Community & Stakeholder Engagement Archives - Page 2 of 5

✪ Towards development of guidelines for harnessing implementation science for suicide prevention: an international Delphi expert consensus study

Authors:

Sadhvi Krishnamoorthy, Gregory Armstrong, Victoria Ross, Lennart Reifels, Hayley Purdon, Jillian Francis, Jacinta Hawgood, Sharna Mathieu, Alexandr Kasal, Allison Crawford, Allison M. Gustavson, András Székely, Anna Baran, Annette Erlangsen, Ashley Nemiro, Chez Curnow, Daniel Reidenberg, Daria Biechowska, Ella Arensman, Emmanuel Nii-Boye Quarshie, Fiona Shand, Caroline Mae Ramirez, Isabel Zbukvic, Jorgen Gullestrup, Katherine McGill, Kylie King, Lakshmi Vijayakumar, Lauren White, Loraine Barnaby, Mark Sinyor, Marlena Sokół-Szawłowska, Maryke Van Zyl, Merike Sisask, Michael Phillips, Mohsen Rezaeian, Naohiro Yonemoto, Nathaniel Pollock, Nikhil Jain, Paul Siu Fai Yip, Ping Qin, Piotr Toczyski, Rakhi Dandona, Ricardo Gusmão, Samah Jabr, Sarah Spafford, Tae-Yeon Hwang, Thomas Niederkrotenthaler, Ulrich Hegerl, Vita Poštuvan, Yutaka Motohashi, Kairi Kõlves

^{University of Washington affiliated authors are displayed in bold.}

✪ Open Access

Published: April 2025

Read the full text in the open access journal BMJ Public Health

Abstract:

Objectives

Suicide research and prevention are complex. Many practical, methodological and ethical challenges must be overcome to implement effective suicide prevention interventions. Implementation science can offer insights into what works, why and in what context. Yet, there are limited real-world examples of the application of implementation science in suicide prevention. This study aimed to identify approaches to employ principles of implementation science to tackle important challenges in suicide prevention.

Methods

A questionnaire about promoting implementation science for suicide prevention was developed through thematic analysis of stakeholder narratives. Statements were categorised into six domains: research priorities, practical considerations, approach to intervention design and delivery, lived experience engagement, dissemination and the way forward. The questionnaire (n=52 statements—round 1; n=44 statements—round 2; n=9 statements—round 3) was administered electronically to a panel (n=62—round 1, n=48—round 2; n=45—round 3) of international experts (suicide researchers, leaders, project team members, lived experience advocates). Statements were rated on a Likert scale based on an understanding of importance and priority of each item. Statements endorsed by at least 85% of the panel would be included in the final guidelines.

Results

Eighty-two of the 90 statements were endorsed. Recommendations included broadening research inquiries to understand overall programme impact; accounting for resources in the translation of evidence into practice; embedding implementation science in intervention delivery and design; meaningfully engaging lived experience; considering channels for dissemination of implementation-related findings and focusing on next steps needed to routinely harness the strengths of implementation science in suicide prevention research, practice and training.

Conclusion

An interdisciplinary panel of suicide prevention experts reached a consensus on optimal strategies for using implementation science to enhance the effectiveness of policies and programmes aimed at reducing suicide.

^{**This abstract is posted with permission under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License**}

✪ Community-Engaged Research in HIV Implementation Science: Characterizing Academic and Community Partnerships in the “Ending the HIV Epidemic” Supplement Awards

✪ Methods for community-engaged data collection and analysis in implementation research

Abstract:

Background

Community engagement is widely recognized as critical to successful and equitable implementation of evidence-based practices, programs, and policies. However, there are no clear guidelines for community involvement in data collection and analysis in implementation research.

Methods

We describe three specific methods for engaging community members in data collection and analysis: concept mapping, rapid ethnographic assessment, and Photovoice. Common elements are identified from a case study of each method: 1) selection and adaptation of evidence-based strategies for improving adolescent HPV vaccine initiation rates in disadvantaged communities, 2) strategies for implementing medication for opioid use disorders among low-income Medicaid enrollees during natural disasters, and 3) interventions to improve the physical health of adults with severe mental illness living in supportive housing.

Results

In all three cases, community members assisted in participant recruitment, provided data, and validated preliminary findings created by researchers. In the Photovoice case study, community members participated in both data collection and analysis, while in the concept mapping, community members also participated in the initial phase of organizing and prioritizing evidence-based strategies during the data analysis.

Conclusions

Community involvement in implementation research data collection and analysis contributes to greater engagement and empowerment of community members and validation of study findings. Use of methods that exhibit both scientific rigor and community relevance of implementation research also contributes to greater community investment in successful implementation outcomes. Nevertheless, the case studies point to the importance and efficiency of the division of labor embedded in community-engaged implementation research. Building capacity for community members to assume greater roles in obtaining and organizing data for preliminary analysis prior to interpretation is recommended.

Contributions to the literature

Guidelines exist for conducting community engaged research but provide no clear instructions for community involvement in data collection and analysis.
This paper examines the potential of community engaged data collection and analysis in implementation research through case studies of concept mapping, rapid ethnographic methods, and Photovoice.
Community involvement in implementation research data collection and analysis contributes to greater engagement and empowerment of community members, validation of study findings, and commitment to successful implementation outcomes.

^{**This abstract is posted with permission under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License**}

✪ School-Partnered Collaborative Care (SPACE) for Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes: Development and Usability Study of a Virtual Intervention With Multisystem Community Partners

Abstract:

Background

School-partnered interventions may improve health outcomes for children with type 1 diabetes, though there is limited evidence to support their effectiveness and sustainability. Family, school, or health system factors may interfere with intervention usability and implementation.

Objective

To identify and address potential implementation barriers during intervention development, we combined methods in user-centered design and implementation science to adapt an evidence-based psychosocial intervention, the collaborative care model, to a virtual school-partnered collaborative care (SPACE) model for type 1 diabetes between schools and diabetes medical teams.

Methods

We recruited patient, family, school, and health system partners (n=20) to cocreate SPACE through iterative, web-based design sessions using a digital whiteboard (phase 1). User-centered design methods included independent and group activities for idea generation, visual voting, and structured critique of the evolving SPACE prototype. In phase 2, the prototype was evaluated with the usability evaluation for evidence-based psychosocial interventions methods. School nurses reviewed the prototype and tasks in cognitive walkthroughs and completed the Intervention Usability Scale (IUS). Two members of the research team independently identified and prioritized (1-3 rating) discrete usability concerns. We evaluated the relationship between prioritization and the percentage of nurses reporting each usability issue with Spearman correlation. Differences in IUS scores by school nurse characteristics were assessed with ANOVA.

Results

In the design phase, the partners generated over 90 unique ideas for SPACE, prioritizing elements pertaining to intervention adaptability, team-based communication, and multidimensional outcome tracking. Following three iterations of prototype development, cognitive walkthroughs were completed with 10 school nurses (n=10, 100% female; mean age 48.5, SD 9.5 years) representing different districts and years of experience. Nurses identified 16 discrete usability issues (each reported by 10%-60% of participants). Two issues receiving the highest priority (3.0): ability to access a virtual platform (n=3, 30% of participants) and data-sharing mechanisms between nurses and providers (n=6, 60% of participants). There was a moderate correlation between priority rating and the percentage of nurses reporting each issue (ρ=0.63; P=.01). Average IUS ratings (77.8, SD 11.1; 100-point scale) indicated appropriate usability. There was no difference in IUS ratings by school nurse experience (P=.54), student caseload (P=.12), number of schools covered (P=.90), or prior experience with type 1 diabetes (P=.83), suggesting that other factors may influence usability. The design team recommended strategies for SPACE implementation to overcome high-priority issues, including training users on videoconferencing applications, establishing secure forms for school data reporting, and sharing glucose data in real-time during SPACE meetings.

Conclusions

Cross-sector interventions are complex, and perceived usability is a potential barrier to implementation. Using web-based cocreation methods with community partners promoted high-quality intervention design that is aligned with end-user priorities. Quantitative and qualitative assessments indicated appropriate degree of usability to move forward with pilot-testing.

^{**This abstract is posted with permission under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License**}

✪ Practical considerations for engaging staff in resource-constrained healthcare settings in implementation research: A qualitative focus group and consensus building study

Abstract:

Background

The primary purpose of this study was to assess perceived burdens and benefits of participating in implementation research among staff employed in resource-constrained healthcare settings. Another objective was to use findings to generate considerations for engaging staff in research across different phases of implementation research.

Methods

This qualitative focus group and consensus building study involved researchers affiliated with the National Cancer Institute Implementation Science Centers in Cancer Control program and nine Community Health Centers (CHCs) in Massachusetts. Six focus groups (n = 3 with CHC staff; n = 3 with researchers) assessed barriers and facilitators to staff participation in implementation research. During consensus discussions, we used findings to develop considerations for engaging staff as participants and partners throughout phases of implementation research.

Results

Sixteen researchers and 14 staff participated in separate focus groups; nine researchers and seven staff participated in separate consensus discussions. Themes emerged across participant groups in three domains: (1) influences on research participation; (2) research burdens and benefits; and (3) ways to facilitate staff participation in research. Practical considerations included: (a) aligning research with organizational and staff values and priorities; (b) applying user-centered design to research methods; (c) building organizational and individual research capacity; and (d) offering equitable incentives for staff participation.

Conclusions

Engaging staff as participants and partners across different phases of implementation research requires knowledge about what contributes to research burden and benefits and addressing context-specific burdens and benefits.

^{**This abstract is posted with permission under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License**}

Advancement of the Implementation of Evidence-based Therapies for Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Conditions: A Multi-Stakeholder Perspective

Authors:

Nkiru Osude, Harriette Van Spall, Hayden Bosworth, Konstantin Krychtiuk, John Spertus, Sam Fatoba, Lee Fleisher, Edward Fry, Jennifer Green, Stephen Greene, Michael Ho, Jennifer Jackman, Jane Leopold, Melissa Magwire, Darren McGuire, George Mensah, Katherine R. Tuttle, Vincent Willey, Neha Pagidipati and Christopher Granger

^{University of Washington affiliated authors are displayed in bold.}

Subscription Required for Full Text Access

Published: March 2025

Read the full text in the subscription access American Heart Journal

✪ Factors influencing community demand for assisted partner services for HIV in western Kenya: a multilevel qualitative analysis

Abstract:

Objectives

This study explores factors affecting community-level demand for assisted partner services (APS) and HIV testing services (HTS) in western Kenya.

Design

This is a multilevel qualitative analysis conducted as part of the APS Scale-up Study, a hybrid type 2 implementation-effectiveness study of APS integrated within routine HTS. For this analysis, in-depth phone interviews assessed demand for APS and factors influencing decisions to participate in APS.

Setting

Participants were recruited from eight healthcare facilities and (for APS stakeholders) from affiliated healthcare institutions in western Kenya (Kisumu and Homabay). Interviews were conducted by phone in 2019 and 2020.

Participants

67 participants were interviewed: 14 APS providers, 16 female index clients, 17 male sexual partners and 20 community members. Participants were recruited using criteria-based purposive sampling to represent different types of facilities and to include indexes who named different numbers of partners and stakeholders representing all Kenyan healthcare system levels.

Results

Collectively, participants perceived that demand and uptake of APS could be impacted by multiple stigmas related to HIV, sexual behaviours and identities; long clinical wait times; certain gender norms and expectations; and fear of relationship dissolution, loss of financial support and intimate partner violence. However, different stakeholder groups generally focused on different factors; women focused more on gender dynamics and family roles; male sexual partners on stigma and structural barriers; HTS providers focused on HIV testing accessibility; and community-level stakeholders focused on low community awareness of APS.

Conclusions

Stigma reduction, awareness about APS, creation of male entry points at the facility level and provision of social support mechanisms have the potential to increase demand for APS.

Data availability statement

Data are available upon reasonable request. The datasets generated and/or analysed during the current study are not publicly available because some interview transcripts may contain sensitive individual information; however, they can be made available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

^{**This abstract is posted with permission under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License**}

✪ Implementation Outcomes From a Pilot Study of Mindful Awareness in Body-Oriented Therapy (MABT) as a Chronic Pain Treatment Modality in an Integrative Health Clinic

Abstract:

Background

As regulation of opioid prescribing evolves, primary care and pain clinics are shifting to provide non-pharmacological and interdisciplinary chronic pain care. An under-utilized but growing area of health care for chronic pain is complementary and integrative health (CIH). However, there is limited availability of CIH approaches within the health care system. Mindful Awareness in Body-Oriented Therapy (MABT) is an evidence-based mind-body therapy, with a manualized protocol, that focuses on developing interoceptive sensibility for improved self-awareness and nervous system regulation. Prior MABT research shows MABT improves self-report and physiological indicators of interoception as well as mental and physical symptoms of distress.

Methods

This pilot single-group study used a hybrid implementation-effectiveness design and mixed methods to study implementation strategies and outcomes for bringing MABT into an integrative chronic pain clinic. Administrative data, staff surveys, and focus groups were used to understand the implementation process and outcomes (see Additional files 2, 3, and 4). Descriptive statistics were used to analyze survey and administrative data. A content analysis approach was used to analyze qualitative data from focus groups.

Results

7 staff surveys were administered over the 24-month study period and showed high acceptability and appropriateness that increased over time. Adoption, feasibility, and sustainability were also high. Clinicians made 70 referrals to MABT, 56 patients scheduled a session, 41 patients completed at least one session, and 71% of these completed the protocol. Focus groups identified MABT as a therapy that filled a gap in services, particularly for patients with a lack of body awareness and high emotion dysregulation.

Conclusion

Implementation of MABT was highly successful in an integrative health clinic focused on chronic pain treatment.

ClinicalTrials.gov registration

NCT05289024 Registered March 11, 2022

^{**This abstract is posted with permission under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License**}

Authors:

✪ Open Access

Read the full text in the open access journal BMJ Public Health

Abstract:

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Authors:

✪ Open Access

Read the full text open access in the journal JAIDS: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

Authors:

✪ Open Access

Read the full text in the open access journal Implementation Science Communications

Abstract:

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Contributions to the literature

Authors:

✪ Open Access

Read the full text in the open access journal JMIR Diabetes

Abstract:

Background

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Authors:

✪ Open Access

Read the full text open access in the Journal of Clinical and Translational Science

Abstract:

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Authors:

Subscription Required for Full Text Access

Read the full text in the subscription access American Heart Journal

Authors:

✪ Open Access

Read the full text in the open access journal BMJ Open

Abstract:

Objectives

Design

Setting

Participants

Results

Conclusions

Data availability statement

Authors:

✪ Open Access

Read the full text in the open access journal Integrative Medicine & Health

Abstract:

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

ClinicalTrials.gov registration

Authors:

Subscription Required for Full Text Access

Read the full text in the subscription access journal Genetics in Medicine

Authors:

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Read the full text in the subscription access journal Burns