Dissemination and implementation Science Methods

DISSEMINATION AND IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE METHODS CORE Abstract The Dissemination and Implementation Science Methods (DISM) Core will expand scientific knowledge and develop, apply, and promote DISM in HIV research to improve status neutral HIV care (i.e., HIV prevention and treatment services across the continuum regardless of HIV status), especially among groups facing disparities, including individuals from historically marginalized populations based on sexuality, gender, and/or race and ethnicity, in New England, small urban areas, designated priority Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) locations, and globally, using best practices for impactful implementation science (IS) for EHE. The DISM Core provides cutting-edge analytical and research design support to HIV researchers at CIRA and within the New England HIV Implementation Science Network and beyond. The DISM multi-disciplinary team has a strong track record of prior collaborative work, they will provide consultations, technical assistance, and training, with emphasis on the application of existing, and development of new DISM that specifically address disparity reduction, by incorporating determinants, processes, and evaluation frameworks focusing on health equity. The DISM Core will deploy technical expertise in Dissemination and Implementation Science (DIS) theory, research design, and quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, and health economics to support HIV/AIDS researchers and practitioners in identifying and applying the best practices for optimizing their efforts to promote status neutral HIV-related care, as well as care for comorbidities, especially mental health and problem substance use. The DISM Core will provide consultative and hands-on support for a wide range of methodologic needs with our expertise and knowledge of DIS frameworks, strategies, measures, and study designs, including cluster randomized trials, stepped wedge designs (SWD), Learn-As-You-GO (LAGO) designs, the sequential multiple assignment randomized trial (SMART), multiphase optimization strategy (MOST), quasi-experimental designs, effectiveness-implementation hybrid approaches, designs targeting the identification of spillover and network effects, qualitative and mixed methods designs, and analysis of these, including longitudinal, multilevel, and survival analysis, missing data methods, causal inference, economic evaluations, qualitative analysis, including rapid assessment, and operations research and mathematical modeling. The DISM Core contributes to CIRA’s goal of developing the next generation of HIV equity researchers, and further expanding CIRA’s role as a major training center for scientists from marginalized populations by providing the abovementioned services to T32, R25, and D43 fellows and other early-career scientists, especially from underrepresented populations. The Core will provide opportunities for those interested in learning more about and using DISM research methods by offering webinars on methodologic topics of interest, by engaging trainees and colleagues in the planning and conduct of their own activities, and hands-on one-on-one mentoring. In addition, the Core will provide pre-application consultations for applicants intending to submit to CIRA’s pilot project and to external funding through CIRA’s peer review of proposals.