Call for Papers for the International Journal of Behavioral Medicine on Research to Reality: The Science of Dissemination and Implementation in Behavioral Medicine
Public health programs are only effective if they are widely disseminated and implemented. The different values and perspectives of practitioners, program implementers, policy makers and researchers may be a significant barrier to this. Practitioners often find generic evidence-based interventions difficult to implement in community settings, especially when there is limited information about how to adapt programs to the local context. Furthermore, public health decision makers and program implementers are often reluctant to consider new interventions when effectiveness has not been demonstrated in their particular setting or country. In contrast, researchers place greater emphasis on internal validity than on generalizability and external validity.
“Dissemination” refers to the flow of evidence-based but customised information or intervention to well-defined target audiences. “Implementation” refers to the adoption and integration of evidence-based health interventions into specific settings. “Translation” refers to applying or adapting research findings or evidence to different community or population settings.
Effective dissemination, implementation and translation of public health and behavioral medicine interventions require the triangulation of evidence from formal trials with case studies, expert opinion, network analysis, and systems thinking, as well as assessment of the local context.
As a follow-up to a highly successful satellite forum on dissemination and implementation at the 11th International Congress of Behavioral Medicine, Budapest, August 2012, the International Journal of Behavioral Medicine is issuing an international call for papers to address issues pertaining to dissemination, implementation and translation in behavioral medicine. Manuscript submissions are due July 1, 2013.
Research Questions: We are particularly interested in papers that address, but are not limited to, these topics:
What theoretical models and approaches are relevant to understanding and improving dissemination, implementation and translation in Behavioral Medicine? What evidence demonstrates the effectiveness of these models and approaches?
What methods and strategies are being used in dissemination and implementation studies in behavioral medicine?
How can we maximize the impact of behavioral medicine evidence on public health policy and practice?
We will consider papers that report original research, conceptual or theoretical papers, meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and papers that highlight innovative methodologies. Papers from studies conducted in both developed and developing countries are welcome.
Instructions: Please submit your manuscript by July 1, 2013 following the standard requirements for IJBM articles and are subject to standard editorial and peer review processes. See http://www.springer.com/medicine/journal/12529#.
Please address any questions regarding this special issue to the Guest Editors: Dr. Carina Chan (carina.chan@monash.edu), Dr. Brian Oldenburg (brian.oldenburg@monash.edu) and Dr. Vish Viswanath (vish_viswanath@dfci.harvard.edu).