Understanding implementation research
Implementation research (IR) focuses on understanding and closing the gap between evidence-based interventions and practice. Key elements to evaluate include the design of the intervention itself, contextual barriers and enablers to implementation, the use of implementation strategies as well as the...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
AOSIS
2025-06-01
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| Series: | African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/4934 |
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| _version_ | 1850225198773567488 |
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| author | Robert Mash Juliet Nyasulu Zelra Malan Lisa Hirschhorn |
| author_facet | Robert Mash Juliet Nyasulu Zelra Malan Lisa Hirschhorn |
| author_sort | Robert Mash |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Implementation research (IR) focuses on understanding and closing the gap between evidence-based interventions and practice. Key elements to evaluate include the design of the intervention itself, contextual barriers and enablers to implementation, the use of implementation strategies as well as the achievement of implementation outcomes. This article gives an overview of IR for doctoral-level researchers in the fields of family medicine and primary care. The consolidated framework for IR and socioecological model are considered for making sense of the contextual factors. A typology of implementation strategies is also described to make conceptualisation, reporting and sharing of findings easier. Standard implementation outcomes are described, such as coverage or reach, acceptability, adoption, appropriateness, feasibility, fidelity, costs and sustainability. The RE-AIM framework for implementation outcomes is described. Finally, different study designs are discussed, including hybrid effectiveness-implementation designs and approaches to reporting using the IR logic model. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b5cc5e4328c14bd499297d210f71801c |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2071-2928 2071-2936 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-b5cc5e4328c14bd499297d210f71801c2025-08-20T02:05:27ZengAOSISAfrican Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine2071-29282071-29362025-06-01172e1e710.4102/phcfm.v17i2.49341264Understanding implementation researchRobert Mash0Juliet Nyasulu1Zelra Malan2Lisa Hirschhorn3Division of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape TownDivision of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape TownDivision of Family Medicine, University of Namibia, WindhoekDepartment of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, ChicagoImplementation research (IR) focuses on understanding and closing the gap between evidence-based interventions and practice. Key elements to evaluate include the design of the intervention itself, contextual barriers and enablers to implementation, the use of implementation strategies as well as the achievement of implementation outcomes. This article gives an overview of IR for doctoral-level researchers in the fields of family medicine and primary care. The consolidated framework for IR and socioecological model are considered for making sense of the contextual factors. A typology of implementation strategies is also described to make conceptualisation, reporting and sharing of findings easier. Standard implementation outcomes are described, such as coverage or reach, acceptability, adoption, appropriateness, feasibility, fidelity, costs and sustainability. The RE-AIM framework for implementation outcomes is described. Finally, different study designs are discussed, including hybrid effectiveness-implementation designs and approaches to reporting using the IR logic model.https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/4934implementationimplementation researchmethodologymethodsimplementation outcomesimplementation strategiesprimary care |
| spellingShingle | Robert Mash Juliet Nyasulu Zelra Malan Lisa Hirschhorn Understanding implementation research African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine implementation implementation research methodology methods implementation outcomes implementation strategies primary care |
| title | Understanding implementation research |
| title_full | Understanding implementation research |
| title_fullStr | Understanding implementation research |
| title_full_unstemmed | Understanding implementation research |
| title_short | Understanding implementation research |
| title_sort | understanding implementation research |
| topic | implementation implementation research methodology methods implementation outcomes implementation strategies primary care |
| url | https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/4934 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT robertmash understandingimplementationresearch AT julietnyasulu understandingimplementationresearch AT zelramalan understandingimplementationresearch AT lisahirschhorn understandingimplementationresearch |