Matching barriers and facilitators to implementation strategies: recommendations for community settings

Abstract Background Implementation science aims to improve the integration of evidence-based interventions in real-world settings. While its methods and models could potentially apply to any field with evidence-based interventions, most research thus far has originated in clinical settings. Communit...

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Main Authors: Laura E. Balis, Bailey Houghtaling
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2023-11-01
Series:Implementation Science Communications
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s43058-023-00532-1
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author Laura E. Balis
Bailey Houghtaling
author_facet Laura E. Balis
Bailey Houghtaling
author_sort Laura E. Balis
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Implementation science aims to improve the integration of evidence-based interventions in real-world settings. While its methods and models could potentially apply to any field with evidence-based interventions, most research thus far has originated in clinical settings. Community settings often have fewer resources, missions beyond health, and a lack of support and expertise to implement evidence-based interventions when compared to many clinical settings. Thus, selecting and tailoring implementation strategies in community settings is particularly challenging, as existing compilations are primarily operationalized through clinical setting terminology. In this debate, we (1) share the process of using an existing match tool to select implementation strategies to increase uptake of nutrition and physical activity policy, systems, and environment interventions in community settings and (2) discuss the challenges of this process to argue that selecting implementation strategies in community settings has limited transferability from clinical settings and may require a unique implementation strategy compilation and pragmatic matching tool. Matching barriers to implementation strategies The impetus for this debate paper came from our work selecting implementation strategies to improve the implementation and eventual scaling of nutrition and physical activity policy, systems, and environment interventions in a community settings. We conducted focus groups with practitioners and used the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research-Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change match tool to select potential implementation strategies to overcome prominent barriers. There was limited congruence between tool outputs and optimal strategies, which may in part be due to differences in context between clinical and community settings. Based on this, we outline needs and recommendations for developing a novel and pragmatic matching tool for researchers and practitioners in community settings. Conclusions More work is needed to refine the implementation barrier-strategy matching process to ensure it is relevant, rapid, and rigorous. As leading implementation strategy scholars note, as more researchers document contextual factors and strategies selected to address them, the knowledge base will increase, and refined mapping processes can emerge.
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spelling doaj.art-6ff744f8d6be4a86980d6b2097f88ea42023-11-26T13:29:07ZengBMCImplementation Science Communications2662-22112023-11-01411810.1186/s43058-023-00532-1Matching barriers and facilitators to implementation strategies: recommendations for community settingsLaura E. Balis0Bailey Houghtaling1Gretchen Swanson Center for NutritionGretchen Swanson Center for NutritionAbstract Background Implementation science aims to improve the integration of evidence-based interventions in real-world settings. While its methods and models could potentially apply to any field with evidence-based interventions, most research thus far has originated in clinical settings. Community settings often have fewer resources, missions beyond health, and a lack of support and expertise to implement evidence-based interventions when compared to many clinical settings. Thus, selecting and tailoring implementation strategies in community settings is particularly challenging, as existing compilations are primarily operationalized through clinical setting terminology. In this debate, we (1) share the process of using an existing match tool to select implementation strategies to increase uptake of nutrition and physical activity policy, systems, and environment interventions in community settings and (2) discuss the challenges of this process to argue that selecting implementation strategies in community settings has limited transferability from clinical settings and may require a unique implementation strategy compilation and pragmatic matching tool. Matching barriers to implementation strategies The impetus for this debate paper came from our work selecting implementation strategies to improve the implementation and eventual scaling of nutrition and physical activity policy, systems, and environment interventions in a community settings. We conducted focus groups with practitioners and used the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research-Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change match tool to select potential implementation strategies to overcome prominent barriers. There was limited congruence between tool outputs and optimal strategies, which may in part be due to differences in context between clinical and community settings. Based on this, we outline needs and recommendations for developing a novel and pragmatic matching tool for researchers and practitioners in community settings. Conclusions More work is needed to refine the implementation barrier-strategy matching process to ensure it is relevant, rapid, and rigorous. As leading implementation strategy scholars note, as more researchers document contextual factors and strategies selected to address them, the knowledge base will increase, and refined mapping processes can emerge.https://doi.org/10.1186/s43058-023-00532-1Implementation strategiesCommunity settingsContextual factorsPragmatismPrimary preventionPublic health
spellingShingle Laura E. Balis
Bailey Houghtaling
Matching barriers and facilitators to implementation strategies: recommendations for community settings
Implementation Science Communications
Implementation strategies
Community settings
Contextual factors
Pragmatism
Primary prevention
Public health
title Matching barriers and facilitators to implementation strategies: recommendations for community settings
title_full Matching barriers and facilitators to implementation strategies: recommendations for community settings
title_fullStr Matching barriers and facilitators to implementation strategies: recommendations for community settings
title_full_unstemmed Matching barriers and facilitators to implementation strategies: recommendations for community settings
title_short Matching barriers and facilitators to implementation strategies: recommendations for community settings
title_sort matching barriers and facilitators to implementation strategies recommendations for community settings
topic Implementation strategies
Community settings
Contextual factors
Pragmatism
Primary prevention
Public health
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s43058-023-00532-1
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