title: Systematic reviews examining implementation of research into practice and impact on population health are needed.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the research translation phase focus (T1-T4) of systematic reviews published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR) and Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE). Briefly, T1 includes reviews of basic science experiments; T2 includes reviews of human trials leading to guideline development; T3 includes reviews examining how to move guidelines into policy and practice; and T4 includes reviews describing the impact of changing health practices on population outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional audit of randomly selected reviews from CDSR (n = 500) and DARE (n = 500) was undertaken. The research translation phase of reviews, overall and by communicable disease, noncommunicable disease, and injury subgroups, were coded by two researchers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 898 reviews examined a communicable, noncommunicable, or injury-related condition. Of those, 98% of reviews within CDSR focused on T2, and the remaining 2% focused on T3. In DARE, 88% focused on T2, 8.7% focused on T1, 2.5% focused on T3, and 1.3% focused on T4. Almost all reviews examining communicable (CDSR 100%, DARE 93%), noncommunicable (CDSR 98%, DARE 87%), and injury (CDSR 95%, DARE 88%) were also T2 focused.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Few reviews exist to guide practitioners and policy makers with implementing evidence-based treatments or programs.
authors.affiliation: Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Booth Building, Longworth Avenue, Wallsend, New South Wales 2287, Australia; School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia; Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia. Electronic address: Serene.Yoong@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au.
authors.forename: Sze Lin
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Yoong
authors.affiliation: Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Booth Building, Longworth Avenue, Wallsend, New South Wales 2287, Australia; School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia; Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia.
authors.forename: Tara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Clinton-McHarg
authors.affiliation: Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Booth Building, Longworth Avenue, Wallsend, New South Wales 2287, Australia; School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia; Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia.
authors.forename: Luke
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wolfenden
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D062489:Health Impact Assessment; D006284:Health Plan Implementation / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D011050:Policy Making; D011635:Public Health Administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012196:Review Literature as Topic; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical
keywords: Bibliographic; Databases; Knowledge translation; Policy; Systematic review; Translational research