Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34844605›Full record

Trial reportBMC health services research2021

Process evaluation of a cluster randomised controlled trial to improve bronchiolitis management - a PREDICT mixed-methods study.

Libby Haskell, Emma J Tavender, Sharon O'Brien, Catherine L Wilson, Franz E Babl, Meredith L Borland, Rachel Schembri, Francesca Orsini, Elizabeth Cotterell, Nicolette Sheridan and 3 more

Open access · goldAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC health services research, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
0.8field-weighted citation impact, top 27% of its field
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

4 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Tailored interventions to address determinants of practice.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2026
    Pooled it
  3. Review
  4. 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

13 authors at 9 institutions in 2 countries.

Libby HaskellChildren's Emergency Department, Starship Children's Hospital, Private Bag, Auckland, 92019, New Zealand.
Emma J TavenderClinical Sciences, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Sharon O'BrienEmergency Department, Perth Children's Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia.
Catherine L WilsonClinical Sciences, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
Franz E BablClinical Sciences, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Meredith L BorlandEmergency Department, Perth Children's Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia.
Rachel SchembriClinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne Children's Trials, Centre, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Francesca OrsiniClinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne Children's Trials, Centre, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Elizabeth CotterellArmidale Rural Referral Hospital, Armidale, NSW, Australia.
Nicolette SheridanCollege of Health, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand.
Ed OakleyClinical Sciences, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Stuart R DalzielChildren's Emergency Department, Starship Children's Hospital, Private Bag, Auckland, 92019, New Zealand. sdalziel@adhb.govt.nz.
Paediatric Research in Emergency Departments International Collaborative (PREDICT) network, Australasia
Murdoch Children's Research Institute · AUUniversity of Melbourne · AUCurtin University · AUMassey University · NZPrincess Margaret Hospital for Children · AURoyal Children's Hospital · AUStarship Children's Health · NZUniversity of Auckland · NZUniversity of New England · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBronchiolitis is the most common reason for hospitalisation in infants. All international bronchiolitis guidelines recommend supportive care, yet considerable variation in practice continues with infants receiving non-evidence based therapies. We developed six targeted, theory-informed interventions; clinical leads, stakeholder meeting, train-the-trainer, education delivery, other educational materials, and audit and feedback. A cluster randomised controlled trial (cRCT) found the interventions to be effective in reducing use of five non-evidence based therapies in infants with bronchiolitis. This process evaluation paper aims to determine whether the interventions were implemented as planned (fidelity), explore end-users' perceptions of the interventions and evaluate cRCT outcome data with intervention fidelity data.

methodsA pre-specified mixed-methods process evaluation was conducted alongside the cRCT, guided by frameworks for process evaluation of cRCTs and complex interventions. Quantitative data on the fidelity, dose and reach of interventions were collected from the 13 intervention hospitals during the study and analysed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data identifying perception and acceptability of interventions were collected from 42 intervention hospital clinical leads on study completion and analysed using thematic analysis.

resultsThe cRCT found targeted, theory-informed interventions improved bronchiolitis management by 14.1%. The process evaluation data found variability in how the intervention was delivered at the cluster and individual level. Total fidelity scores ranged from 55 to 98% across intervention hospitals (mean = 78%; SD = 13%). Fidelity scores were highest for use of clinical leads (mean = 98%; SD = 7%), and lowest for use of other educational materials (mean = 65%; SD = 19%) and audit and feedback (mean = 65%; SD = 20%). Clinical leads reflected positively about the interventions, with time constraints being the greatest barrier to their use.

conclusionOur targeted, theory-informed interventions were delivered with moderate fidelity, and were well received by clinical leads. Despite clinical leads experiencing challenges of time constraints, the level of fidelity had a positive effect on successfully de-implementing non-evidence-based care in infants with bronchiolitis. These findings will inform widespread rollout of our bronchiolitis interventions, and guide future practice change in acute care settings.

trial registrationAustralian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12616001567415 .

Indexed as

BronchiolitisAustraliaFeedbackHospitalizationHumansInfantNew Zealand

Identifiers

PMID34844605
PMCPMC8628472
OpenAlexW3214838447

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.