The way forward for health research involves more inclusive connections to a broader range of research partners – especially regarding ageing and aged care – and Flinders University’s Caring Futures Institute is leading the way with innovative approaches to Knowledge Translation of key research outcomes.
“We have a particular approach to Integrated Knowledge Translation, which is really about working in a very engaged way throughout the research process with the people who we ultimately want to use that research,” explains Professor Gillian Harvey, who leads the Knowledge Translation platform within the Caring Futures Institute.
“Historically, Knowledge Translation was something that researchers focused on at the end of a project. At CFI, we flip that notion on its head. It should actually begin from the moment you first think about what research questions need to be asked.
“By working from the outset of research projects with the people who we want to see using that research – whether that is industry, government departments, patients or the general public – CFI researchers have achieved great results. This is how we best understand the problems that need to form the focus of that research.”
CFI researchers achieve this by drawing on their rich experience in consumer engagement, working with people who have lived experience, and working in partnership with clinicians, health care managers and policy makers, so that the research becomes a highly collaborative process.
Professor Harvey says the introduction of CFI joint-appointees has been very beneficial to bolster these productive collaborations, as these appointees have connections within the university and also in industry settings, such as the Local Health Networks, Primary Health Network and SA Health.
“Working in this inclusive way enables researchers to reach across boundaries, and achieve more impactful results,” says Professor Harvey.
While this may seem like obvious logic, adopting such Integrated Knowledge Translation methods requires a significant shift within some research areas.
“It’s becoming more common because funding bodies certainly want to see these types of collaborations, because they want to see impact from research,” says Professor Harvey.
To help promote this approach, researchers from CFI are in the final stages of preparing a book – Doing Knowledge Translation: Real World Strategies and Lessons Learned – that has been developed as a road map for researchers.
“It’s a necessary resource, because we’ve all seen too much ineffective research in the past. It’s estimated that only 60% of research ever finds its way into policy and practise – and that has partly been due to not making the right connections.
“It may seem an obvious solution to do the type of Integrated Knowledge Translation that we are highlighting, but many researchers have not been trained to think this way. Most have been trained to do their research and disseminate it through having it published in a journal, and if they’re lucky, people will read it.
“We have to remember that research evidence is not self-implementing. It requires effective processes if it is going to be implemented in a timely and efficient way.
“To ensure that as much research as possible does actually make a difference, it requires a significant rethinking about how we approach the whole knowledge translation process.”
The book, which is expected to be released in early 2026, will be targeted to early-career and mid-career researchers and clinical academics who want to develop their knowledge, skills and capacity in knowledge translation.
The CFI team will also use the book contents to create their own learning materials that can be used in teaching programs and short courses.
“It’s not a declaration that we’ve totally solved the problem, but instead we illustrate how we have gone about trying this alternative, more inclusive approach to knowledge translation,” explains Professor Harvey.
“The book outlines very practical steps that researchers need to take, starting with clear identification of who the end users of the research are, and then figuring out how to engage with them from the outset. It addresses key questions, such as: How do you work with consumers and other stakeholders? How do you use co-design methods? How do you select relevant methods to implement research findings, and how do you evaluate the effects of your knowledge translation efforts?”
CFI is leading by example with impressive co-design of research projects, for example, in areas of intellectual disability and stroke rehabilitation – and increasingly in ageing and aged care.
“It casts a totally different lens over the research, introducing something that a researcher might never consider to be a significant problem or something that needs attention. People who live with the situation every day bring clarity to the work, so that the research outcomes can make a significant difference.”
For more information about the Caring Futures Institute Knowledge Translation team, read more.