Spring, Hannah ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9836-2795 (2013) The barriers to and priorities for research development in health librarianship. Doctoral thesis, University of Leeds.

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Abstract

Introduction: The process of evidence-based librarianship is fundamentally associated with the generation and use of evidence in practice. A considerable number of factors have meant the evidence base in health librarianship is slow to populate, and that much of the evidence lacks rigour. To date, there have been no studies that examine issues of research engagement exclusively within the context of health librarianship. This thesis set out to answer the question, what are the barriers to and priorities for research engagement in health librarianship? Methodology: Three literature reviews were conducted, the first was a critical review of research within health care and health librarianship, whilst the second and third respectively reviewed the use of focus groups and surveys to investigate research engagement in health librarianship. These were followed by the conducting of a focus group and a national survey. Both studies included representatives from different disciplines of health librarianship. The focus group aimed to gain consensus on aspects associated with research in health librarianship and inform development of the survey. The survey aimed to gain a national picture of research engagement and clarify the barriers to and priorities for research development as perceived by health librarians. Results: The focus group reached consensus on five key barriers and five key priorities to research engagement in health librarians. The survey returned 316 usable responses and analysis revealed no relationship between the research related training and levels of research experience. The perceived importance health librarians place on their role in terms of developing research skills and evidence based practice was not found to be related to either research experience or research training. The survey also revealed perceptions of research in health librarianship are linked to a number of other factors including a diverse understanding of what research is. Conclusion: This is the first and largest study of its kind to explore research development and engagement specifically in health librarianship. The study provides a new definition of research and identifies key barriers and priorities for research in health librarianship. It also provides recommendations that should benefit the health librarian community by supporting the strategic development of research.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Status:	Unpublished
School/Department:	School of Science, Technology and Health
URI:	https://ray.yorksj.ac.uk/id/eprint/7659

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