Community-Engaged Dissemination and Implementation: Restaurant Accessibility for People with Disabilities

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Informatics
• Community Engagement

Background:

• There is a recognized need to enhance public space accessibility for individuals with disabilities.
• Community-Engaged Dissemination and Implementation (CEDI) is a framework to increase the adoption and use of research findings by involving stakeholders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline methods for engaging community members in the dissemination and implementation of a mobile application suite.
• The app suite is designed for crowdsourcing restaurant accessibility ratings.

Main Methods:

• A three-pronged CEDI approach was employed, integrating Participatory Action Research (PAR).
• A Community Engagement (CE) Studio Session was conducted.
• Community-Engaged Outreach Events were organized.

Main Results:

• CEDI guidance informed the app's rollout strategy, ensuring data accuracy, comprehensiveness, and local utility.
• The CEDI approaches facilitated community-wide adoption plans for the app suite.
• The described CEDI methods are adaptable for other projects addressing the needs of people with disabilities.

Conclusions:

• Community engagement is crucial for the successful dissemination and implementation of accessibility-focused technologies.
• The CEDI framework, including PAR, CE Studio Sessions, and outreach events, effectively supports the adoption of tools designed to improve accessibility.
• These adaptable methods can empower diverse projects aimed at enhancing the lives of people with disabilities.