The “D&I Bridge”: introducing a teaching tool to define the D, the I, and the why
Abstract Interest in learning dissemination and implementation (D&I) science is at an all-time high. As founding faculty and fellows of a new center focused on D&I science, we have found that non-specialist researchers and newcomers to D&I science often express confusion around the diffe...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Implementation Science Communications |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s43058-024-00558-z |
| _version_ | 1827327321996001280 |
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| author | Sara J. Becker Kira DiClemente-Bosco Kelli Scott Sarah A. Helseth Zabin Patel-Syed Dennis H. Li |
| author_facet | Sara J. Becker Kira DiClemente-Bosco Kelli Scott Sarah A. Helseth Zabin Patel-Syed Dennis H. Li |
| author_sort | Sara J. Becker |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Interest in learning dissemination and implementation (D&I) science is at an all-time high. As founding faculty and fellows of a new center focused on D&I science, we have found that non-specialist researchers and newcomers to D&I science often express confusion around the difference between the D and the I. Relatedly, they struggle to identify what their specific D&I projects target to impact public health within the amorphous “black box” that is the singular, loosely defined “research-to-practice gap.” To improve conceptual clarity and enhance engagement with D&I science, we developed a graphic—the D&I Bridge—and an accompanying glossary of terms to use as a teaching and framing tool. The D&I Bridge depicts D&I science as bridging what we know from public health knowledge to what we do in public health practice with intention and equity, and it spans over four distinct, inter-related gaps: the public health supply gap, the public health demand gap, the methodological/scientific gap, and the expertise capacity gap. The public health supply gap is addressed by implementation strategies, whereas the public health demand gap is addressed by dissemination strategies. The methodological/scientific gap is addressed by producing generalizable knowledge about D&I, and the expertise capacity gap is addressed by developing the multi-disciplinary workforce needed to advance D&I. Initial practice feedback about the D&I Bridge has been positive, and this conceptualization of D&I science has helped inform our center’s D&I training, D&I project consultations, and strategic planning. We believe the D&I Bridge provides a useful heuristic for helping non-specialists understand the differential scopes of various D&I science projects as well as specific gaps that may be addressed by D&I methods. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T14:58:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-71450090265d47a3b1445333b0cbe147 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2662-2211 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T14:58:29Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Implementation Science Communications |
| spelling | doaj.art-71450090265d47a3b1445333b0cbe1472024-03-05T19:16:51ZengBMCImplementation Science Communications2662-22112024-02-01511710.1186/s43058-024-00558-zThe “D&I Bridge”: introducing a teaching tool to define the D, the I, and the whySara J. Becker0Kira DiClemente-Bosco1Kelli Scott2Sarah A. Helseth3Zabin Patel-Syed4Dennis H. Li5Center for Dissemination and Implementation Science, Northwestern University Feinberg School of MedicineCenter for Dissemination and Implementation Science, Northwestern University Feinberg School of MedicineCenter for Dissemination and Implementation Science, Northwestern University Feinberg School of MedicineCenter for Dissemination and Implementation Science, Northwestern University Feinberg School of MedicineCenter for Dissemination and Implementation Science, Northwestern University Feinberg School of MedicineCenter for Dissemination and Implementation Science, Northwestern University Feinberg School of MedicineAbstract Interest in learning dissemination and implementation (D&I) science is at an all-time high. As founding faculty and fellows of a new center focused on D&I science, we have found that non-specialist researchers and newcomers to D&I science often express confusion around the difference between the D and the I. Relatedly, they struggle to identify what their specific D&I projects target to impact public health within the amorphous “black box” that is the singular, loosely defined “research-to-practice gap.” To improve conceptual clarity and enhance engagement with D&I science, we developed a graphic—the D&I Bridge—and an accompanying glossary of terms to use as a teaching and framing tool. The D&I Bridge depicts D&I science as bridging what we know from public health knowledge to what we do in public health practice with intention and equity, and it spans over four distinct, inter-related gaps: the public health supply gap, the public health demand gap, the methodological/scientific gap, and the expertise capacity gap. The public health supply gap is addressed by implementation strategies, whereas the public health demand gap is addressed by dissemination strategies. The methodological/scientific gap is addressed by producing generalizable knowledge about D&I, and the expertise capacity gap is addressed by developing the multi-disciplinary workforce needed to advance D&I. Initial practice feedback about the D&I Bridge has been positive, and this conceptualization of D&I science has helped inform our center’s D&I training, D&I project consultations, and strategic planning. We believe the D&I Bridge provides a useful heuristic for helping non-specialists understand the differential scopes of various D&I science projects as well as specific gaps that may be addressed by D&I methods.https://doi.org/10.1186/s43058-024-00558-zDissemination scienceImplementation scienceTeachingPublic health |
| spellingShingle | Sara J. Becker Kira DiClemente-Bosco Kelli Scott Sarah A. Helseth Zabin Patel-Syed Dennis H. Li The “D&I Bridge”: introducing a teaching tool to define the D, the I, and the why Implementation Science Communications Dissemination science Implementation science Teaching Public health |
| title | The “D&I Bridge”: introducing a teaching tool to define the D, the I, and the why |
| title_full | The “D&I Bridge”: introducing a teaching tool to define the D, the I, and the why |
| title_fullStr | The “D&I Bridge”: introducing a teaching tool to define the D, the I, and the why |
| title_full_unstemmed | The “D&I Bridge”: introducing a teaching tool to define the D, the I, and the why |
| title_short | The “D&I Bridge”: introducing a teaching tool to define the D, the I, and the why |
| title_sort | d i bridge introducing a teaching tool to define the d the i and the why |
| topic | Dissemination science Implementation science Teaching Public health |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s43058-024-00558-z |
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