Intentions and Barriers to Research Activities among Australian and New Zealand anaesthetists: A Survey

Abstract

A voluntary, anonymous, cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 997 Fellows of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, using an electronic questionnaire. Details about their demographics, employment, research experience and barriers they had encountered, their perception about research and their future intentions to participate in research, were collected. The survey response rate was 24.6%. At the time of the survey, 29% of the survey respondents were involved in research. Respondents currently involved in research were more likely to be practising at a tertiary hospital, to have previously presented at conferences, to believe in the importance of research and to intend to undertake further research training ( P <0.05). Time constraints were the most commonly cited reason for not currently performing research. Those who were involved in research spent about 6.3 more hours per week in public practice than those who were not ( P=0.012) and had about 4.4 more hours per week of non-clinical time ( P <0.001). In terms of barriers encountered during previous projects, 91% of the respondents cited methodological issues, which included complicated ethics approval processes, difficulty in coordinating teams or recruiting participants, non-compliant patients and difficulty in publishing. Sixty-three percent of those surveyed believed more exposure to research activities during training would increase the number of anaesthetists involved in research and scholarly activities. Through this survey, we have identified several areas that, if satisfactorily addressed, could enhance interest and participation in research amongst anaesthetists in Australia and New Zealand.