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Table 6 Additional comments regarding intervention fidelity

From: Surveying knowledge, practice and attitudes towards intervention fidelity within trials of complex healthcare interventions

Theme identified (number of participants)

Sample quotes

Importance of intervention fidelity (n = 18)

“This is an important and interesting aspect to clinical trials …”

“… an important issue, may undermine the lack of findings from some trials”

“I think fidelity is central to the findings of any complex trial. I am a strong advocate …”

“… an incredibly important area of research”

Practicalities (n = 7)

“It is difficult to assess treatment fidelity as the resource needed to do this properly is quite significant …”

“Pragmatism has to trump strict adherence/fidelity in complex healthcare interventions …”

“Ideally, complex intervention clinical trials should be preceded by a feasibility study …”

Terminology/definitions (n = 3)

“… it’s not a term that I was familiar with pre-survey”

“… something that does not appear to have a clear definition … I cannot be sure that I have answered your questions accurately”

Further training (n = 3)

“… would gladly apply teaching regarding this topic”

“Re training: I think it is vital for young researchers - wish it had been around when I was starting out”