Implementation research: what it is and how to do it
BMJ This research article by Peters et al. (2013) provides a broad definition of implementation research and outlines key principles (research questions and methods) for how to do it (BMJ, Volume 347, p.f6753, 2013).
Operational research in low-income countries: what, why, and how?
The Lancet Zachharia et al. (2009) define operational research and analyse its relevance from a disease-control and programme perspective. Moreover, the Lancet article discusses enabling factors and challenges for its integration into programme settings (The Lancet, Volume 9, No. 11, p711–717, November 2009).
Download
(d | 107.1 KB| PDF document)
Administration and Policy in Mental Health This research article from Proctor et al. (2011) has its focus on implementation outcomes. Measuring and conceptualizing implementation outcomes help to advance the understanding of implementation processes, and enhance efficiency in implementation research (Administration and Policy in Mental Health, volume 38, pp. 65–76, 2011).
Research on Social Work Practice What is the rationale for Implementation Research? What is the know-do-gap? How can we close this gap between knowledge and practice? Bhattacharyya et al. (2009) extensively discuss the role of Implementation research in closing and addressing such gaps (Research on Social Work Practice, volume 19, number 5, pp. 491-502, 2009).
The Lancet "Operational research in low-income countries has a key role in filling the gap between what we know from research and what we do with that knowledge—the so-called know–do gap, or implementation gap. Planned research that does not tangibly affect policies and practices is ineffective and wasteful, especially in settings where resources are scarce and disease burden is high. Clear parameters are urgently needed to measure and judge the success of operational research. We define operational research and its relation with policy and practice, identify why operational research might fail to affect policy and practice, and offer possible solutions to address these shortcomings. We also propose measures of success for operational research. Adoption and use of these measures could help to ensure that operational research better changes policy and practice and improves health-care delivery and disease programmes." (The Lancet: Volume 12, No. 5, p415–421, May 2012)
DFID "The objective of the evaluation is to assess the project’s performance and impacts during the period October 2011 to August 2014, and provide feedback to the wider research and development community on the OR capacity building model. While the direct users of the evaluation are DFID’s Research and Evidence Division (RED) and The Union, the evaluation will serve for accountability and learning purposes for the OR community, research capacity building programmes, research funders and others, feeding into the design of the next phase of the project and investigating the application of the model in other areas of practice." (pdf)
PLOS Med The need for implementation science in health is now broadly recognized, and a working understanding of the qualities that make an implementation study “good” is needed more than ever before. As defined by Mittman and Eccles, implementation research “is the scientific study of methods to promote the systematic uptake of research findings and other evidence-based practices into routine practice, and, hence, to improve the quality and effectiveness of health services. It includes the study of influences on healthcare professional and organizational behavior” (PLOS Med, volume 14, issue 4, April 2017).