Abstract
AIM: To analyse the nature and extent of sponsorship of nursing professional associations and their major scientific conferences.
DESIGN: Cross-sectional content analysis.
METHODS: Data were extracted from the websites and conference documents of 156 national and international professional nursing associations in 2019 to identify sponsors. Sponsorship prospectuses were analysed to estimate the value and describe the nature of sponsorship arrangements. We analysed sponsorship patterns using social network analysis.
RESULTS: Most associations (84/156, 54%) did not report any sponsors. Sponsorship was concentrated among specialty nursing associations in high-income countries. Half of identified sponsors promoted products used in clinical care (50%; 981/1969); the majority represented the medical device industry (69%; 681/981). Top sponsors generally favoured opportunities that promoted interaction with conference attendees.
CONCLUSION: Globally, commercial sponsorship of nursing associations is a common, but not the dominant source of support for these activities. Half of sponsors were commercial entities that manufactured or distributed products used during clinical care, which presents a risk of commercial influence over education and ultimately, clinical practice. Sponsors favoured opportunities to interact directly with nurses, determine educational content, or foster continued interaction.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1140-1153 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| Journal | Journal of Advanced Nursing |
| Volume | 78 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Early online date | 7 Feb 2022 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 30 Apr 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This project was funded by the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing at the University of Toronto through a Bertha Rosenstadt Faculty Small Research Grant and the Toronto Mobility Scheme of the University of Sydney's Office of Global Engagement. AF is a member of SPECTRUM a UK Prevention Research Partnership Consortium (MR/S037519/1). UKPRP is an initiative funded by the UK Research and Innovation Councils, the Department of Health and Social Care (England) and the UK devolved administrations, and leading health research charities.
Keywords
- conflict of interest
- continuing education
- medical device industry
- nursing
- pharmaceutical industry
- professional associations
- professional development
- sponsorship
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Nursing