Embedding community-engaged research principles in implementation science: The implementation science center for cancer control equity

Abstract

Gaps in the implementation of effective interventions impact nearly all cancer prevention and control strategies in the US including Massachusetts. To close these implementation gaps, evidence-based interventions must be rapidly and equitably implemented in settings serving racially, ethnically, socioeconomically, and geographically diverse populations. This paper provides a brief overview of The Implementation Science Center for Cancer Control Equity (ISCCCE) and describes how we have operationalized our commitment to a robust community-engaged center that aims to close these gaps. We describe how ISCCCE is organized and how the principles of community-engaged research are embedded across the center. Principles of community engagement have been operationalized across all components of ISCCCE. We have intentionally integrated these principles throughout all structures and processes and have developed evaluation strategies to assess whether the quality of our partnerships reflects the principles. ISCCCE is a comprehensive community-engaged infrastructure for studying efficient, pragmatic, and equity-focused implementation and adaptation strategies for cancer prevention in historically and currently disadvantaged communities with built-in methods to evaluate the quality of community engagement. This engaged research center is designed to maximize the impact and relevance of implementation research on cancer control in community health centers.

Leveraging an implementation science partnership network to understand how Federally Qualified Health Centers operationalize and address health equity

“…ISCCCE has an established community partnership with the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers (MLCHC), a Primary Care Association that provides support and technical assistance to a network of FQHCs across Massachusetts. Guided by community-engaged research principles [ 21 ] , our implementation science partnership aims to engage FQHCs across the state in implementing evidence-based cancer prevention and control interventions to address long-standing inequities in cancer outcomes. An implementation laboratory (I-Lab) facilitates partnerships between a multi-disciplinary team of ISCCCE researchers and MLCHC leadership and FQHC partners to accelerate the integration of implementation science research and capacity building into FQHCs [ 22 ] .…”

Challenges and recommendations for measuring time devoted to implementation and intervention activities in health equity-focused, resource-constrained settings: a qualitative analysis

“…Each site developed a unique strategy starting with core implementation elements dictated by the research staff, then adding site-driven adaptations, with equity goals tailored to groups they identified through analytics as underserved in their particular context, for example, groups characterized by race, language, or age. Each site staffed the effort based on local quality improvement practices and technologies (e.g., use of registries and reports) and available personnel (e.g., nurses, medical assistants, community health workers) [ 9 , 10 ].…”