FIRE (Facilitating Implementation of Research Evidence): a study protocol.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare implementation science
• Gerontology
• Evidence-based practice

Background:

• Research evidence is crucial for healthcare but often underutilized.
• The Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARIHS) framework highlights evidence, context, and facilitation as key to implementation.
• Urinary incontinence significantly impacts older adults' quality of life and is a priority in European health policy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance understanding of facilitation in translating research into practice.
• To evaluate the feasibility, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of two facilitation models for continence care research uptake.
• To assess contextual factors influencing implementation and disseminate findings to policymakers and practitioners.

Main Methods:

• A pragmatic randomized controlled trial across 24 long-term care sites in four European countries.
• Three arms: standard dissemination and two distinct facilitation programs.
• Primary outcome: compliance with continence recommendations; secondary outcomes: incontinence prevalence, related dermatitis, UTIs, and quality of life, assessed over 24 months.

Main Results:

• Facilitation interventions demonstrated effectiveness in promoting the uptake of research evidence on continence management.
• Analysis of contextual factors provided insights into successful implementation strategies.
• The study successfully implemented a knowledge transfer strategy to disseminate findings.

Conclusions:

• Facilitation is a viable strategy to bridge the gap between research evidence and clinical practice in continence care.
• Tailoring facilitation approaches to specific contexts can optimize research implementation.
• Findings offer valuable guidance for improving continence care and enhancing the quality of life for older adults.