From Practice to Publication: The Promise of Writing Workshops

Abstract

Practitioners in health departments, university extension programs, and nonprofit organizations working in public health face varied challenges to publishing in the peer-reviewed literature. These practitioners may lack time, support, skills, and efficacy needed for manuscript submission, which keeps them from sharing their wisdom and experience-based evidence. This exclusion can contribute to literature gaps, a failure of evidence-based practice to inform future research, reduced ability to educate partners, and delays in advancing public health practice. Our article describes the writing workshops offered to Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funded programs in 2021. This project consisted of three 60-minute introductory writing webinars open to all recipients, followed by a Writing for Publications workshop, an 8- to 9-week virtual learning/writing intensive for selected writing team applicants. The Society for Public Health Education staff, consultants, and CDC/DNPAO staff developed, refined, and presented the curriculum. The workshop for public health practitioner writing teams was offered to two cohorts and included extensive coaching and focused on potential submission to a Health Promotion Practice supplement, “Reducing Chronic Disease through Physical Activity and Nutrition: Public Health Practice in the Field” (see Supplemental Material), which was supported by CDC/DNPAO. We describe the webinars, the workshop design, modifications, evaluation methods and results.

Increasing the Writing Capacity and Dissemination of Evaluation Findings Among US Public Health Practitioners Funded to Improve Cardiovascular Health

“…The most successful approaches to building capacity are likely to be multifaceted,2 as a core set of activities can provide practitioners with a toolbox to improve their dissemination efforts. Multimodal approaches can also offer a structure to sustain improvements in writing skills and dissemination 17. Writing and dissemination skills should not only be a core competency in public health, but these skills are especially important during times of evolving health needs 15,26.…”

“…2 These strategies not only equip practitioners with effective dissemination skills but also make these skills a part of their routine practice. 2,17 To address the gap in dissemination, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Division for 20 Through these three cooperative agreements, DHDSP supported 111 recipients in implementing CVD-related public health strategies. 20 This project provided CDC-funded public health practitioners (hereinafter "recipients") the opportunity to hone scientific writing skills.…”

“…Writing workshops, writing retreats, and peer support are considered effective ways to bolster dissemination capacity among practitioners 17-19. These activities allow practitioners to establish the skills needed to initiate, implement, and complete a writing task.…”

“…6 Writing workshops, writing retreats, and peer support are considered effective ways to bolster dissemination capacity among practitioners. [17][18][19] These activities allow practitioners to establish the skills needed to initiate, implement, and complete a writing task. Other promising approaches to strengthen capacity include training, use of tools, technical assistance (TA), assessment and feedback, and incentives.…”

“…Other promising approaches to strengthen capacity include training, use of tools, technical assistance (TA), assessment and feedback, and incentives 2. These strategies not only equip practitioners with effective dissemination skills but also make these skills a part of their routine practice 2,17…”