OBJECTIVE The article gives an introductory overview of the use of the Delphi expert consensus method in mental health research. It explains the rationale for using the method, examines the range of uses to which it has been put in mental health research, and describes the stages of carrying out a Delphi study using examples from the literature. METHOD To ascertain the range of uses, a system...

Article history: Received 14 September 2010 Received in revised form 31 March 2011 Accepted 6 April 2011 Available online 20 May 2011 The cornerstone of good research is establishing integrity. However, identifying and gauging methodological rigour for the Delphi technique remains elusive. This is due to a number of reasons such as the ongoing epistemological debate, along with continual modifi...

BACKGROUND The Delphi technique is widely used for the development of guidance in palliative care, having impact on decisions with relevance for patient care. AIM To systematically examine the application of the Delphi technique for the development of best practice guidelines in palliative care. DESIGN A methodological systematic review was undertaken using the databases PubMed, CINAHL, Web...

In the last 30 years, the application of the Delphi technique has been increasing. With the recent availability and established popularity of Internet-based research tools, the Internet has been identified as a means for mitigating Delphi limitations, maximizing its advantages, and expanding the breadth of its application. The discourse on the application of “e-Delphi” has been speculative in n...

BACKGROUND Accurate modeling of electrostatic potential and corresponding energies becomes increasingly important for understanding properties of biological macromolecules and their complexes. However, this is not an easy task due to the irregular shape of biological entities and the presence of water and mobile ions. RESULTS Here we report a comprehensive suite for the well-known Poisson-Bol...

BACKGROUND Although multi-sector policy is a promising strategy to create environments that stimulate physical activity among children, little is known about the feasibility of such a multi-sector policy approach. The aims of this study were: to identify a set of tangible (multi-sector) policy measures at the local level that address environmental characteristics related to physical activity am...

This paper examines how supply chain conflicts across domestic and international jurisdictions arise and become resolved given that conventional conflict resolution tribunals cannot effectively settle fast enough to serve the needs of supply chain partners. Observations from the field should guide practitioners, and in combination with information technology, may lead to best practice rules in ...