Despite enormous advances in knowledge about cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment, it remains one of the most common causes of hospitalization and death in the United States, particularly among low-income, ethnic minority groups and populations with limited health literacy skills. The failure to more effectively translate knowledge into practice is partly due to the fact that many evidence-based interventions are difficult to implement in real life; may not be culturally appropriate for those who experience the greatest cardiovascular health disparities; or may not be viewed as feasible,, acceptable, or relevant by consumers and stakeholders who should be engaged in the translation process. The goals of the Translation Core are to address this problem from the beginning stages of the research by helping project investigators develop innovative strategies for ensuring that their cardiovascular health interventions 1) address barriers to implementation and dissemination in vulnerable populations and 2) can be effectively communicated to a range of stakeholder groups to improve intervention uptake and impact health policy. An interdisciplinary team of Translation Core faculty, in collaboration with numerous Centers in the Schools of Nursing, Medicine, and Public Health, will guide project investigators in creating a knowledge translation plan, developing effective communication strategies targeting different audiences, and engaging stakeholder groups for facilitating dissemination and uptake. Strategies for achieving these outcomes include 1) interactive seminars and interdisciplinary 'think tank' consultations, 2) co-sponsorship of annual knowledge translation conferences; 3) workshops on working with the media, creating video demonstrations, and designing fact sheets for individuals with limited literacy or English-language skills, or limited internet knowledge or access; and 4) creating a Consumer Advisory Board comprised of patients, providers, payers, and community and government stakeholders who will work with project investigators to ensure that their interventions are perceived as relevant, feasible, and practical for wide-scale dissemination. Evaluation will be continuously tracked, focusing primarily on project investigators' use of Core services and their outcomes.
Despite advances in knowledge about cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment, few evidence-based interventions are being implemented in practice. This Translation Core will guide the next generation of cardiovascular nurse researchers in developing evidence-based interventions that have the greatest potential for being translated into practice and improving cardiovascular health in vulnerable populations.
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