Dzewaltowski DA, Estabrooks PA, Klesges LM, Bull S and Glasgow RE
Health Promotion International, 19(2): 235-245, June 2004
The gap between research and the implementation of research-based interventions that can be delivered with limited resources in community settings is well known. The authors reviewed 27 articles, in 11 journals, that address community interventions directed at dietary change, physical activity or smoking. The review followed the RE-AIM framework (reach, efficacy/ effectiveness, adoption, implementation, maintenance), which was designed to organize dimensions of internal and external validity that are key to translating research findings into practical health promotion interventions. All studies reported on internal validity elements such as efficacy/ effectiveness, which establish confidence that an effect resulted from the intervention rather than from some other causal force. Most reported individual participation rates. However, few studies reported the extent to which individual participants represented the general population and few reported setting level information (number and types) and how participating sites compared with those which did not participate - external validity elements that would aid the use of research in practice. Only seven studies provided follow-up data on the long-term effects of the intervention (maintenance). The authors recommend an increase in the reporting of external validity - in particular, the representativeness of samples and settings and data on long-term maintenance - in order to bridge the gap between research and implementation in community settings.
Associated Grant ID: 47465
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