Measuring local healthcare context for knowledge translation in primary and secondary levels of care in northern Vietnam: A cross-sectional study

• BackgroundThe influence of context in shaping the effectiveness of knowledge translation (KT) is widely recognized. The Context Assessment for Community Health (COACH) tool aims to assess contextual aspects that are of importance for KT in healthcare in low- and middle-income settings. This study used the COACH tool to describe healthcare context as perceived by health workers in primary and secondary levels of care in a northern province in Vietnam and to further evaluate the internal structure of the COACH tool.MethodsThis cross-sectional study administered the COACH tool to 677 eligible health workers in primary and secondary levels of care. The relationships between individual background variables and COACH dimensions were analysed using binary logistic regression. Further, internal construct validity was calculated by a first-order independent cluster model confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).ResultsOverall, the healthcare context was perceived as supportive for KT. Gender, age, and geographic location showed significant relationships to one of the COACH dimensions. Male health workers rated their Commitment to work as lower than female health workers (OR=0.39, 95% CI: 0.20–0.78). There were, however, only minor differences in  scores for the dimensions of context, at each health facility as well as between health facilities. The CFA asserted an acceptable internal structure of the COACH tool.ConclusionsThe survey enhanced the understanding of how aspects of the healthcare context for KT are perceived by health workers at primary and secondary levels of care in a province in Vietnam. There was an overall positive perception of the work context with only minor variability, reflecting a ‘receptive to change’ context for KT. This should, however, be interpreted with caution due to the risk of social desirability response bias. The findings on the acceptable internal structure of the COACH tool supports its further use as a valid instrument. 

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Hälso- och sjukvårdsorganisation, hälsopolitik och hälsoekonomi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Health Care Service and Management, Health Policy and Services and Health Economy (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Knowledge translation

context assessment

health workers

Context Assessment for Community Health tool

confirmatory factor analysis

internal structure

implementation science

Medicinsk vetenskap

Medical Science

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

ovr (ämneskategori)