Translation and Implementation of Evidence-Based Practice

by Lawrence A. Palinkas, Haluk Soydan

Overview

It is one thing to do social work research, but quite another to disseminate the results and ensure their effective utilization by practitioners out in the field working with clients. Just as important is ensuring that the research is relevant and usable by the social and health service community. Implementation research and translational research are designed to develop effective methods for narrowing the gap between research and practice.

Using the National Institutes of Health Roadmap as a guide, this book fills a gap in social work writing by describing the challenges of investigating the process and outcomes of efforts to translate and implement evidence-based practices in social work. A general introduction discusses the history of such efforts and a picture of where we are now. Subsequent chapters offer in-depth examinations of the methods for studying the effectiveness, dissemination, and implementation of evidence-based practices; discuss the organizational context in which these activities occur in social work practice; investigate the use of mixed-method designs and community-based participatory methods to address these challenges; provide case studies of research on translation and implementation; and identify potential barriers and offer recommendations and guidelines for addressing them.

The resulting strategy is founded on the principle and practice of cultural exchange between members of social worker-led interdisciplinary research teams, and between researchers and practitioners. Decision-makers in social service agencies and policy settings, in addition to professors and master's- and doctoral-level students, will all want to read this vital and informative book that brings core issues of research and practice to life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780195398489
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	12/23/2011
Series:	Building Social Work Research Capacity
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Lawrence A. Palinkas, PhD, is the Albert G. and Frances Lomas Feldman Professor of Social Policy and Health at the University of Southern California and Adjunct Professor of Medicine and Family and Preventive Medicine at the University of California at San Diego.

Haluk Soydan, PhD, is Research Professor of Social Work and Associate Dean of the Hamovitch Research Center at the University of Southern California.

Table of Contents

Preface
1. Introduction
2. Translation and Implementation of Evidence-Based Practices
3. Research on Translation and Implementation
4. Research on Process and Outcomes
5. Research on Organizational Context
6. Mixed-Method Research
7. Community-Based Participatory Research
8. Conclusion: Future Directions for Translational and Implementation Research
References
Index

Editorial Reviews

"This book comes at an appropriate time when professionals are searching for effective ways to translate and implement evidence-based practices. Although this is a book on social work research methods, several concepts and methods are applicable across disciplines. A major strength of the book is that it not only covers the important concepts and methods in conducting translational research, but also captures the latest developments in models, methods, and data sources… In summary, this is a useful and most timely book that comprehensively explores the concepts, methods, process, and outcomes of the translation and implementation of evidence-based practices." — Junqing Liu, National Committee for Quality Assurance, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA, International Journal of Social Welfare

From the Publisher