Advancing 'real-world' trials that take account of social context and human volition

The recent paper in Trials by Porter and colleagues highlights the utility of applying a critical realism approach in randomised trials, an approach central to the Medical Research Council's (MRC) Framework for the Development and Evaluation of Complex Healthcare Interventions. The MRC framewor...

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Published inCurrent controlled trials in cardiovascular medicine Vol. 18; no. 1; p. 531
Main Authors Hansen, Anders Blædel Gottlieb, Jones, Allan
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England BioMed Central Ltd 10.11.2017
BioMed Central
BMC
Subjects
Biomedical Research
Causality
Clinical trials
Complex interventions
Councils
Critical realism
Delivery of Health Care
External validity
Humans
Internal validity
Intervention
Laboratories
Medical research
Mixed methods research
Open systems
Porter, Sam
Psychological aspects
Qualitative research
Realism
Research Design
Research funding
Research methodology
Social aspects
Social Environment
Social sciences
Volition
Denmark
United Kingdom
Research funding
External validity
Complex interventions
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Summary:The recent paper in Trials by Porter and colleagues highlights the utility of applying a critical realism approach in randomised trials, an approach central to the Medical Research Council's (MRC) Framework for the Development and Evaluation of Complex Healthcare Interventions. The MRC framework offers a pragmatic step towards a more open systems approach that bridges randomised evaluation with social context and human agency in an effort to improve the generalisability of trial outcomes. The MRC framework has contributed to the proliferation of a more open systems approach in health research; however, the broader acceptance of the realist approach to health research does not seem to be emulated by norms in research fund allocation, which largely prioritises laboratory-based research. This commentary is simply a plea, to those who make the strategic decisions regarding allocation of research funding, to support all phases of health intervention research in complex systems that contribute to the development of effective, translational and sustainable interventions in the promotion of health.
Bibliography:SourceType-Other Sources-1
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ObjectType-Correspondence-1
ObjectType-Commentary-2
ISSN:1745-6215
1745-6215
DOI:10.1186/s13063-017-2286-8