title: Conceptualizing dissemination research and activity: the case of the Canadian Heart Health Initiative.
abstract: Cardiovascular diseases are now the world's leading cause of death. To reduce high rates of such preventable premature deaths, evidence-based approaches to heart health promotion must be disseminated across public health systems. To succeed, we must build capacity to disseminate strategies that are practical and effective. However, we know little about such dissemination, and we lack both conceptual frameworks to guide our thinking and appropriate scientific methodologies. This article presents conceptual and analytic frameworks that integrate several approaches to understanding and studying dissemination processes within public health systems. This work is based on the Canadian Heart Health Dissemination Project, a research program examining a national heart health dissemination initiative. The primary focus is the development of a systematic protocol for measuring levels of capacity and dissemination, and determining successful conditions for, and barriers to, capacity and dissemination, as well as the nature of the relationship between these key concepts.
authors.affiliation: School of Geography and Geology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. elliotts@mcmaster.ca
authors.forename: Susan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: O'Loughlin
authors.forename: Kerry
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eyles
authors.forename: Roy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cameron
authors.forename: Dexter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Raine
authors.forename: Dale
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gelskey
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D054626:Consumer Health Information / Q000379:methods*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000379:methods*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D011635:Public Health Administration