Knowledge Translation Framework Research Articles

A mapping exercise to identify the strengths, and gaps in knowledge translation activities at Cochrane South Africa.

Knowledge translation (KT) is a set of activities or processes for synthesising, disseminating, and applying research evidence in decision-making for the benefit of society. For KT to be successful, it is paramount for researchers to play an active role in encouraging evidence uptake and use in decision-making. We carried out a mapping exercise and interviews with research cluster heads at Cochrane South Africa (CSA) of the KT activities and processes being implemented (or are planned for implementation). We organized the mapping and interview results according to the KT themes described in the Cochrane KT framework. The KT framework comprises six themes, namely, (i) prioritization and co-production of research evidence; (ii) building a sustainable infrastructure for knowledge translation; (iii) engaging with audiences for knowledge exchange or dialogue; (iv) packaging, communication and dissemination which entails disseminating research to users; (v) building audience capacity to use evidence or training activities; and (vi) advocacy or improving the culture of using evidence. Through the mapping exercise and interviews, we learned that CSA researchers excelled in implementing activities and processes linked to most of the KT themes, including producing different types of systematic reviews and providing reliable evidence for health decision-making. Cochrane South Africa (CSA) researchers are also involved in mentoring and training postgraduate students and various health decision-makers (e.g., health professionals, guideline panels and policy-makers). While they excel in the above-mentioned activities, "packaging, communication, and dissemination of research evidence" (theme iv) was identified as an area of improvement.

Harnessing aknowledge translation framework to implement an undergraduate medical education intervention: Alongitudinal study.

Implementation of evidence-informed educational interventions (EEI) involves applying and adapting theoretical and scientific knowledge to aspecific context. Knowledge translation (KT) approaches can both facilitate and structure the process. The purpose of this paper is to describe lessons learned from applying aKT approach to help implement an EEI for clinical reasoning in medical students. Using the Knowledge to Action framework, we designed and implemented an EEI intended to support the development of students' clinical reasoning skills in arenewed medical curriculum. Using mixed-methods design, we monitored students' engagement with the EEI longitudinally through aplatform log; we conducted focus groups with students and stakeholders, and observed the unfolding of the implementation and its continuation. Data are reported according to six implementation outcomes: Fidelity, Feasibility, Appropriateness, Acceptability, Adoption, and Penetration. Students spent amean of 24 min on the activity (fidelity outcome) with ahigh completion rate (between 75% and 95%; feasibility outcome) of the entire activity each time it was done. Focus group data from students and stakeholders suggest that the activity was acceptable, appropriate, feasible, adopted and well-integrated into the curriculum. Through the process we observed the importance of having astructuring framework, of working closely and deliberatively with stakeholders and students, of building upon concurrent evaluations in order to adapt iteratively the EEI to the local context and, while taking students' needs into consideration, of upholding the EEI's core educational principles.

Applying a knowledge translation framework for triaging low back pain and radicular pain at an emergency department: an iterative process within an uncontrolled before-and-after design

BackgroundDiagnostic imaging for low back pain (LBP) without any indication of a serious underlying cause does not improve patient outcomes. However, there is still overuse of imaging, especially at emergency...

The Multiple Errands Test: A Guide for Site-Specific Version Development.

Background. The complex and real-world nature of the Multiple Errands Test (MET) makes it a valuable and increasingly popular assessment of cognitive function. However, these same qualities make its local implementation challenging. Purpose. To produce an evidence-based guide for site-specific adaptation of the MET. Method. The CAN-IMPLEMENT© knowledge translation framework informed a structured approach to the creation of a guide to site-specific version development, informed by twenty-two published approaches to MET adaptation. Applicability of the guide was supported by a two-phase revision process, in which a site-specific hospital and community version produced from its recommendations were administered with forty-two neurologically intact participants and stakeholder feedback obtained. Findings. We offer an outline of core components which maintain the integrity of the MET, and adaptable peripheries which may be modified when required by the local setting. Implications. The proposed guide provides a systematic yet flexible guide for site-specific MET development.

Knowledge Translation and Implementation Planning to Promote Research Governance in Nongovernment Organizations in the Torres Strait: Descriptive Study.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia have participated in Western research for decades. When done well, research has resulted in significant benefits and positive impacts on society. However, the primary benefactor of this research has and continues to be researchers, with limited or no research knowledge mobilized for uptake and beneficial use by end users, such as individuals and communities. In 2021, the Torres Strait Islanders Research to Policy and Practice Hub (the Hub) at James Cook University designed and implemented several strategies, including a games-based interactive workshop with representatives from nongovernment organizations (NGOs). Feedback suggests the workshop and associated activities were a success. We describe knowledge translation (KT) and implementation planning to design and implement strategies to increase awareness and understanding of NGOs in research governance. This descriptive study involved representatives from NGOs on Thursday Island in the Torres Strait. We collected data from a literature review and informal discussions. We used several models and frameworks to guide our approach and underpin data collection and analysis. Designing and implementing strategies to increase awareness and understanding of NGOs in the Torres Strait to govern research involved several key steps: (1) identifying and defining what needed to change and who needed to change, (2) identifying and mapping barriers and facilitators, (3) selecting the most appropriate strategies to support change, (4) implementing activities, and (5) monitoring and evaluating our approach. We developed a program logic to understand and communicate to others how we would implement activities and what resources would be required to support this process. We drew on several evidence-based KT and implementation models and frameworks to do this. First, a KT planning template was used to inform what evidence we wanted to mobilize, to whom, and for what purpose. Based on this step, we recognized we wanted to bring about change with the target audience, and as such, we drew on the previously mentioned implementation planning models and frameworks. We collated the outcomes from these initial steps. Our KT and implementation practice experience were successful. Encouraging researchers and end users to adopt similar practices requires investment in training and development of KT and implementation practice. This also entails modifying research standards and guidelines to include KT and implementation practice when working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other vulnerable groups, creating incentives for researchers and end users to embed KT and implementation practice in research, and recognizing and rewarding the benefits and impact beyond publication and presentation.

Development of an Evidence-Informed Solution to Emotional Distress in Public Safety Personnel and Healthcare Workers: The Social Support, Tracking Distress, Education, and Discussion CommunitY (STEADY) Program.

Public safety personnel (PSP) and healthcare workers (HCWs) are frequently exposed to traumatic events and experience an increased rate of adverse mental health outcomes compared to the public. Some organizations have implemented wellness programming to mitigate this issue. To our knowledge, no programs were developed collaboratively by researchers and knowledge users considering knowledge translation and implementation science frameworks to include all evidence-informed elements of posttraumatic stress prevention. The Social Support, Tracking Distress, Education, and Discussion Community (STEADY) Program was developed to fill this gap. It includes (1) peer partnering; (2) distress tracking; (3) psychoeducation; (4) peer support groups and voluntary psychological debriefing following critical incidents; (5) community-building activities. This paper reports on the narrative literature review that framed the development of the STEADY framework and introduces its key elements. If successful, STEADY has the potential to improve the mental well-being of PSP and HCWs across Canada and internationally.

Exploring Knowledge Translation Concepts in U.S. Occupational Therapy Research: A Content Analysis.

As a new Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education® standard, knowledge translation (KT) is an important concept to occupational therapy. A better understanding of KT in occupational therapy research could inform its relevance to occupational therapy education, research, and practice. To answer the question "To what extent does published U.S.-based occupational therapy research that is explicitly underpinned by a KT theory, model, or framework reflect processes and concepts outlined in the knowledge-to-action (KTA) framework?" A systematic search was conducted to purposively sample U.S.-based occupational therapy research. A content analysis of 11 articles explored concepts of the KTA framework. KTA was used as a conceptual foundation. Multiple sources of data mapped onto concepts in the knowledge creation cycle and each of the first five concepts of the knowledge action cycle. We found that three concepts from the knowledge action cycle-monitor knowledge use, evaluate outcomes, and sustain knowledge use-were not well represented in the sample. Future research on the monitoring, evaluation, and sustained use of occupational therapy interventions is needed. The adoption of new interventions is important, and the knowledge of how they are sustained in practice will facilitate the clinical integration of future interventions. What This Article Adds: Occupational therapy research that uses KT lacks an emphasis on monitoring and sustaining evidence-informed interventions. Future research on the integration of such interventions into clinical practice is needed so that best practices in occupational therapy can be promoted.

On “Physical Therapist Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Individuals With Heart Failure.” Shoemaker MJ, Dias KJ, Lefebvre KM, Heick JD, Collins SM. Phys Ther. 2020;100:14–43. https://doi.org/10.1093/ptj/pzz127; and on “A Knowledge Translation Framework for Optimizing Physical Therapy in Patients With Heart Failure.” Dias KJ, Shoemaker MJ, Lefebvre KM, Heick JD. Phys Ther. 2021;101:pzab079. https://doi.org/10.1093/ptj/pzab079

We read with interest, “Physical Therapist Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Individuals with Heart Failure,” by Shoemaker et al,1 and its companion article, “A Knowledge Translation Framework for Optimizing Physical Therapy in Patients with Heart Failure,” by Dias et al.2 In the context of this letter, these 2 companion articles are referred to as the physical therapist CPG (clinical practice guideline) and the KT (knowledge translation) article, respectively. The CPG constituted 9 Key Action Statements; 1 being on education and chronic disease management and 8 related to activity and exercise. How health promotion, in this case a focus on heart health, can be integrated into physical therapy CPGs for heart failure as per the CPG and KT articles, has been reported in a health and lifestyle framework for physical therapist CPGs.3 This evidence-informed framework, which complements the 2 PTJ articles, illustrates how the modification of lifestyle practices can be positioned foremost to augment health and responses to activity/exercise interventions prescribed by physical therapists, as well as for cost-effectiveness. Such a framework focuses on augmenting physical activity, function and exercise capacity through not smoking, quality nutrition, weight reduction, alcohol moderation, optimal sleep, and stress management, as well as activity and exercise prescribed by the physical therapist. With a health and lifestyle focus, the CPG for individuals with heart failure would result in superior patient, physical therapy, and economic outcomes by better reflecting the totality of the literature related to heart health and its evidence-informed priority. A health and lifestyle framework for physical therapist CPGs for individuals with heart failure illustrates an example of grounding physical therapist CPGs within such a framework consistent with the extant literature.

Eat Walk Engage: Enabling acute care teams to deliver consistent fundamentals of care for older people.

Fundamentals of care are particularly important for older people in acute inpatient settings, who are at increased risk of serious hospital-associated complications like delirium and functional decline. These complications occur due to interactions between clinical complexity and the complex processes and context of hospital care and can be reduced by consistent attention to the fundamentals of care. This paper aims to illustrate of how multi-level nursing leadership of fundamentals of care can be supported to emerge within complex multidisciplinary delivery systems in acute care. Discussion paper informed by clinical and organizational experience of a multidisciplinary leadership team and complexity leadership theory. We provide a series of vignettes as practical illustrations of a successful multidisciplinary improvement program called Eat Walk Engage which supports the delivery of better care for older inpatients, significantly reducing delirium. We argue that taking a broader complexity-based approach including collaborative multidisciplinary engagement, iterative and integrated interventions and appropriate knowledge translation frameworks can enable emergent leadership by nurses at all levels. This promising approach to improving care for older patients requires organizational support for facilitation and reflective practice, and for meaningful data to support change. Our discussion challenges nursing leaders to support the time, agency and connections their nursing staff need in order to emerge as local leaders in fundamental care. The debate around scope and responsibilities for fundamentals of care in hospital care has important practical implications for conceptualizing leadership and accountability for improvement. Our discussion illustrates how a structured multidisciplinary approach that acknowledges and navigates complexity can empower nurses to lead and improve outcomes of older patients in acute care.

A Knowledge Translation Framework for Improving Concussion Education Among Medical Students and Physicians

Objective: The objective of this paper is to outline key principles required for a knowledge translation (KT) strategy on concussion education for medical trainees and physicians to promote knowledge retention and practice change. Design: Qualitative review of the literature on concussion education for medical trainees and physicians utilizing the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) Knowledge to Action (KTA) Cycle as a framework. Results: Medical education on concussion appears to be increasing, but many knowledge gaps persist. Although many concussion guidelines and standardized assessments have been developed, many physicians are either not aware of them, do not use them, or provide inaccurate or inconsistent discharge instructions. Focused, interactive concussion education sessions, education outreach by trained facilitators, and adoption of a spiral curriculum are preferred modalities. To facilitate concussion education, medical professionals must recognize the importance of concussion in their practice. Interventions should deliver high-yield information and be integrated into existing programs such as academic half days (AHD) and the Maintenance of Certification Program (MOC). Many KT tools and interventions have been developed, such as the Concussion Awareness Training Tool (CATT) for Medical Professionals, but evidence of their utilization and effectiveness is limited. Existing tools should be reviewed, updated, implemented, and evaluated for their effectiveness of improving both conceptual and instrumental knowledge. Conclusion: KT strategies for concussion medical education should utilize the CIHR KTA Cycle principles outlined in this review as a guide to design interventions that improve the concussion knowledge of medical trainees and physicians.

Using a knowledge translation framework to identify health care professionals' perceived barriers and enablers for personalised severe asthma care.

BackgroundWhilst multidimensional assessment enables the detection of treatable traits in severe asthma and has the potential to improve patient outcomes, healthcare disparities exist, and little is known about the factors influencing optimal management in severe asthma. This study aimed to explore perceived barriers, and enablers to implementing personalised care in severe asthma, from the healthcare professionals’ perspective.MethodsA descriptive, qualitative study involving a single focus group (n = 7) and semi-structured interviews (n = 33) with multidisciplinary healthcare professionals involved in severe asthma care was conducted. A hybrid thematic and content analysis was undertaken to identify themes, which were then deductively mapped to the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF).ResultsOverall, three emergent themes were identified: (1) Barriers- (2) Enablers- to optimal management; (3) Desired model of care. Across all TDF domains, 6 constructs influenced development and implementation of optimal care: (1) belief about consequences, (2) environmental context and resources, (3) belief about capabilities, (4) social/professional role and identity, (5) goals and (6) knowledge.ConclusionImplementation of personalised care in severe asthma is complex and non-linear. The use of a theory-based approach effectively demonstrated how a variety of behaviours could be targeted to optimise and promote personalised care in different clinical setting.

Designing an online intervention for adults with addictive eating: a qualitative integrated knowledge translation approach

IntroductionCodesign is a meaningful end-user engagement in research design. The integrated knowledge translation (IKT) framework involves adopting a collaborative research approach to produce and apply knowledge to address real-world needs,...

Building evidence into youth health policy: a case study of the Access 3 knowledge translation forum

BackgroundEffective integration of evidence and youth perspectives into policy is crucial for supporting the future health and well-being of young people. The aim of this project was to translate evidence from the Access 3 project to support development of a new state policy on youth health and well-being within New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Ensuring the active contribution of young people within policy development was a key objective of the knowledge translation (KT) process.MethodsThe KT activity consisted of a 1-day facilitated forum with 64 purposively sampled stakeholders. Participants included eight young people, 14 policy-makers, 15 academics, 22 clinicians or managers from NSW health services, four general practitioners and one mental health service worker. Research to be translated came from the synthesized findings of the NSW Access 3 project. The design of the forum included stakeholder presentations and group workshops, guided by the 2003 Lavis et al. KT framework that was improved by the Grimshaw et al. KT framework in 2012. Members of the Access 3 research team took on the role of knowledge brokers throughout the KT process. Participant satisfaction with the workshop was evaluated using a brief self-report survey. Policy uptake was determined through examination of the subsequent NSW Youth Health Framework 2017–2024.ResultsA total of 25 policy recommendations were established through the workshop, and these were grouped into six themes that broadly aligned with the synthesized findings from the Access 3 project. The six policy themes were (1) technology solutions, (2) integrated care and investment to build capacity, (3) adolescent health checks, (4) workforce, (5) youth participation and (6) youth health indicators. Forum members were asked to vote on the importance of individual recommendations. These policy recommendations were subsequently presented to the NSW Ministry of Health, with some evidence of policy uptake identified. The majority of participants rated the forum positively.ConclusionsThe utilization of KT theories and active youth engagement led to the successful translation of research evidence and youth perspectives into NSW youth health policy. Future research should examine the implementation of policy arising from these KT efforts.

Supporting researchers in knowledge translation and dissemination of their research to increase usability and impact.

One of the key areas of delivery of the 'Action Plan for Health Research 2019-2029', for the Health Service Executive (HSE) in Ireland, is adding value and using data and knowledge, including health-related quality of life (HRQoL), for improved health care, service delivery and better population health and wellbeing. The development of governance, management and support framework and mechanisms will provide a structure for ensuring research is relevant to the organisation's service plan, well designed, has a clear plan for dissemination and translation of knowledge, and minimises research waste. Developing a process for the translation, dissemination and impact of research is part of the approach to improving translation of research into practice and aligning it with knowledge gaps. A project was undertaken to develop a clear, unified, universally applicable approach for the translation, dissemination, and impact of research undertaken by HSE staff and commissioned, sponsored, or hosted by the organisation. This included the development of guidance, training, and information for researchers. Through an iterative process, an interdisciplinary working group of experts in knowledge translation (KT), implementation science, quality improvement and research management, identified KT frameworks and tools to form a KT, dissemination, and impact process for the HSE. This involved a literature review, screening of 247 KT theories, models, and frameworks (TMFs), review of 18 TMFs selected as usable and applicable to the HSE, selection of 11 for further review, and final review of 6 TMFs in a consensus workshop. An anonymous online survey of HSE researchers, consisting of a mixture of multiple choice and free text questions, was undertaken to inform the development of the guidance and training. A pilot of the KT process and guidance, involving HSE researchers testing its use at various stages of their research, demonstrated the need to guide researchers through planning, stakeholder engagement, and disseminating research knowledge, and provide information that could easily be understood by novice as well as more experienced researchers. A survey of all active researchers across the organisation identified their support and knowledge requirements and led to the development of accompanying guidance to support researchers in the use of the process. Researchers of all levels reported that they struggled to engage with stakeholders, including evidence users and policy makers, to optimise the impact of their research. They wanted tools that would support better engagement and maximise the value of KT. As a result of the project a range of information, guidance, and training resources have been developed. KT is a complex area and researchers need support to ensure they maximise the value of their research. The KT process outlined enables the distilling of a clear message, provides a process to engage with stakeholders, create a plan to incorporate local and political context, and can show a means to evaluate how much the findings are applied in practice. This is a beneficial application of KT in the field of patient reported outcomes. In implementing this work, we have reinforced the message that stakeholder engagement is crucial from the start of the research study and increases engagement in, and ownership of, the research knowledge.

"Nothing About Us, Without Us": Empowering the Youth Athlete Voice in #SafeSport.

"Nothing About Us, Without Us": Empowering the Youth Athlete Voice in #SafeSport.

Applying knowledge translation frameworks, approaches and principles to co-create a dissemination plan: Optimizing the spread of a pediatric concussion guideline

Background Clinical practice guidelines are evidence-based statements that assist healthcare professionals with improving patient care. Achieving guideline aims depends on successful knowledge translation (KT) and includes dissemination and implementation efforts. Dissemination efforts are important precursors to implementation, help to maximize awareness and reach of best practices, and prepare for evidence adoption. This article shares the application of KT frameworks, approaches and principles in the creation of a dissemination plan and KT products for the Living Guideline for Pediatric Concussion Care. The target audience for dissemination are healthcare professionals delivering clinical care to patients between 5–18 years. Methods Guided by the Framework for Knowledge Transfer and an integrated KT (iKT) approach, 46 concussion experts participated in an iKT workshop and knowledge board activity to: 1) establish a Living Guideline dissemination plan; 2) identify products to share the Living Guideline; and, 3) prepare for Living Guideline implementation planning. Post-workshop, a snowball approach invited knowledge users including educators and youth/young adults with lived experience in concussion via interviews and focus groups, to expand upon the dissemination plan and recommended products. Results The dissemination plan yielded a reach of nearly 42,000 Living Guideline page views from September, 2019-January, 2022. Dissemination efforts included 13 multi-media interviews, over 40 activities (e.g. webinars), and 28 engagement emails to help raise awareness. Eight KT products were developed to foster sharing and use of the Living Guideline, with over 3000 downloads across all KT products. Conclusions Applying an iKT approach alongside appropriate frameworks and principles allowed for interaction and partnership building, resulting in the development of a robust dissemination plan and essential KT products. By showing the breadth and impact of the KT activities undertaken, it is hoped that the concussion community will explore how KT practices can bolster efforts to drive evidence into practice and optimize concussion care.

Accelerating the Implementation of Evidence-Based Practice in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Over the past 3 decades, a substantial number of studies were published with the purpose of improving the effectiveness and efficiency of rehabilitation clinical practice. Clinicians and researchers face considerable challenges in successfully implementing these research findings into routine clinical practice. Knowledge translation includes the synthesis, dissemination, exchange, and ethically sound application of knowledge to improve health, provide more effective health services and products, and strengthen the health care system. An aim of knowledge translation research is to identify strategies to accelerate implementation of evidence into practice. A recent citation analysis on a commonly used knowledge translation framework, the Knowledge-to-Action Framework, identified implementation activities performed in physical medicine and rehabilitation. Although this citation analysis describes activities performed and outcomes assessed while conducting knowledge translation projects, successful knowledge translation also requires a robust social and physical infrastructure. In this commentary, we offer several observations that appear related to the increased likelihood of implementation success. Funders, higher education institutions, health care payers, and health care organizations contribute to successful implementation and must embrace their roles in implementation. Administrators, clinicians, and consumers of physical medicine and rehabilitation also have essential roles in knowledge translation.

PP100 Characteristics To Consider In A Knowledge Translation Theory, Model Or Framework For Health Technology Reassessment

IntroductionHealth technology reassessment (HTR) is a structured evidence-based assessment of an existing technology in comparison to its alternatives. The process results in the following four outputs: (i) increased use; (ii) decreased use; (iii) no change; or (iv) de-adoption. However, implementing these outputs remains a challenge. Knowledge translation (KT) can be applied to implement findings from the HTR process. This study sought to identify which characteristics of KT theories, models, and frameworks (TMFs) could be useful, specifically for decreasing the use of or de-adopting a technology.MethodsA qualitative descriptive approach was used to ascertain the perspectives of international KT and HTR experts on the characteristics of KT TMFs for decreasing the use of or de-adopting a technology. One-to-one semi-structured interviews were conducted. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Themes and sub-themes were deduced from the data through framework analysis using the following five distinctive steps: familiarization; identifying an analytic framework; indexing; charting; and mapping and interpretation. Themes and sub-themes were also mapped to existing KT TMFs.ResultsThirteen experts participated. The following three themes emerged as ideal characteristics of a KT TMF: (i) principles foundational for HTR: evidence-based, high usability, patient-centered, and ability to apply to micro, meso, and macro levels; (ii) levers of change: characterized as positive, neutral, or negative influences for changing behavior; and (iii) steps for knowledge to action: build the case for HTR, adapt research knowledge, assess context, select, tailor, and implement interventions, and assess impact. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research had the greatest number of ideal characteristics.ConclusionsApplication of KT TMFs to the HTR process has not been clearly established. This is the first study to provide an understanding of characteristics within KT TMFs that could be considered by users undertaking projects to decrease or de-adopt technologies. Characteristics to be considered within a KT TMF for implementing HTR outputs were identified. Consideration of these characteristics may guide users in choosing which KT TMF(s) to use when undertaking HTR projects.

Infographics and the knowledge translation framework

Abstract The concept of Knowledge Translation (KT) can be used to narrow the gap between knowledge producers, such as researchers, and knowledge users, such as policy makers. KT is the process in which complex research and data are translated into more easily to understand understood content to support evidence-informed policy making. KT covers a wide variety of activities including knowledge dissemination, two-way exchange process between researchers and knowledge users, and communication. The nature of these activities can be classified in four models of interaction, Push, Pull, Exchange and Integration. Especially, the push model is applied when potential users are still unaware that they should be considering information on a certain topic, which is often the case for Burden of Disease (BoD) results. Next to push method as such policy briefings and health status reports, a product focusing on visualization might be more effective. A visualized product that has gained popularity is the infographic as a collection of imagery, charts, and minimal text that gives an easy-to-understand overview of a topic. Also regarding BOD, with its complex methodology and large amounts of data and information, infographics can be an efficient tool for KT. However, the use of infographics for BoD is still rather limited and could benefit from effective data visualization techniques applied in other fields within public health. Though communication through an infographic can be rather powerful, one has to be aware that the interpretation of the infographic by the receptor can also result in less-balanced messages. In this presentation, the concept of KT will be linked to visualization techniques as infographics using good and bad examples from BoD and beyond.

The concept of Knowledge Translation in relation to Burden of Disease

Abstract The importance to bridge the gap between research and policy making has been widely recognised. Also, in the field of Burden of Disease, this gap exists. There are various terms used to define the dynamic process of synthesising, exchanging and applying generated knowledge into policy making. These are among other interchangeably used terms: knowledge translation, research utilization, implementation science, knowledge transfer or knowledge exchange, here referred to as knowledge translation (KT). The driver behind the systematic effort of KT is to bridge the gap between the generation of that knowledge and its application such as to improve public health. Among communication strategies to achieve KT include the engagement with policy and decision-makers for effective use of the findings into potential benefits for the health and wellbeing of the population. Other strategies, include the development of patient-public-involvement partnerships to communicate the findings with the public and create an open dialogue for further use of research results into practice. The focus of KT by researchers to date has mainly been on the ‘translation' of biomedical research, including findings from clinical trials, evidence from clinical practice guidelines, mixed-methods data on the development of implementation tools and other. However, similar findings on the translation of such evidence from burden of disease studies (BoD) have been non-existent. Potential reasons for this may have been challenges such as creating effective engagement strategies with appropriate stakeholders for the use of BoD findings, establishing a common methodological framework, difficulties in interpreting the findings for health-policy purposes, or miscommunication practices on the value and impact of BoD. Further, BoD methodological tools require specialist knowledge and interpretation of results into practice, hence, making KT even more challenging. Therefore, the prospect of developing a KT framework specifically for BoD remains an opportunity but also a pressing challenge.