What is Dissemination and Implantation Science? They are two words that I have never heard of or know what they mean, but after searching for their definitions, every website had about the same meaning. Dissemination and Implantation basically are two closely related words that work together to distribute and promote the development and practice of new information to continually improve health care policies.
As for an actual definition of dissemination, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine website under Health Services Research Information Central, Dissemination is “the purposive distribution of information and intervention materials to a specific public health or clinical practice audience.” This method allows the public to be informed of the most current evidenced based interventions to ensure them of the most current knowledge out there.
As for an actual definition of implantation science, it is “the study of methods to promote the integration of research findings and evidence into healthcare policy and practice,” also from the U.S. National Library of Medicine under Health Services Research Information Central. The purpose of this newly emerging science is to unite evidenced-based health interventions and practice patterns using different strategies in specific situations. Implementation science identifies and closes the two gaps that are created from evidence based interventions that are “research to policy,” which is research evidence that is not appropriately assimilated into the development of health outcomes, and “research to program,” which is research evidence that is not appropriately unified into the development of health policy.
Implantation science research has many examples like evidence based interventions, strategies to promote effective health services, strategies to promote the integration of evidence into policy and program decisions, and many more. For specific health programs, implementation research can be enforces to point out and solve different problems in a both quickly and informative. It will notify policymakers and implementers to make evidence-based program decisions and update scientific methods in both quality and capacity.
Although I did not know what these two words meant at first, after researching information about them, I feel this new science is very important and also essential for nutrition educators. With the new science frequently changing research and practices can make it difficult for a nutrition educator educate; however they need to be up to date with the most current knowledge to ensure their students and/or patients of best information they can give. Like in the example given in class, after researching evidence based interventions, the nutrition educators found it to be more productive to tell the community with excessive fat intake to switch the milk they purchase. They encouraged them to buy 1% milk instead of whole milk. This strategy created the desired results that the nutrition educators wanted and a simple solution that the community members were willing to change. By changing their intervention, they also changed the community for the better.
By Logan Myers