Browsing by Author "Barnetson, Brenda Kathleen"

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    Emergency care research in South Africa – a Delphi study
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2014-12) Barnetson, Brenda Kathleen; Van Hoving, Daniël Jacobus; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dept. of Family and Emergency Medicine. Emergency Medicine.
    ENGLISH SUMMARY : Objective: To collate and prioritize research topics from identified knowledge gaps in emergency care in South Africa. Methods: A three phasemodified Delphi study was conducted. A 10-point Likert scale determined agreement regarding the priority of the statements (consensus was achieved when >75% of participants agreed). Seventy six experts in the fields of pre-hospital medicine, emergencymedicine, acute care nursing and policy making were invited to participate. Phase 1 focused on identifying research topics, phase 2 prioritizing topics and phase 3 identifying the best study designs for each topic. Results: Three hundred and fifty research questions, received from 31 (40.8%) participants, were collated into 123 statements. Consensus was achieved for 39 statements as research priorities. Statements were grouped into three sub-categories (pre-hospital, clinical emergency care, and general safety and systems) as some participants were only experts in a specific field. After achieving consensus for ranking the topics in order of importance, the top research priorities that emerged in each subcategory were i) pre-hospital interventions that improve outcomes, ii) determining and improving competence in life-saving skills, and iii) quality improvement in emergency care. In phase 3, consensus was reached on the most appropriate study design in 25 of the ranked topics. Conclusions: The study resulted in a comprehensive prioritized list of research topics that should guide future researchers to decrease the existing knowledge gap in emergency care in South Africa. It will simultaneously prevent duplication and should ensure that resources are allocated to themost important local issues in emergency care.
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    Emergency care research priorities in South Africa
    (Health & Medical Publishing Group, 2015) Van Hoving, Daniël Jacobus; Barnetson, Brenda Kathleen; Wallis, Lee Allen
    ENGLISH SUMMARY : Background. Emergency care research is rarely undertaken in low- and middle-income countries. A manageable ‘road map’ for research in South African (SA) emergency care is needed to address research gaps. Objective. To identify, collate and prioritise research topics from identified knowledge gaps in emergency care in SA. Methods. Seventy-six individuals were invited to participate in a modified Delphi study. Participants were requested to suggest important research topics before rating them. Consensus was achieved when >75% of participants strongly agreed or disagreed. Participants then ranked the agreed statements before selecting the most appropriate methodology relating to study design, funding and collaboration. Results. Three hundred and fifty topics were suggested by 31 participants. Topics were collated into 123 statements before participants rated them. Consensus was achieved for 39 statements. The highest-ranked priority in the prehospital group was to determine which prehospital interventions improve outcomes in critically ill patients. The competence of emergency care providers in performing common lifesaving skills was deemed the most important in clinical emergency care. Implementing and reviewing quality improvement systems scored the highest under general systems and safety management. Only 22 statements achieved consensus regarding study design. The National Department of Health was the preferred funding source, while private organisations and emergency care societies were identified as possible collaborative partners. Conclusion. This study provides expert consensus on priority research areas in emergency care in SA as a guide for emergency care providers to ensure evidence-based care that is relevant to the SA population.