which midwifery research output could be increased.