title: Knowledge transfer on complex social interventions in public health: a scoping study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Scientific knowledge can help develop interventions that improve public health. The objectives of this review are (1) to describe the status of research on knowledge transfer strategies in the field of complex social interventions in public health and (2) to identify priorities for future research in this field.
  
  
  METHODS
  A scoping study is an exploratory study. After searching databases of bibliographic references and specialized periodicals, we summarized the relevant studies using a predetermined assessment framework. In-depth analysis focused on the following items: types of knowledge transfer strategies, fields of public health, types of publics, types of utilization, and types of research specifications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From the 1,374 references identified, we selected 26 studies. The strategies targeted mostly administrators of organizations and practitioners. The articles generally dealt with instrumental utilization and most often used qualitative methods. In general, the bias risk for the studies is high.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Researchers need to consider the methodological challenges in this field of research in order to improve assessment of more complex knowledge transfer strategies (when they exist), not just diffusion/dissemination strategies and conceptual and persuasive utilization.
authors: Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Dagenais
authors: Marie
authors: M
authors: Malo
authors: Émilie
authors: É
authors: Robert
authors: Mathieu
authors: M
authors: Ouimet
authors: Diane
authors: D
authors: Berthelette
authors: Valéry
authors: V
authors: Ridde
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000458:organization & administration; D016206:Databases, Bibliographic; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D011634:Public Health; D011635:Public Health Administration / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods; D017594:Publication Bias; D012107:Research Design