Hello Implementation and Scalability SIG member!

WELCOME FROM THE ISBNPA IMPLEMENTATION AND SCALE UP SIG CHAIR: DR NICOLE NATHAN


Dear I&S SIG Members,

Welcome to our pre-conference newsletter which is jam-packed with important information that you won't want to miss. Keep reading to stay in the loop!


Pre-conference Satellite event

We are thrilled to announce that some of our committee members will be leading a pre-conference satellite conference focused on implementation science. This exciting event will provide a unique opportunity to dive deep into this critical area of research and engage with experts in the field. See the details below and we look forward to seeing you in beautiful Amsterdam!


Conference news

It is my great pleasure to congratulate our shortlisted awardees for ISBNPA best oral and poster for their outstanding contributions to our field. All abstract submissions were independently scored by a team of ISBNPA members and rated for their rigour, originality and impact. Each shortlisted oral presentation will be presented during a special session of the conference so please keep an eye out for this in the conference program.

Our conference will feature a number of sessions related to implementation science. We encourage all attendees to take advantage of these sessions, which provide an excellent opportunity to learn about the latest research findings, exchange ideas, and engage with peers and experts in the field.

We also look forward to meeting you at our business meeting during the conference. These will be shorter than usual (see the program for time and venue) however we also have plans for a fun social event so I am sure we will get to meet and greet all our members at some stage during the conference. 


EMCR Impact Awards

As part of our commitment to fostering the development of Early- and Mid-Career Researchers (EMCRs), we are also pleased to announce a new award for research impact. We believe that this award will inspire and encourage our next generation of researchers to continue pushing the boundaries of knowledge and making a difference in the world. Read below for details of how to apply


Grant for Implementation Researchers from Low or Middle Income Country

In addition to the new award for impact, we are also excited to announce that we will be providing funding for one Early- or Mid-Career Researcher from a Low- or Middle-Income Country (LMIC) to attend the conference. This funding of $1500 could be used to help cover the cost of registration, travel, and accommodation, and is intended to support the participation of researchers from LMICs who might otherwise be unable to attend. We strongly encourage EMCRs from LMICs to apply for this funding, which will be awarded on a competitive basis. Details are below. The successful applicant will also be expected to join the Executive of our SIG which will involve attendance at virtual meetings and contributing the running of our SIG.

For those who are travelling to the conference we look forward to meeting with you all and building new collaborations.


Nic 


SIG Chair

More news from the SIG

PRE CONFERENCE SATELLITE EVENT- IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE

Want to learn more about implementation science? We would love to see you in Amsterdam on your way to the ISBNPA Annual Meeting in Uppsala, Sweden.


Join us for a 2 day Implementation Science short course designed to equip you to successfully translate research into practice. The short course will run from Monday June 12th (9am-18pm) to Tuesday June 13th (8am-2pm) at the Amsterdam UMC/VU University in Amsterdam, and the cost is 250 euro (ex VAT).


ISBNPA IMPLEMENTATION AND SCALE-UP IMPACT AWARDS

The ISBNPA Implementation and Scale-up SIG are looking to acknowledge outstanding and impactful research undertaken by SIG members. We are seeking applications for the ISBNPA Implementation and Scale up SIG Award for Research Impact. We will offer one award for each stage:

i)                   Currently enrolled PhD students;

ii)                  Early Career (up to 5 years post award adjusted for career disruption) and

iii)                Mid Career (5 to up to 10 years post PhD award adjusted for career disruption).


Those interested in applying should nominate a single implementation and/or scale-up science published study in the field of behavioural nutrition and/or physical activity published in the past 5 years and provide a statement, in no more than 200 words, that describes: its impact on improving health policy, practice or community health (Health impact) and/or how it is contribution to knowledge (e.g citations metrics).


Impact definitions

Knowledge impact: New knowledge demonstrating the benefits emerging from adoption, adaption or use of new knowledge to inform further research, and/or understanding of what is effective (e.g new concepts, innovations, measures or approaches)


Health impact: Improvements in health through new therapeutics, diagnostics, disease prevention or changes in behaviour; or improvements in disease prevention, diagnosis and management of health problems, health policy, health systems, and quality of life (e.g use of research in guidelines, policy, large scale program adoption).


The application should also provide i) the full citation of the nominated paper; ii) a statement word count; iii) the career stage category applying for (PhD, ECR or MCR) name; iv) confirmation of SIG membership; v)institution, and contact details.

 

All applicants must clearly relevant to the field of behavioural nutrition and physical activity AND implementation science and scale-up. Awards will be independently reviewed by members of the executive. Awardees will be notified and announced publicly at the ISBNPA SIG meeting at the 2023 conference and in SIG membership correspondence.

 

Please email all applicants to luke.wolfenden@health.nsw.gov.au by 12th May 2023


CONFERENCE GRANT FOR IMPLEMENTATION RESEARCHERS FROM LMIC

Did someone say subsidized ISBNPA conference registration and travel??........Oh yes we did……


As a SIG, we think it’s critical to have a mix of representation from all countries at the annual scientific meeting in Uppsala, Sweden- this will help to advance the science of implementation, scale up and translation as it relates to challenges of behavioural nutrition and physical activity.


Our SIG is subsidising travel and registration to the ISBNPA Annual Meeting in Uppsala Sweden for an LMIC’s that have an interest, passion and undertaking implementation or scale up focused research. Does this sound like you?


Here’s how to apply:

Applicants should submit an application (no more than 1 page) to demonstrate how they meet the selection criteria (see table below) and a brief 2 page CV

  1.  A resident of a low- or middle-income country (as defined by the World Bank).
  2. An early career researcher (i.e., less than 5yrs since PhD conferred) but time extended if candidates have taken a period of maternity leave or sick leave.
  3. Active engagement in Implementation Science research demonstrated through relevant publications, conference presentations, awards or grant funding received. Applicants who have had an abstract accepted for an oral or poster presentation at the ISBNPA conference should note this.
  4. Willingness and capacity to be involved in the activities of the Implementation, Scalability and Sustainability SIG during the conference and in future virtual SIG committee meetings (for at least 12 months).
  5. A brief statement of:
  • How attending the conference and being part of the SIG will support their professional development and contribute to their work in their home country
  • A clear plan for how they will share the knowledge and skills gained at the conference being part of the SIG with their colleagues and community upon returning to their home country.


Please email your application (1 page application addressing the criteria and 2 page CV) to tswindle@uams.edu and Tepi.Mclaughlin@telethonkids.org.au by 12th May 2023.



Selected Recent Publications

Below are a list of recent publications replated to Implementation within the field. If you have something published let our newsletter team know and remember to tag us @ISBNPA_IS in your tweets!


1.      Balis LE, Houghtaling B, Harden SM. Using implementation strategies in community settings: an introduction to the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) compilation and future directions. Transl Behav Med. 2022 Nov 16;12(10):965-978. doi: 10.1093/tbm/ibac061. PubMed PMID: 36039843.


2.      Swindle, T., Bellows, L. L., Mitchell, V., Johnson, S. L., Shakya, S., Zhang, D., Selig, J. P., Whiteside-Mansell, L., & Curran, G. M. (2022). Predictors of sustainment of two distinct nutrition and physical activity programs in early care and education. Frontiers in health services2, 1010305. https://doi.org/10.3389/frhs.2022.1010305


3.      Murphy, J., Mansergh, F., O’Donoghue, G. et al. Factors related to the implementation and scale-up of physical activity interventions in Ireland: a qualitative study with policy makers, funders, researchers and practitioners. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 20, 16 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-023-01413-5



4.      Holly L Nicastro, Susan Vorkoper, Rene Sterling, Ariella R Korn, Alison G M Brown, Padma Maruvada, April Y Oh, Opportunities to advance implementation science and nutrition research: a commentary on the Strategic Plan for NIH Nutrition Research, Translational Behavioral Medicine, Volume 13, Issue 1, January 2023, Pages 1–6, https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibac066



5.      Kostas Hatzikiriakidis, Darshini Ayton, Amanda O'Connor, Libby Callaway, Sarah Carmody, Helen Skouteris, Rachael Green. (2023) Barriers and enablers to the implementation of healthy lifestyle interventions for people with disability living in supported accommodation: A systematic review using the consolidated framework for implementation research. Disability and Health Journal, 101442, ISSN 1936-6574, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dhjo.2023.101442.

(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1936657423000043)


6.      Wade L, Beauchamp MR, Nathan N, Smith JJ, Leahy AA, Kennedy SG, et al. (2023) Investigating the direct and indirect effects of a school-based leadership program for primary school students: Rationale and study protocol for the ‘Learning to Lead’ cluster randomised controlled trial. PLoS ONE 18(1): e0279661. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0279661



7.      Petra JurićGregor JurakShawnda A. MorrisonGregor StarcMaroje Sorić. (2023) Effectiveness of a population-scaled, school-based physical activity intervention for the prevention of childhood obesity. Obesity, Volume31, Issue3. Pages 811-822. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.23695



8.      Hahnraths, M. T., Willeboordse, M., & van Schayck, O. C. (2023). Challenges in evaluating implementation and effectiveness in real-world settings: evaluation proposal for school-based health-promoting intervention. Health promotion international38(1), daac185.


9.      Houghtaling, B., Misyak, S., Serrano, E., Dombrowski, R. D., Holston, D., Singleton, C. R., & Harden, S. M. (2023). Using the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, and Sustainment (EPIS) Framework to Advance the Science and Practice of Healthy Food Retail. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.


10.  Merritt, R., Kendall, S., Eida, T., Dykes, F., & Pérez‐Escamilla, R. (2023). Scaling up breastfeeding in England through the Becoming Breastfeeding Friendly initiative (BBF). Maternal & Child Nutrition19, e13443.


11.  Kendall, S., Merritt, R., Eida, T., & Pérez‐Escamilla, R. (2023). Becoming breastfeeding friendly in Great Britain—Does implementation science work?. Maternal & Child Nutrition19, e13393.


12.  Darling, K. E., Hayes, J. F., Evans, E. W., Sanchez, I., Chachra, J., Grenga, A., ... & Jelalian, E. (2023). Engaging Stakeholders to Adapt an Evidence-Based Family Healthy Weight Program. Translational Behavioral Medicine, ibac113.


13.  Hasson, R. E., Beemer, L. R., Eisman, A. B., & Friday, P. (2023). Closing the Gap Between Classroom-Based Physical Activity Intervention Adoption and Fidelity in Low-Resource Schools. Kinesiology Review1(aop), 1-11.


14.  Friday, P. J., Beemer, L. R., Martindale, D., Wassmann, A., Eisman, A. B., Templin, T., ... & Hasson, R. E. (2023). A novel policy alignment and enhancement process to improve sustainment of school-based physical activity programming. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health20(3), 1791.


15.  Nielsen, J. V., Koch, S., & Skovgaard, T. (2023). Mind the gap: Danish school heads’ ability to implement a national physical activity school requirement. Health promotion international38(1), daac193.


16.  Marini, S., Messina, R., Masini, A., Scognamiglio, F., Caravita, I., Leccese, V., ... & Dallolio, L. (2023). Application of the COM–B Framework to Understand Facilitators and Barriers for Practising Physical Activity among Pregnant Women and Midwives Participating in the WELL-DONE! Study. Behavioral Sciences13(2), 114.


17.  Pope, K. J., Whitcomb, C., Vu, M., Harrison, L. M., Gittelsohn, J., Ward, D., & Erinosho, T. (2023). Barriers, facilitators, and opportunities to promote healthy weight behaviors among preschool-aged children in two rural US communities. BMC Public Health23(1), 1-13.


18.  Imad, N., Pearson, N., Hall, A., Shoesmith, A., Nathan, N., Giles, L., ... & Yoong, S. (2023). A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial to Increase the Sustainment of an Indoor–Outdoor-Free-Play Program in Early Childhood Education and Care Services: A Study Protocol for the Sustaining Play, Sustaining Health (SPSH) Trial. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health20(6), 5043.


MEET AN IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE RESEARCHER:

Dr Bailey Houghtaling

What is your current position?

My main position is as a Research Scientist with Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition, an independent public health nutrition research and evaluation nonprofit organization. I also hold appointments with the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise at Virginia Tech (Adjunct Faculty) and the School of Nutrition and Food Sciences at Louisiana State University (LSU) & LSU Agricultural Center (Senior Researcher).

 

Tell us about yourself and your background?

As an early career scholar, I use mixed methods and implementation science approaches to inform strategies to improve population nutrition and mitigate inequities, with emphasis on the built environment. I completed a BSc in Nutrition and Dietetics at Mansfield University of Pennsylvania in 2010, a MSc at Montana State University in Health and Human Development with a Sustainable Food Systems focus in 2015, and a PhD at Virginia Tech in Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise with a Community and Behavioral Science focus in 2019.

I grew up in a rural area and have also worked in several U.S. rural and remote settings. This informs my interest in research, practice, and policy approaches to lessen urban-rural resource gaps specifically and to achieve health equity goals more broadly.

 

How long have you been working in implementation and what made you decide to have a focus on implementation research?

 My first exposure to implementation science was during a graduate course at Virginia Tech with Dr. Samantha Harden. I loved the pragmatism of implementation science – the goal to improve “real-world” implementation in community settings, often which are under-resourced, was very appealing. I started to integrate dissemination and implementation science concepts into my dissertation, which was focused on food store retailers’ ability and willingness to use healthy food retail strategies. Now implementation science is a core component of my work. For example, I currently am leading an investigation to identify and tailor implementation strategies for Louisiana public health practitioners to support and scale ongoing rural healthy eating and active living policy, systems, and environmental changes. I am also using the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, and Sustainment (EPIS) Framework to understand factors that influence the implementation of U.S. Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) nutrition incentive and produce prescription programs, which provide a financial incentive or healthcare prescription (respectively) for Americans with lower income to access fruits and vegetables.

 

What’s your area of passion (what makes you want to get to work each day)?

Research with practice and policy implications. I love my job and love, love, love research.

 

How has the SIG helped your work?

I am very new to ISBNPA’s Implementation and Scalability SIG. So far, it has been great to connect with global leaders in nutrition/physical activity dissemination and implementation science. I am excited for opportunities to contribute to implementation efforts through the SIG and to develop professionally.

 

Greatest achievement

 Professionally, I’d say being the first in my family to have had the opportunity to graduate from college and obtain higher degrees. Personally, I’d say running in my first 10-mile race last year, with sights set on completing a longer/tougher race in the coming year.

 

Outside of your work, can you share something new about you?   

I love learning new things, even in my hobbies. Some of my more recent adventures have been learning to scuba dive and taking pottery lessons.  


Upcoming Conferences and Webinars
Preventive Health Conference 2023
European and Implementation Event 2023
Evidence and Implementation Summit 2023
Other I&S newsletters that you may want to subscribe to
National Centre of Implementation Science (NCOIS)

European Implementation Collaborative (EIC)

Feel free to forward this newsletter to other people who are also interested in Implementation and Scalability - spread the word!

Thank you for your interest and support in Implementation and Scale up research! 
Implementation and Scalability SIG Team


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