What should compensation schemes know

about researchers?
Alex Collie1,2, Pauline Zardo1,2 & Gillian Syres1
1.
2.

Institute for Safety Compensation and Recovery Research

Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash Unviersity

Presentation to 1st Australasian Compensation Health Research Forum

13-14th October 2011, Melbourne, Australia.

Outline

The problem

What motivates researchers?

Some other observations

Implications for policy makers

The problem
Only 8 - 15% of research evidence contributes to a
change in policy or practice
(Best & Holmes 2010)

In one jurisdiction, references to published academic

research comprised 2.1% of all references to evidence in
injury compensation treatment payment policies

(Zardo & Collie, 2011)

''It's a feel. That's what a lot of our evidence would

consist of.
(Higgins et al, 2011)

The problem by way of example (i)

1601 Lancaster shows that lemon juice can eliminate
scurvy amongst sailors.
1747 Lind demonstrates the same for citrus juice.
1795 British Navy first uses citrus juice for sailors (194
years after discovery).
1854 British Board of Trade begins using citrus juice for
sailors (253 years after discovery).

The problem by way of example (ii)

2003 Roberts-Yates reports that aspects of the compensation process in
South Australian workers comp system lead to poor client satisfaction. (RobertsYates C. Disab & Rehab, 2003)

2004 Strunin & Boden report similar findings in USA workers

compensation. (Strunin L & Boden L. Am J Ind Med, 2004)
2005 Sager & James report similar findings in NSW workers
compensation. (Sager L & James C. Aust Occ Therapy Journal, 2005)
2006 Lippel replicates and extends findings in Quebec workers
compensation system. (Lippel K, Int J Psychiatry & Law, 2006)
2011 Murgatroyd et al report similar findings in NSW motor accident
compensation system. (Murgatroyd D et al, Injury Prevention 2011)
Question The response? Have we altered the process? Are we even
considering altering the process?

More likely to be used

What research is likely to be used?

Actionable messages

Synthesis of research evidence

Individual studies, articles and reports

Basic science, theoretical and methodological innovations

Source: WHO, 2004

What motivates academic researchers?

What motivates academic researchers?

Academic performance standards:
Research output (publication)
Research income (grants)
Research training (doctoral students)

Interesting questions & important issues

Research being used (impact)
Recognition of expertise

University research funding in Australia

HERDC research income categories

Category 1 Australian competitive grants

Category 2 Other public sector research income (incl. state government)
Category 3 Industry and other research income
Category 4 CRC research income

Research Infrastructure Block Grants (RIBG)

provides block grants, on a calendar year basis, to eligible Australian higher
education providers (HEP) to enhance the development and maintenance of
research infrastructure.
Funding formula based on HERDC Category 1 research income, publication, higher
degree student completions, student load and research staff numbers.

University research funding in Australia

NH&MRC of Australia 09/10

Canadian Institutes of Health

Research 10/11

$AUD millions

% research
expenditure

$CAD millions

% research
expenditure

Creaton of new knowledge

466.7

66

449.5

47

People support / capacity building

183.8

26

201.6

21

Research translation

56.6

257.8

27

46.2

707.1

100

955.1

100

Commercialisation
Total Research Expenditure

Monash research-only position descriptors

Level D (Senior Research Fellow) duties may include:
the conduct of independent research in which the academic may work as part of a
team and the production of conference and seminar papers and publications from that
research;
supervision of research-support and administrative staff;
a major role in all aspects of major research projects including management and/or
leadership of large research projects or teams;
supervision of the research of less senior research-only Academic staff;
promotion of research links with outside bodies;
preparation of research proposal submissions to external bodies;
responsibility for the oversight of financial management of grants;
involvement in professional activities including, subject to availability of funds,
attendance at conferences and seminars in the field of expertise;
occasional contributions to the teaching program within the field of the staff member's
research;
supervision of major honours or postgraduate research projects;
etc
Source: www.monash.edu

Im not in it for the money

Academic research salaries are modest, but academic
appointments offer an opportunity to pursue own interests.
Importance is relative:
Contract research = someone elses question
Investigator-initiated research = my question

Need to align researcher and policy organisation interests.

Important questions require rigorous investigation
time & cost implications

Engage researchers on big picture, long-term initiatives.

Use it or lose it
Researchers want to see their work used and valued.
Recent local example:
Feeling Queer and Blue report into depression among the gay, lesbian and
bisexual community.
Commissioned by beyondblue but withheld from publication for 6 months post
completion.

''We felt it sank like a stonebeyondblue...had treated the

report like a ''grubby little secret''.
A/Prof Anne Mitchel, La Trobe University (report author)
quoted in The Age, 1 October 2011

Some other observations

Research-speak, Policy-speak
Research has its own language, but so do compensation and
insurance systems.
There is a movement for plain language in research, but it is rare.
Plain language means different things to different people. Be
very specific in what you ask for.
Double-blind, placebo-controlled, pseudo-randomised
controlled trial of.blah blah...
Actuarial release, scheme viability, funding ratio etc

Choose wisely
Fit for purpose = methods that are appropriate for the problem,
the context and available resources (Wren J, 2011).
Research training is discipline specific.
Most researchers have a dominant / preferred methodology.
Dont ask an epidemiologist to answer a sociological question.
Most researchers are trained to disseminate not translate.
Research is usually a part-time profession (teaching, clinical
duties, administration)

Implications for injury compensation

systems?

Implications for injury compensation

organisations
There is a lot of relevant research. You just need to know how to
access it.
Your money is less valuable than other peoples money.
Meaningful interaction with industry / government is uncommon
in academic research.
Set research questions collaboratively - engage researchers
early in a project
Restrictions on publishing are substantial barriers to engaging
with researchers.
Research funding that supports training (e.g., PhD projects) is
attractive.

Implications for injury compensation

organisations
Identify researchers with interests aligned to your policy needs.
Identify researchers with experience and expertise appropriate
to the issue you want addressed.
Engage researchers on big picture, long term projects and/or
establish an ongoing relationship.
Show how research evidence is being, or will be, used.
Provide opportunities for researchers to interact with your staff
and key decision makers.
Dont use jargon and dont accept jargon-laden reports or
presentations.