Challenges to replicating evidence-based research in real-world settings: training African-American peers as patient navigators for colon cancer screening.
Many cancer-prevention interventions have demonstrated effectiveness in diverse populations, but these evidenced-based findings slowly disseminate into practice. The current study describes the process of disseminating and replicating research (i.e., peer patient navigation for colonoscopy screening) in real-world settings. Two large metropolitan hospitals collaborated to replicate a peer patient navigation model within their existing navigation systems. Six African-American peer volunteers were recruited and trained to navigate patients through colonoscopy scheduling and completion. Major challenges included: (1) operating within multiple institutional settings; (2) operating within nonacademic/research infrastructures; (3) integrating into an established navigation system; (4) obtaining support of hospital staff without overburdening; and (5) competing priorities and time commitments. Bridging the gap between evidence-based research and practice is critical to eliminating many cancer health disparities; therefore, it is crucial that researchers and practitioners continue to work to achieve both diffusion and fusion of evidence-based findings. Recommendations for addressing these challenges are discussed.
Department of Oncological Sciences, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA. jamilia.sly@mssm.edu
Jamilia R
JR
Sly
Lina
L
Jandorf
Rayhana
R
Dhulkifl
Diana
D
Hall
Tiffany
T
Edwards
Adam J
AJ
Goodman
Elithea
E
Maysonet
Sulaiman
S
Azeez
D001741:Black or African American / Q000193:education*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D004493:Education; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000193:education*; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans