1. May 31, 2012
KNOWLEDGE UPTAKE TRENDS:
The Case of CHSRF’s
Mythbusters
Jonathan Sachs
Selma Didic
Stephen Petersen
Kaye Phillips
Canadian Health Services Research Foundation

2. Background
 CHSRF is an independent
organization dedicated to
accelerating healthcare
improvement and
transformation for Canadians
 Mythbusters summarizes the
best available evidence to
challenge a widely held belief
about healthcare in Canada
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3. Motivation
 Mythbusters as a KT Tool
 CHSRF is interested in the uptake of the its
knowledge products
 Beyond self-perception
 Objective
 Determine the uptake of the Mythbusters series and
its role in contributing to evidence-informed decision-
making in Canada
 In-depth case study of a research summary
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4. Defining and Measuring ‘Uptake’
Uptake
Acquisition Application Effects of Application
(Policy Change)
Indicators
• Mythbusters are readily • Mythbusters are • Mythbusters contribute to
accessed by key audiences referenced by key audiences evidence-informed policy
•Mythbusters are applied to changes that affect health
inform healthcare policy and services
decision-making •Mythbusters contribute to
• Mythbusters are used in strengthened capacity in
an educational context research evidence use
Methods
Website Analytics Citation Analysis Key Informant Interviews
Newsletter Subscription Key Informant Interviews
Analysis
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5. Defining and Measuring ‘Uptake’
 Methods
 Google Analytics & e-Newsletter Subscription
Analysis
 Citation analysis
 Peer-reviewed journals, grey literature
 11 Key informant interviews
 Identified from 3 key audiences of Mythbusters:
 Educators
 Applied Research & Policy Community
 Government Policymakers
 Inclusion Criteria: Citation or Self-Identification of Use
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6. Findings - Acquisition
 The Mythbusters series has evolved into one
of CHSRF’s flagship products
 Web analytics
 40-50,000 Unique page views annually
 Represents ~10% of all CHSRF web traffic
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7. Findings - Acquisition
Mythbuster 'Click-throughs' By Broad Institutitional Category
1%
8% Non_Govt
11%
Govt
14%
Academic_Research
38% Delivery
28%
Industry
Unknown
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8. Findings – Acquisition
Mythbuster ‘Click Throughs’ by Province
17%
Ontario
11% British Columbia
25%
Quebec
Alberta
5% Nova Scotia
Manitoba
4% Saskatchewan
3% New Brunswick
2% Newfoundland
2% PEI
1% 1%
29% Yukon
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9. Findings – Application
 Overall, Mythbusters have been cited in 239
documents since 2000.
80 75
70
70
59
60
46
#of yearly citations
50 44
40 36
30 26
23
20 17
9 7
10
0 1
0
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
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10. Findings – Application
 Five Mythbusters made up 36% of all citations.
 Myth: A parallel private system would reduce waiting times in
the public system (46)
 Myth: The aging population is to blame for uncontrollable
healthcare costs (38)
 Myth: User fees would stop waste and ensure better use of the
healthcare system (26)
 Myth: Seeing a nurse practitioner instead of a doctor is second-
class care (24)
 Myth: An ounce of prevention buys a pound of cure (22)
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11. Findings – Application
Media
(Newspapers, Magazi Mythbuster Citations - Source Types
nes, Wire Feeds) Journal
12% Meeting paper/publication
Resolutions/Court 23%
decisions
1%
Trade literature Conference
(trade papers/announceme
journals/online nt or presentations
brochures) 2%
14%
Online/full paper
Course syllabus 4%
10%
Thesis/student paper
5% Book/book Reports
chapter/textbook 24%
5%
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12. Findings – Application
 Factors that encourage ‘Application’
 Summative/Short
 Evidence-Based
 Conversational/Accessible Language
 Framing/Style/Presentation
 Issue-Focused
 Factors that would increase likelihood of ‘Application’
 Increase confidence in Mythbusters
 Improve Dissemination/Communication
 Feedback/Communication Mechanisms for CHSRF
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13. Findings – Application
Educational Context
 Course curriculum
 Improves understanding of contemporary health
issues
 Positive student reactions
 Capacity building
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14. Findings – Effects of Application
Policy Context
 Mythbusters applied as a decision-support to
inform policy direction both directly and
indirectly
 Health Canada (2010-2012)
 User Fees
 Doctor Emigration to the USA
 Nova Scotia Dept. of Health & Wellness (2010)
 ER Care
 Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (2008)
 Chronic Disease
 CIHI – End of Life Report (2007)
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15. Findings – Effects of Application
 Evidence that Mythbusters have played a role
in shifting the ‘culture of research use*’ over
the last 12 years
 EvidenceNetwork.ca
 2 Major CIHR grants
 Published 170 Op-Eds
 Applied Researchers keep them ‘top of mind’
 Speaking engagements
 ‘Service-oriented’ work
*Lomas, 1997
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16. Limitations
 Challenges of measuring policy change
 Complexity, Contribution
 Limited to uptake of a single product
 Website Statistics & Newsletter
 Limited sample from 2008-2012
 Citation Analysis
 Databases
 Key Informant Interviews
 Purposeful Sample
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17. Implications
For CHSRF
 Reaffirms value of our knowledge products
 Allows for improvements to target key
audiences/effectiveness
For Wider Community
 Case study provides specific evidence of how
research ‘uptake’ can occur
 Findings can inform future efforts to
encourage research utilization
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18. Thank You!
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