Highlights
- •The Knowledge-to-Action Framework is the most frequently used theoretical approach.
- •Local evidence-based recommendations are more often implemented than clinical practice guidelines.
- •Coding knowledge translation strategies to consensus terminology facilitates comparison across studies.
- •Theory-informed tailored interventions are emerging in rehabilitation research.
Abstract
Objective
To describe knowledge translation (KT) research as a means of changing practice behaviors
in rehabilitation. We specifically aimed to explore how theories, models, and frameworks
(TMFs) are used to guide KT, guide methods to tailor KT interventions, and evaluate
outcomes. We hypothesized these methods would have increased over the past 10 years.
Data Sources
We identified articles through searches conducted using databases Cumulative Index
to Nursing and Allied Health, MEDLINE, PubMed, Academic Search Premier, and previous
reviews from January 2000 to April 2020. Search terms included physical therapy, occupational
therapy, speech-language pathology, knowledge translation, and knowledge-to-action
(KTA).
Study Selection
Two authors interpedently screened titles, abstracts, and full-text articles. Studies
were included if behavior change of rehabilitation practitioners was measured. Systematic
reviews, protocols, and capacity-building interventions were excluded.
Data Extraction
Three authors extracted information on study design, theoretical frameworks, intervention
strategies, and outcome evaluation.
Data Synthesis
Fifty-six studies were included in the review. Sixteen (29%) reported the use of a
theoretical framework to guide the KT process. Since 2013, the KTA framework was used
35% of the time. Twenty-two studies (39%) reported barrier assessments to tailor interventions,
and 82% were published after 2013. However, barrier assessment in the local context
was only conducted 64% of the time. Outcomes of tailored interventions were most frequently
measured using chart audits (50%) and questionnaires (41%). Further, the link between
KT theory, specific barriers, and selection of intervention strategies was not consistently
described.
Conclusions
Over the past 7 years, there has been an increase in the use of KT TMFs and tailored
interventions. Recommendations for future research include the use of TMFs to guide
local barrier assessment, KT strategy selection, intervention development, and overall
KT process and mapping barriers to selected intervention strategies.
Keywords
List of abbreviations:
CFIR (Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research), ERIC (Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change), KT (knowledge translation), KTA (knowledge-to-action), PT (physical therapist), TMFs (theories), models (and frameworks)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: February 06, 2021
Footnotes
Disclosures: none.
This paper is part of a supplement from the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine.
Identification
Copyright
© 2021 Emergency Nurses Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
