The Flint Center for Health Equity Solutions’ Dissemination and Implementation Science Core: Study Protocol (Preprint)

UNSTRUCTURED Background Focused dissemination and implementation (D&I) of research results is a key strategy for improving public health. While federally-funded research centers are required to have a dissemination core, these efforts are typically directed toward academics (e.g., manuscripts, academic presentations) with limited focus on broader dissemination efforts to community stakeholders, evaluation of D&I processes, or the public health impact associated with the D&I efforts. An opportunity exists to combine the dissemination core requirement in center grants with specific dissemination and implementation research aims. This study protocol describes aims of the “Dissemination and Implementation Science Core” (DISC), developed as part of the NIMHD-funded Flint Center for Health Equity Solutions (FCHES). The FCHES is a Transdisciplinary Collaborative Center focused on reducing health disparities and chronic disease prevention in Region 5 of the United States. The DISC intends to develop D&I strategies for the FCHES research projects, conduct research on the effectiveness of D&I practices, and produce generalizable knowledge about strategies facilitating the translation of research outcomes into community-based settings. Methods/Design The DISC consists of both applied dissemination aims as well as D&I research aims, including: (1) Reduce research-to-practice gap in health promotion trials in Flint, Michigan and Region 5; (2) Disseminate FCHES research activities to local and regional stakeholders; (3) Increase community capacity to utilize dissemination, implementation and sustainment strategies in underserved minority-majority communities; (4) Increase community capacity to affect health equity policy change; and (5) Evaluate contextual factors affecting public health effort sustainment. The proximal intended audience of the DISC’s efforts includes the FCHES academic and community partners, and regional stakeholders, such as providers, policymakers, community-based health and advocacy organizations, and consumers. Discussion To our knowledge, this is the first center-funded dissemination core that focuses on the conduct of D&I science research, collaboration to embed D&I research methods into the broader center project efforts, and application of these findings in real-world, community-based settings. Moreover, the lessons learned through the DISC may help guide future center dissemination cores. Including D&I science research into center project activities from the outset may facilitate more efficient uptake of research findings and yield greater public health outcomes.