Introduction to the 7^th Annual Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation: transforming health systems to optimize individual and population health

Excerpt

While scientists and practitioners have long been interested in the best ways to use scientific data to improve health care, the past decade has seen significant growth in interest and activity in dissemination and implementation research in health, as evidenced by expansion of conceptual and empirical work in the area. Funding opportunities at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have defined dissemination as "the targeted distribution of information and intervention materials to a specific public health or clinical practice audience," and implementation as "the use of strategies to adopt and integrate evidence-based health interventions and change practice patterns within specific settings," (http://​grants.​nih.​gov/​grants/​guide/​pa-files/​PAR-13-055.​html). Research on these key processes is predicated on establishing the appropriate fit between scientific findings, research-tested interventions, and the contexts in which health and health care are optimized. …