The Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network: An Interactive Systems Approach to Advancing Cancer Control Implementation Research and Practice

Abstract

Background Although cancer research has advanced at a rapid pace, a gap remains between what is known about how to improve cancer prevention and control (CPC) and what is implemented as best practices within health care systems and communities. The Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network (CPCRN), with more than 10 years of dissemination and implementation research experience, aims to accelerate the uptake and use of evidence-based CPC interventions. Methods The collective work of the CPCRN has facilitated the analysis and categorization of research and implementation efforts according to the Interactive Systems Framework for Dissemination and Implementation (ISF), providing a useful heuristic for bridging the gap between prevention research and practice. The ISF authors have called for examples of its application as input to help refine the model. Results We provide examples of how the collaborative activities supported by the CPCRN, using community-engaged processes, accelerated the synthesis and translation of evidence, built both general and innovation-specific capacity, and worked with delivery systems to advance cancer control research and practice. Conclusions The work of the CPCRN has provided real-world examples of the application of the ISF and demonstrated that synthesizing and translating evidence can increase the potential that evidence-based CPC programs will be used and that capacity building for both the support system and the delivery system is crucial for the successful implementation and maintenance of evidence-based cancer control. Impact Adoption and implementation of CPC can be enhanced by better understanding ISF systems and intervening to improve them.

Developing Theory to Guide Building Practitioners’ Capacity to Implement Evidence-Based Interventions

“…We then synthesized constructs using an analytic approach similar to that used by Damschroder et al (2009) and others (Contandriopoulos, Lemire, Denis, & Tremblay, 2010; Michie, van Stralen, & West, 2011) to consolidate existing dissemination/implementation science frameworks. The team that conducted the study included members of the Capacity-Building Technical Assistance and Training workgroup of the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Institutes of Health–funded network of 10 centers nationwide (Fernandez et al, 2014). …”

Measuring Constructs of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research in the Context of Increasing Colorectal Cancer Screening in Federally Qualified Health Center

“…The Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network (CPCRN) is a national network of academic, public health, and community partners who work together to reduce the burden of cancer through dissemination and implementation research (Fernandez et al. ; Ribisl et al. ).…”

Impact of the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network: Accelerating the Translation of Research Into Practice

“…Building community and other partners’ capacity to use evidence-based approaches has been an enduring focus of the CPCRN. This work is grounded in the Interactive Systems Framework for Dissemination and Implementation of Wandersman et al 2,10 CPCRN members from eight centers conducted formative research on cancer control planners’ capacity to use evidence-based approaches, 11 which evolved into the Capacity-Building Technical Assistance and Training workgroup that developed the Putting Public Health Evidence in Action curriculum and facilitator’s guide delivered in 14 workshops to >600 practitioners nationwide (http://cpcrn.org/pub/evidence-in-action/). Multiple centers have built on the workgroup’s curriculum to deliver and test local capacity-building interventions.…”

“…To reduce this burden, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in conjunction with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) initiated the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network (CPCRN), a national network of academic, public health, and community partners that, since 2002, has conducted community-based research to 2,3 : accelerate the adoption and implementation of evidence-based cancer prevention and control; andenhance large-scale efforts to reach underserved populations.The CPCRN works with national, state, and local partners to reduce cancer risk, improve screening utilization, reduce cancer death, and mitigate health disparities by advancing the science and practice of dissemination and implementation. Over four cycles of funding, CPCRN has included between three and ten Collaborating Centers (Table 1).…”