Linking research to action for youth violence prevention: Community capacity to acquire, assess, adapt and apply research evidence

摘要

OBJECTIVES: Community-based organizations (CBOs) are important stakeholders in the health system, providing many valuable community-based programs and services. However, limited efforts have been made to encourage CBOs to incorporate research evidence into service provision, and their capacity to do so is not well understood. Therefore, the primary goal of this research was to examine CBOs' perceptions of: 1) the frequency of using research and other forms of evidence related to youth violence prevention, and 2) their capacity to acquire, assess, adapt and apply research evidence. METHODS: CBOs involved in youth violence prevention completed a survey (n=35) and/or attended a focus group (n=16). Survey questions were adapted from the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation's "Is Research Working for You?" tool. RESULTS: CBOs' reported use of and capacity to acquire research evidence was high. CBOs reported possessing the structures, processes, and organizational culture needed to apply research evidence in decision-making. Assessing research evidence was a challenge for CBO staff, although many have external experts who can effectively do so. Generally, CBOs reported adequate capacity to adapt (i.e., synthesize, contextualize, and present) research evidence. Adapting research evidence for use in particular populations or geographical areas presented a considerable challenge. CONCLUSION: Although many barriers and socio-political complexities make linking research to action challenging, we found that CBOs generally feel competent and well equipped. Our findings support the viability of extending the push for evidence-based health care to community contexts so that the most effective programs and services for Canadians can be offered.