Rural and remote health research: Key issues for health providers in southern Queensland

OBJECTIVE: To determine what community health service providers in rural southern Queensland considered were major issues affecting their efficacy. Results will inform the future research strategy of the Centre for Rural and Remote Area Health with the aim of addressing specific regional needs. DESIGN: Interactive research workshops. SETTING: Health providers and other key stakeholders. SUBJECTS: Participants from organisations directly involved with health care were complemented by representatives from local government, the police service and church groups. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The workshops used the nominal group technique to identify what participants considered were key health issues in their locations. These issues were then prioritised by the participants. Thematic analysis of the issues generated a ranking of themes by importance. Results were compared with a similar exercise undertaken in 2003. RESULTS: Seventeen themes were identified, with workforce by far the major concern of health providers. Recruitment and retention of health workers were the principal issues of concern. The other four highest ranked themes across all workshops were mental health care, access to health services, perceptions and expectations of consumers, and interagency cooperation. The workshops provided important information to the Centre for Rural and Remote Area Health for developing research strategy. Additionally, new alliances among health providers were developed which will support sharing of information and resources. CONCLUSION: The workshops enabled organisations to meet and identify the key health issues and supported research planning. New alliances among health providers were forged, and collaborative research avenues are being explored. The workshop forum is an excellent means of information exchange.