![]() ![]() Diffusion of Innovations Theory describes the spread and adoption of novel interventions through an “s-curve,” ordered process, and characteristics of the message and audience. The purpose of the Model for Dissemination of Research is to highlight the gaps between research and targets audiences (e.g., policymakers) and improve dissemination through the use of a theoretical foundation and review of the literature. The Model for Dissemination of Research integrates Diffusion of Innovations Theory and Social Marketing Theory with the Mathematical Theory of Communication and the Matrix of Persuasive Communication to address the translation gap between research and policy. Theoretical frameworks offer a necessary foundation to identify and assess strategies for disseminating research to policymakers. The current review builds on this existing knowledge to examine how research evidence reaches policymakers and to understand what strategies are likely to be effective in overcoming identified barriers. Previous work demonstrates the importance of understanding policymakers’ perceptions and how evidence is disseminated. ![]() Common themes include the importance of personal relationships, the timeliness of evidence, and resource availability. Significant international research exists on barriers and facilitators to the dissemination and use of research evidence by policymakers. While other studies have examined the use of evidence in policymaking globally, the current review focuses on US social policy for the purposes of this study, social policy includes policies which focus on antipoverty, economic security, health, education, and social services. However, because of variation in the content of public policy, this emerging area of scholarship lacks a coherent message that specifically addresses social policy in the United States (US). Interest in this area of investigation has grown with the increased availability of funding for policy-specific research (e.g., dissemination and implementation research). In recent years, social scientists have sought to understand how research may influence policy. A number of cross-cutting strategies appear to enhance the translation of research evidence into policy. ConclusionsĮffective dissemination of research to US policymakers exists yet, rigorous quantitative evaluation is rare. Findings from this work suggest that dissemination is most effective when it starts early, galvanizes support, uses champions and brokers, considers contextual factors, is timely, relevant, and accessible, and knows the players and process. There was variation in dissemination channels by level of government (e.g., a more formal legislative process at the federal level compared with other levesl). Print materials and personal communication were the most common channels for disseminating research to policymakers. The most frequently disseminated research topics were health-related, and legislators and executive branch administrators were the most common target audience. Common sources of research dissemination included government, academic researchers, the peer reviewed literature, and independent organizations. 303 full-text articles were reviewed with 27 meeting inclusion criteria. The search resulted in 5225 titles and abstracts for inclusion consideration. Articles were independently reviewed and thematically analyzed by two investigators and organized using the Model for Dissemination of Research. We searched Academic Search Premier, PolicyFile, SocINDEX, Social Work Abstracts, and Web of Science from January 1980 through December 2019. The peer-reviewed and grey literature was systematically reviewed to understand common strategies for disseminating social policy research to policymakers in the United States. The Model for Dissemination of Research provides a framework through which to synthesize lessons learned from research to date on the process of translating research to US policymakers. Research has the potential to influence US social policy however, existing research in this area lacks a coherent message. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |