Bridging the Gap: From Research to Practice

Chan, Andie

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Exhibit Hall (Kansas City Convention Center)

Ms. Andie Chan, MPH, CHES, BBA , Center of the Advancement of Wellness, Oklahoma State Department of Health, Oklahoma City, OK

Dr. Malinda Douglas, DrPH, CPH , Office of the State Epidemiologist, Oklahoma State Department of Health, Oklahoma City, OK

Mr. Andrew Wilson, MA , The Center for the Advancement of Wellness, Oklahoma State Department of Health, Oklahoma City, OK

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this presentation attendees will be able to:

State three reasons to integrate theories and research findings into practice.
Identify two frameworks to integrate theories and research findings into practice.
List top three lessons learned on integrating research and practice.

Cross Cutting Program Area(s): Tobacco Control Policies and Increasing Diversity/Eliminating Disparities

Audience: Tobacco control professionals and evaluators who design, evaluate, and implement programs at any level (tribal, national, state, or local) and/or build tobacco control capacity.

Key Points: Research provides proven frameworks and findings that can guide tobacco control programs to make informed decisions. The terminology differences between research and practice hinder theories and study findings from being used or applied appropriately in the field. Panel presenters will highlight the:

Reasons to integrate theories and research findings into practice;
Frameworks to integrate theories and research findings into practice;
Materials to assist local communities to apply best practices, assessment, and strategic planning (the results of research-practice integration); and
Integration lessons learned.

The stated key points and materials are actual applications that the panel presenters have developed over the past seven years. These materials are being institutionalized within the Oklahoma Communities of Excellence in tobacco control program.

Educational Experience: PowerPoint slides and handouts will be utilized. Materials will be shared and are available for the audience to keep as a reference. Audience participation and sharing experiences is encouraged to enhance group learning.

Benefits: Bridging the gap between research and practice can enhance the creativity, practicality, efficiency, and effectiveness in designing, implementing, and evaluating tobacco control programs at the local level. This will eventually maximize the potential health impact of the community in a positive manner. Lessons learned may also be applied to other public health topics.

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