Perceptions of evidence-based programs among community-based organizations tackling health disparities: a qualitative study

Abstract

Dissemination of prevention-focused evidence-based programs (EBPs) from research to community settings may improve population health and reduce health disparities, but such flow has been limited. Academic-community partnerships using community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles may support increased dissemination of EBPs to community-based organizations (CBOs). This qualitative study examined the EBP-related perceptions and needs of CBOs targeting underserved populations. As part of PLANET MassCONECT, a CBPR study, we conducted six key informant interviews with community leaders and four focus groups with CBO staff members in Boston, Worcester and Lawrence, Massachusetts, in 2008. Working definitions of EBPs among CBO staff members varied greatly from typical definitions used by researchers or funders. Key barriers to using EBPs included: resource constraints, program adaptation challenges and conflicts with organizational culture. Important facilitators of EBP usage included: program supports for implementation and adaptation, collaborative technical assistance and perceived benefits of using established programs. This exploratory study highlights differences among key stakeholders regarding the role of evidence in program planning and delivery. An updated perspective should better incorporate CBO perspectives on evidence and place greater, and much needed, emphasis on the impact of context for EBP dissemination in community settings.

Assessing and Strengthening Evidence-Based Program Registries’ Usefulness for Social Service Program Replication and Adaptation

“…Academics are not alone in their concern; the lack of program adaptation guidance for evidence-based programs has also been identified as a key barrier to their implementation by community-based nonprofit leaders and practitioners themselves (Nelson, Steele, & Mize, 2006;Ramanadhan et al, 2012). The emphasis on experimental and quasi-experimental evaluation designs, though, does not necessarily mean that the registries' evidence summaries cannot help decision makers determine whether programs' effectiveness would generalize to their specific contexts.…”

Evolution of Cancer Control P.L.A.N.E.T.: moving research into practice

“…A third lesson, drawing from the implementation of PLANET MassCONECT and TEAM-Up is the need to build capacity within community-based organizations and agencies to adopt and adapt EBIs specific to the context of the communities [23,27]. The Diffusion of Effective Behavioral Interventions (DEBI) project reported similar findings regarding translation of HIV interventions into practice [28,29].…”

Priority setting for evidence-based health outreach in community-based organizations: a mixed-methods study in three Massachusetts communities

“…Practitioners and decision-makers may rely on a diverse array of evidence, including personal experience, program evaluations, expert opinion, and systematic reviews of the literature [31, 32]. They may also use different definitions of data and evidence and have different understandings of the role and utility of evidence, compared to academics and funders [33]. A third important challenge relates to barriers to using data for priority-setting and decision-making, such as challenges in finding, accessing, and using relevant data [7, 27].…”