Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29149915›Full record

Observational studyTrials2017

Quality of intervention delivery in a cluster randomised controlled trial: a qualitative observational study with lessons for fidelity.

Karen James, Alan Quirk, Sue Patterson, Geoff Brennan, Duncan Stewart

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in Trials, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 18 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
18citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

18 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Trial
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Exploring the Safewards Programme to Reduce Restrictive Practices in Residential Aged Care: Protocol for a Pilot and Feasibility Study.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2024
    Article
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Exploring factors that influence success when introducing "The Safewards Model" to an acute adolescent ward: A qualitative study of staff perceptions.Journal of child and adolescent psychiatric nursing : official publication of the Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nurses, Inc · 2022
    Article
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Karen JamesKingston University and St George's University of London, Joint Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education, Grosvenor Wing, Cranmer Terrace, London, SW17 ORE, UK. k.james@sgul.kingston.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1484-7731
Alan QuirkRoyal College of Psychiatrists, College Centre for Quality Improvement, 21 Prescot Street, London, E1 8BB, UK.
Sue PattersonMetro North Mental Health and Griffith University, Herston, QLD, 4029, Australia.
Geoff BrennanStar Wards, 63 Highgate High Street, London, N6 5JX, UK.
Duncan StewartMental Health and Addiction Research Group, University of York, ARRC Building, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK.

Funding

Department of Health RP-PG-0707-10081Programme Grants for Applied Research RP-PG-0707-10081
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundUnderstanding intervention fidelity is an essential part of the evaluation of complex interventions because fidelity not only affects the validity of trial findings, but also because studies of fidelity can be used to identify barriers and facilitators to successful implementation, and so provide important information about factors likely to impact the uptake of the intervention into clinical practice. Participant observation methods have been identified as being particularly valuable in studies of fidelity, yet are rarely used. This study aimed to use these methods to explore the quality of implementation of a complex intervention (Safewards) on mental health wards during a cluster randomised controlled trial. Specific aims were firstly to describe the different ways in which the intervention was implemented, and secondly to explore the contextual factors moderating the quality of intervention delivery, in order to inform 'real world' implementation of the intervention.

methodsSafewards was implemented on 16 mental health wards in England. We used Research Assistants (RAs) trained in participant observation to record qualitative observational data on the quality of intervention delivery (n = 565 observations). At the end of the trial, two focus groups were conducted with RAs, which were used to develop the coding framework. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.

resultsThere was substantial variation in intervention delivery between wards. We observed modifications to the intervention which were both fidelity consistent and inconsistent, and could enhance or dilute the intervention effects. We used these data to develop a typology which describes the different ways in which the intervention was delivered. This typology could be used as a tool to collect qualitative observational data about fidelity during trials. Moderators of Safewards implementation included systemic, interpersonal, and individual factors and patient responses to the intervention.

conclusionsOur study demonstrates how, with appropriate training in participant observation, RAs can collect high-quality observational data about the quality of intervention delivery during a trial, giving a more complete picture of 'fidelity' than measurements of adherence alone.

trial registrationISRCTN registry; IRSCTN38001825 . Registered 29 August 2012.

Indexed as

HumansQualitative ResearchRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicFidelityImplementationInpatientMental health nursingParticipant observationParticipant responsivenessProcess evaluationQualitativeRandomised controlled trialSafewards

Identifiers

PMID29149915
PMCPMC5693543

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.