Physician attitudes toward research study participation: a focus group.

The Wisconsin Research Network (WReN) and the UW Health Education And Research Trial (HEART) sponsored a focus group to explore the attitudes of primary care physicians toward research in their practices. Physicians, representing a variety of practice groups, emphasized that research is a low priority in their organizations. All had participated in some form of research, are philosophically committed to research as important to primary care, but are hesitant to commit themselves to participation in further research. They emphasized that academic researchers need to understand the constraints of primary care practice, propose research ideas that are practical and interesting to care providers, provide relevant feedback to participating practices, and do the majority of the research work themselves so impositions on the practice are minimal. The traditional barriers to practice-based research, such as the cost of physician and staff time and diversion from other tasks, continue to be of concern when physicians consider participation in research projects.