Implementation research

Implementation research is the scientific study of barriers to and methods of promoting the systematic application of research findings in practice, including in public policy. Often, research projects focus on small scale pilot studies or laboratory-based experiments, and assume that findings can be generalised to roll out into a practice-based domain with few changes.

Implementation research explores the challenges that are faced when generalizing research findings "in the real world", such as in the fields of healthcare or school-based education.

In the context of public health, the World Health Organisation defines it as a form of research which " addresses implementation bottlenecks, identifies optimal approaches for a particular setting, and promotes the uptake of research findings: ultimately, it leads to improved health care and its delivery." and it has been described to have four characteristics - systematic, multidisciplinary, contextual and complex. It has been more broadly defined as “ the scientific inquiry into questions concerning implementation—the act of carrying an intention into effect, which in health research can be policies, programmes, or individual practices (collectively called interventions).”

While a wide range of qualitative and quantitative research methods are used in implementation research in health but some of them have been developed more specifically for the purpose of implementation research . These are pragmatic trials, participatory action research, effectiveness-implementation hybrid trials and quality improvement studies.

StaRI is the reporting standard for reporting implementation studies in public health.

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