Details

Purpose: Despite a large number of interventions aiming to change people’s behaviour, evidence regarding effective implementation strategies is still lacking. Therefore, too many people are not reached and can not benefit from these interventions. Implementing and scaling up of carefully developed interventions into practice is a major challenge. We address this challenge in the symposium by presenting new findings on the gap between science and practice and discussing approaches aiming to narrow this gap.   

Rationale: Implementing interventions into practice requires a cooperation between two inherently different systems – science and practice, often resulting in the science-practice gap. This gap is reflected in different expectations, languages and priorities. In this symposium, we identify this gap and discuss with the audience how this gap could be narrowed.

Objectives:

1. To present current evidence regarding implementation research and to present findings of two intervention studies which are implemented in The Netherlands and Germany.

2. To discuss challenges resulting from the science-practice implementation gap

3. To discuss approaches on how to address this gap and to further stimulate the implementation of interventions

Summary: The session will be opened by Sanne Gerards with a general introduction on the science-practice implementation gap. Hereafter, Femke van Nassau will present on the current state of the art regarding implementation research. Data on a Delphi study with different implementation experts will be presented. Hereafter, we will present lessons learned from implementing two interventions. Christina Niermann will present on the Familie⁺ intervention that has been implemented in schools integrating school- and family-based intervention components. Perspectives of teachers, families and community stakeholders will be presented. Furthermore, Sanne Gerards will present results on a qualitative study of the SuperFIT intervention, a preschool intervention targeting physical activity and nutrition levels of 2-4 year-old children. In this qualitative study, interviews were done with 21 relevant stakeholders. Finally, the session will be finished with a short wrap up of Jana Semrau. She will invite the audience to reflect on inspiring statements and ideas will be developed how this issue could be addressed in the future.

Format:

(10 min) Opening by Sanne Gerards

(15 min) Presentation 1 by Femke van Nassau

(15 min) Presentation 2 by Christina Niermann

(15 min) Presentation 3 by Sanne Gerards

(20 min) Discussion and wrap up by Jana Semrau

Interaction:  We will invite the audience to share their ideas on inspiring statements on the topic addressing the science-practice implementation gap.

Speaker