Top Research Priorities in Healthcare-Associated Infections in the United Kingdom

Summary Background There is a mismatch between research questions, which are considered to be important by patients, carers, and healthcare professionals and the research performed in many fields of medicine. We found no relevant studies which have assessed research priorities in healthcare-associated infections that have involved patients’ and carers’ opinions. Aim The Healthcare-Associated Infections (HCAI) Priority Setting Partnership was established to identify top research priorities in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of HCAI in the UK, taking into account the opinions of all these groups. Methods The methods broadly followed the principles of James Lind Alliance (JLA) priority setting activity. Findings 259 unique valid research questions were identified from 221 valid responses to a consultation of patients, carers and healthcare professionals after seeking their opinions for research priorities. The steering committee of the Partnership rationalised these to 50 unique questions. A literature review established that for these questions there were no recent high-quality systematic reviews, high-quality systematic reviews which concluded that further studies were necessary, or the steering committee considered that further research was required despite the conclusions of recent systematic reviews. An interim survey ranked the 50 questions and, from the top 32, 10 top research priorities were identified by consensus at a final priority setting workshop of patients, carers and healthcare professionals using group discussions. Conclusions A priority-setting process using JLA methods and principles involving patients, carers and healthcare professionals was used to identify top 10 priority areas for research related to HCAI. To address these uncertainties basic, translational, clinical, and public health research would be required.