Brokering the Evidence-Practice Gap: A Strategy for Moving Evidence Into Clinical Practice

Abstract

Moving novel, evidence-based interventions into broad community use is challenging. This column describes how a midlevel public health administrator acted in the role of broker to link university-based researchers with maternal health clinical staff to successfully implement an innovative, evidence-based maternal depression treatment. Program evaluation assessed adoption, implementation, reach, and effectiveness. In reflecting on this partnership, the broker provided critical elements of access, credibility, and accountability. A partnership between service providers and research teams provides one strategy to disseminate evidence-based practices among those served by public-health programs.

Knowledge translation strategies for policy and action focused on sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and well-being: a rapid scoping review

“… 111 High-income countries used more multimode interventions, such as in-person with additional online or web-based components, compared with those in low-income and middle-income countries. Studies published between 2018 and 2020 have used evolving trends in technology, such as webinars and social media, 73 83 as modes of delivery.…”

“…All studies were published between 2000 and 2020, with an increase in relevant publications since 2006. Just over a third (34%) were published between 2011 and 201523–53 and another 34% between 2016 and 2020 54–84. Thirty-two per cent of studies were quasi-experimental designs,23 25 26 28 31 32 34 35 44 50 51 59–61 67 68 75 76 83 85–92 with observational (22%),36 37 39 43 45 52 71 72 77 80 93–102 mixed-methods (17%),40–42 47 53 56–58 64 69 82 103–106 experimental (16%)24 27 38 62 66 74 78 79 107–112 and qualitative (11%)29 30 33 49 54 55 63 70 81 113 designs also identified.…”

“…Thirty-two per cent of studies were quasi-experimental designs,23 25 26 28 31 32 34 35 44 50 51 59–61 67 68 75 76 83 85–92 with observational (22%),36 37 39 43 45 52 71 72 77 80 93–102 mixed-methods (17%),40–42 47 53 56–58 64 69 82 103–106 experimental (16%)24 27 38 62 66 74 78 79 107–112 and qualitative (11%)29 30 33 49 54 55 63 70 81 113 designs also identified. Two editorials were also included 65 73…”

“…The majority of the studies (52%) were conducted in high-income countries,23–25 27–29 31 33–35 38 40 41 43–45 49 53 56 57 62 66–68 71 73 74 74 80 83 87 93–95 97 98 100 102–105 107 108 108 109 112 including Canada, the USA and Australia. Middle-income countries were the setting for 36% studies,26 30 32 36 39 42 46–48 50 52 63–65 75–77 81 82 85 86 88–92 96 101 110 111 113 including Nepal, Egypt and Zambia, with most middle-income countries considered low-middle income (81%) and 19% considered upper-middle income.…”

“…Child health and well-being was the most commonly identified priority, with 30% targeting these concerns 27 29 32 33 35 36 38 40 43 46 47 51 57 62 67 74 78–80 83 85 89 91 94 98–100 105 108 110. Twenty-eight per cent addressed newborn health and well-being or stillbirths,23 25 26 28 31 34 50 59 60 60 64 68 81 82 86 88 90 95–97 109 111 and a quarter of studies addressed maternal health and well-being 24 37 39 44 45 52 54 55 58 63 72 73 75–77 87 92 93 103 104 112 113. Studies addressing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR (12%))30 38 42 61 65 66 69–71 101 106 and adolescent health and well-being (4%)33 41 56 107 priorities were identified, but in a lower volume compared with studies addressing maternal, child and newborn or stillbirth priorities.…”