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. 2023 Aug 9;42(2):394–407. doi: 10.5534/wjmh.230084

Table 4. Enablers and barriers to research.

Characteristic Total sample (n=184) Professional background Sex Years in practice
Clinical (n=97) Non-clinical (n=87) p-value Male (n=126) Female (n=58) p-value ≤5 (n=75) >5 (n=109) p-value
Enablers 0.5 0.9 0.3
Career advancement 115 (11.8) 58 (11.2) 57 (12.4) 70 (10.9) 45 (13.6) 51 (11.7) 64 (11.9)
Colleagues doing research 31 (3.18) 19 (3.68) 12 (2.62) 23 (3.58) 8 (2.41) 15 (3.45) 16 (2.96)
Desire to prove a theory or hunch 44 (4.51) 24 (4.64) 20 (4.37) 28 (4.35) 16 (4.82) 17 (3.91) 27 (5)
Forms part of postgraduate study 32 (3.28) 23 (4.45) 9 (1.97) 20 (3.11) 12 (3.61) 20 (4.6) 12 (2.22)
Am faced with problem that needs research to change 31 (3.18) 17 (3.29) 14 (3.06) 23 (3.58) 8 (2.41) 12 (2.76) 19 (3.52)
Links to universities 57 (5.85) 30 (5.8) 27 (5.9) 41 (6.38) 16 (4.82) 30 (6.9) 27 (5)
Research encouraged by managers 26 (2.67) 16 (3.09) 10 (2.18) 16 (2.49) 10 (3.01) 13 (2.99) 13 (2.41)
Research written into role description 42 (4.31) 26 (5.03) 16 (3.49) 29 (4.51) 13 (3.92) 17 (3.91) 25 (4.63)
Study or research scholarships 50 (5.13) 25 (4.84) 25 (5.46) 35 (5.44) 15 (4.52) 30 (6.9) 20 (3.7)
To be able to apply for research funds and grants 63 (6.46) 26 (5.03) 37 (8.08) 37 (5.75) 26 (7.83) 28 (6.44) 35 (6.48)
To develop new skills 124 (12.7) 61 (11.8) 63 (13.8) 77 (12) 47 (14.2) 58 (13.3) 66 (12.2)
To develop research skills 143 (14.7) 77 (14.9) 66 (14.4) 98 (15.2) 45 (13.6) 61 (14) 82 (15.2)
To increase my h-index 70 (7.18) 38 (7.35) 32 (6.99) 48 (7.47) 22 (6.63) 26 (5.98) 44 (8.15)
To publish scientific papers 144 (14.8) 76 (14.7) 68 (14.8) 96 (14.9) 48 (14.5) 56 (12.9) 88 (16.3)
Others 3 (0.31) 1 (0.19) 2 (0.44) 2 (0.31) 1 (0.3) 1 (0.23) 2 (0.37)
Total number of enablers 5.9±2.71 5.33±2.97 5.26±2.51 0.9 5.12±2.74 5.72±2.78 0.2 5.8±2.89 4.95±2.62 0.04*
Range of enablers 0.3 0.2 0.04*
<3 53 (28.8) 32 (33) 21 (24.1) 41 (32.5) 12 (20.7) 14 (18.7) 39 (35.8)
4–6 86 (46.7) 41 (42.3) 45 (51.7) 55 (43.7) 31 (53.4) 41 (54.7) 45 (41.3)
>6 45 (24.5) 24 (24.7) 21 (24.1) 30 (23.8) 15 (25.9) 20 (26.7) 25 (22.9)
Barriers 0.8 0.2 0.005*
Don’t appreciate the role of research 3 (0.43) 2 (0.53) 1 (0.3) 3 (0.63) 0 (0) 2 (0.63) 1 (0.26)
Intimidated by fear of getting it wrong 23 (3.27) 13 (3.48) 10 (3.04) 15 (3.16) 8 (3.51) 12 (3.79) 11 (2.85)
Intimidated by research language 14 (1.99) 8 (2.14) 6 (1.82) 8 (1.68) 6 (2.63) 8 (2.52) 6 (1.55)
Lack of a coordinated approach to research 60 (8.53) 32 (8.56) 28 (8.51) 39 (8.21) 21 (9.21) 32 (10.1) 28 (7.25)
Lack of administrative support 59 (8.39) 30 (8.02) 29 (8.81) 35 (7.37) 24 (10.5) 28 (8.83) 31 (8.03)
Lack of funds for research 101 (14.4) 47 (12.6) 54 (16.4) 66 (13.9) 35 (15.4) 45 (14.2) 56 (14.5)
Lack of library/internet access 27 (3.84) 12 (3.21) 15 (4.56) 14 (2.95) 13 (5.7) 16 (5.05) 11 (2.85)
Lack of skills for research 66 (9.39) 34 (9.09) 32 (9.73) 48 (10.1) 18 (7.89) 34 (10.7) 32 (8.29)
Lack of time for research 83 (11.8) 50 (13.4) 33 (10) 64 (13.5) 19 (8.33) 26 (8.2) 57 (14.8)
Lack of training in research 87 (12.4) 46 (12.3) 41 (12.5) 56 (11.8) 31 (13.6) 43 (13.6) 44 (11.4)
Lack of training on software for research 83 (11.8) 50 (13.4) 33 (10) 60 (12.6) 23 (10.1) 42 (13.2) 41 (10.6)
Other personal commitments 27 (3.84) 16 (4.28) 11 (3.34) 22 (4.63) 5 (2.19) 6 (1.89) 21 (5.44)
Other work roles take priority 63 (8.96) 32 (8.56) 31 (9.42) 42 (8.84) 21 (9.21) 18 (5.68) 45 (11.7)
Others 7 (1) 2 (0.53) 5 (1.52) 3 (0.63) 4 (1.75) 5 (1.58) 2 (0.52)
Total number of barriers 3.82±2.05 3.86±2.03 3.78±2.09 0.8 3.77±2.05 3.93±2.06 0.6 4.23±2.16 3.54±1.93 0.03*
Range of barriers 0.6 0.4 0.1
≤3 89 (48.4) 50 (51.5) 39 (44.8) 65 (51.6) 24 (41.4) 31 (41.3) 58 (53.2)
4–6 75 (40.8) 36 (37.1) 39 (44.8) 48 (38.1) 27 (46.6) 32 (42.7) 43 (39.4)
>6 20 (10.9) 11 (11.3) 9 (10.3) 13 (10.3) 7 (12.1) 12 (16) 8 (7.34)

Values are presented as number (%) or mean±standard deviation.

*Indicate statistical significance.