Another implementation science is possible: engaging an ‘intelligent public’ in knowledge translation

Advancing healthcare equity through dissemination and implementation science

“…To advance healthcare equity through D&I science, we must first acknowledge how racism creates and maintains inequities through institutional structures and policies that support unequal access to opportunities and societal resources 19 . Based on this principle, we must identify ways to dismantle the effects of racism in our systems and implement more equitable policies and practices, including evidence that was informed by and reflects populations and settings impacted by racism 8,19,26,28,29 . D&I science can provide tools for addressing systemic causes of healthcare inequities by promoting equitable and multi‐level implementation of practices and policies in healthcare systems and other relevant sectors (e.g., linking with social services to address SDOH), which have the potential to advance healthcare equity.…”

“…This effort will require the ongoing engagement of key partners and constituents from across the healthcare continuum, from community members to practitioners to policy makers, to health system leaders and researchers 21,33 . Recognition of differences in power and privilege within healthcare systems will assure the value and contribution of all members and not replicate racist practices in the development and implementation of interventions 28,34 …”

“…Social disadvantage affects the health of populations through a number of sectors and settings (e.g., healthcare, financial, education, and housing) 35,36 . Despite huge increases in healthcare spending, health quality metrics have not improved significantly 28 . Given the complex and interdependent social needs of populations experiencing healthcare inequities and the systems that contribute to these needs, 37 we must focus our efforts on systemic perspectives and multisector settings that have the potential to address the underlying causes of these inequities 38,39 .…”

“… 21 , 33 Recognition of differences in power and privilege within healthcare systems will assure the value and contribution of all members and not replicate racist practices in the development and implementation of interventions. 28 , 34 …”

Wicked problems in a post-truth political economy: a dilemma for knowledge translation

“…The critique aligns broadly with the “critical theory” perspective in emphasising emancipation from dominance and oppression while also advocating for freedom and participatory democracy 3 . It consists of a range of arguments about the importance of adequate public engagement and consideration of the social, political, ethical, and humanistic dimensions of the science-policy nexus (Bohman, 2021; Cairney and Oliver, 2017 , Carney and Bennett, 2014 ; Heinsch et al, 2023 ; Pedersen, 2014 ; Stengers, 2018 ; Engebretsen and Baker, 2022 ). They are often coupled with arguments drawing from the philosophy of science and sociology of knowledge, proffering a view of scientific evidence as provisional, contested, and existing among a plurality of views that some may regard as carrying equivalent epistemic weight.…”