Capacity building through comprehensive implementation research training and mentorship: an approach for translating knowledge into practice
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Date
2023
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Springer Nature
Abstract
Abstract
Background Implementation research (IR) is increasingly gaining popularity as the act of carrying an intention
into effect. It is thus an important approach to addressing individual practices, policies, programmes and other
technologies to solving public health problems. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) continue to experience
public health problems which could be addressed using implementation research. These countries however fall
behind prioritizing implementation research due to the disorganized approach used to providing knowledge about
the value and scope of implementation research. This paper seeks to explain steps taken to resolve this by capacity
strengthening activities through a comprehensive implementation research training and mentorship programme
which was informed by needs assessment.
Methods The roll-out of the comprehensive implementation research training and mentorship was done in
phases, including engaging the implementation research community through TDR Global, competency building
for programme officers and ethical review board/committee members, and practical guidance to develop an
implementation research proposal. The Bloom taxonomy guided the training whilst the Kirkpatrick Model was used
for the evaluation of the effectiveness of the capacity building.
Results The findings identified critical areas of mentors and how mentorship should be structured and the
most effective ways of delivering mentorship. These findings were used to develop a mentorship guide in IR. The
mentorship guidance is to be used as a check-tool for mentoring participants during trainings as part of the package
of resources in implementation research. It is also to be used in equipping review board members with knowledge on
ethical issues in implementation research.
Conclusion The approach for providing comprehensive implementation research training and mentorship for
programme personnel has provided an opportunity for both potential mentors and mentees to make inputs
Description
Research Article
Keywords
Implementation Research, public health, Kirkpatrick Model, mentorship