# Research Capacity and Culture Development in a Small Rural Health Service

## TL;DR

This study shows that integrating research into a small rural health service in Australia improved organizational and team-level research culture over time, but not individual skills.

## Contribution

The study provides empirical evidence on the impact of embedding research into rural health service structures on research capacity and culture.

## Key findings

- Improvements were observed in 11 out of 18 organizational-level research capacity and culture measures.
- Team-level improvements were seen in 6 out of 19 measures, but no individual-level improvements were found.
- Strategies like embedded research units and external partnerships may enhance research culture in rural settings.

## Abstract

This study aimed to measure changes in staff perceptions of research capacity and culture in a small rural health service in Australia over time.

Staff completed the Research Capacity and Culture Tool, a valid and reliable survey that measures individuals' perceptions of their own research capacity and the research capacity and culture of their team and organisation. Data from 2015 was compared to 2023, following significant changes at the health service that focused on integrating research into the organisational structure.

This was a repeated cross‐sectional study in which data were collected from different individuals.

Data were collected from a rural health service in Victoria (Modified Monash Model 4–5).

All staff working in the health service were invited to complete the survey.

Research Capacity and Culture Tool.

Results demonstrated improvements in eleven out of eighteen measures of research capacity and culture at the organisation level, six out of nineteen measures at the team level, but none at the individual level. Median improvements were modest, typically two points on the 10‐point scale.

Integrating research into the health service organisation structure may be beneficial for its research capacity and culture.

Strategies such as having an embedded research unit, local research policies, and strong external research partnerships might improve research capacity and culture in rural health service settings.Research units embedded in health services may be beneficial for improving organisational and team level research culture and capacity, but individual research skills may require additional strategies to build over time.

Strategies such as having an embedded research unit, local research policies, and strong external research partnerships might improve research capacity and culture in rural health service settings.

Research units embedded in health services may be beneficial for improving organisational and team level research culture and capacity, but individual research skills may require additional strategies to build over time.

High levels of research capacity and a strong research culture are associated with better patient outcomes and staff satisfaction in health services.Improving research capacity and culture in rural health services is difficult due to the unique challenges, such as workforce fragmentation and shortages, and limited research infrastructure.It is important to monitor and measure research capacity and culture periodically to capture evolving health service research culture and the effectiveness of any programs.

High levels of research capacity and a strong research culture are associated with better patient outcomes and staff satisfaction in health services.

Improving research capacity and culture in rural health services is difficult due to the unique challenges, such as workforce fragmentation and shortages, and limited research infrastructure.

It is important to monitor and measure research capacity and culture periodically to capture evolving health service research culture and the effectiveness of any programs.