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The article discusses the methods of implementing and analyzing evidence-informed public health (EIPH) training courses by the Cochrane Public Health Group (CPHG). It discusses the use of knowledge translation and exchange (KTE) strategies to support evidence-informed decision-making (EIDM). The impact of the courses on the use of evidences for making public health policies and programs is also discussed.

Public health practitioners make decisions based on research evidence in combination with a variety of other influences. Evidence summaries are one of a range of knowledge translation options used to support evidence-informed decision making. The literature relevant to obesity prevention requires synthesis for it to be accessible and relevant to end-users. As part of a national collaboration on obesity prevention, we used a stakeholder-focused approach combined with transparent review methods to develop evidence summaries covering a selection of topics relevant to policy and practice in the context of childhood obesity prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the use of systematic reviews findings to increase effective communication. It discusses the use of Knowledge translation and exchange (KT&E) strategies by the Cochrane Public Health Group (CPHG) to aid in the decision-making process during research trials. The article discusses development of a core message, identification of communication tools and delivery methods to reach stakeholders as well as the timing of communication.

Issue addressed: New national and state preventive health investments have provided significant funding for local governments (LGs) to be involved in planning and implementing health promotion interventions. There is an expectation that this work is evidence based; however, inadequate support and systems exist for evidence-informed planning and decision making in LGs. Previous initiatives have aimed to build capacity and leadership in LG health promotion, but the training, support and infrastructure have been sporadic. Methods: Across 2009-11 we implemented a National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (NHMRC)-funded university-LG research project to explore the feasibility, usefulness and outcomes of a knowledge translation (KT) intervention to increase the use of evidence in LGs. Within this exploratory cluster randomised controlled trial, one strategy being evaluated was workforce capacity building, during which group discussions revealed contextual challenges in delivering evidence-informed health promotion within the current funding context. Discussion was recorded. The group acknowledged the need to identify barriers and realistic practical solutions, and to communicate these more broadly. Results: Barriers to sourcing and applying evidence to inform health promotion emerged from discussions with LG representatives. System-level contextual factors affecting decisions were also discussed, namely concerns about organisational capacity and 'culture' to plan, implement and evaluate effective initiatives in LGs. Possible solutions suggested included: systems for access to academic literature; processes that make it easier to use evidence; training in evidence-informed health promotion to build organisational culture and capacity; and research-practice partnerships and mentoring. Conclusions: Targeted strategies with individuals (LG staff) and organisations (leadership, systems) are needed to realise the potential of current health promotion investments. Research-practice partnerships are likely to be important. It seems obvious that it is impossible to be evidence informed without mechanisms to access and apply evidence. We invite other LGs to reflect upon their experiences in such initiatives, and to consider whether the strategies we propose may be useful. So what? The increased emphasis on health promotion and non-communicable disease prevention programs may be limited by the capacity, confidence and organisational culture to inform policies and programs with best-available evidence. We describe some of the current challenges and contextual factors as they are being experienced. There are opportunities for national and state governments, organisations representing local government (e.g. municipal associations) and research partners to provide targeted support to councils. This may assist in achieving effective health promotion at the community level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) framework for assessing the quality of a body of evidence of public health. Decision-makers who decide on public health strategies or interventions need to evidence the benefits and potential harms these strategies before implementing them. GRADE increases transparency, and explicitness, and potentially reduces the influence of conflicts of interests in evidence assessment and interpretation.

The article discusses two policy-relevant reviews from the Cochrane Public Health Group (CPHG) focusing on interventions aimed at improving health and social outcomes for children. A review determining the effects of interventions to promote reintegration and reducing harmful behaviour in street-connected children and young people will impact access into education, training and employment opportunities. Another review will be used to decide on a later start time in schools and jurisdictions.

The article describes a new approach for tracking and understanding the use and efficacy of published Cochrane Public Health Group (CPHG) reviews for public health decision-making. It describes the challenges of defining and identifying the extent to which reviews are used and explains how systematic review impact is measured through interviews and tracer searches. It concludes that assessing review impact is challenging in public health due to the complexity of the decision-making processes.

The authors discuss steps that can be taken to ensure the inclusion of a broader area of evaluations in systematic reviews and to maximize their influential potential. Few main components for evaluation of interventions such as amount allocated for evaluation, evaluation design and data collection are discussed. Also included is the role of dissemination in strengthening evaluation. Supporting evaluation resources will help the development of evidence-informed public health.

This article describes an innovative knowledge translation project involving researchers and key stakeholders commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the Commission on Social Determinants of Health (CSDH). The project aimed to develop 'cameo' reports of evidence-based policies and interventions addressing social determinants of health, intended for use by leaders and advocates, as well as policy and programme decision makers, to advance global action. The iterative process of developing the framework and content of the cameos, in the context of a limited evidence base, is described, and a number of issues related to the integration of multiple sources of evidence for knowledge translation action are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates the significance of the Cretan themes in the Greek poetry Aeneid. Foundation to the wanderings and failed settlements of the hero; Literary construction of the epic; Level of narration, memory and repetition.

The article focuses on the Knowledge Translation and Exchange (KTE or KT) activities that focuses on endof- project dissemination. It mentions that the aim of KTE is to ensure that stakeholders use research evidence to inform decision-making. It states that literature review was conducted to understand the skills.

AbstractPurposeMethodResultConclusionTranslation of research is requisite for speech-language pathologists; however, barriers have been reported. This review aimed to identify the extant literature published on communication for autistic children, and examine the replicability and translatability of communication interventions for speech-language pathologists providing services to children with autism.A scoping review was conducted using a six-stage protocol. Following initial database searching and screening, data were extracted from included studies for demographic characteristics and Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) checklist elements. Stakeholder consultation interviews with 13 speech-language pathologists who work with autistic children were also undertaken.The database search revealed 4719 studies on the topic of communication in autistic children, of which 762 were communication intervention studies. Of these included intervention studies, 30% were considered replicable according to the TIDieR checklist. Stakeholder consultation revealed that poorly described intervention studies hindered translation efforts.The vast amount of autism communication intervention literature and the variable quality of intervention description reporting are barriers to accessing high quality literature for translation to practice. Improved reporting of intervention descriptions in autism communication intervention studies would support research translation into clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence supports the effectiveness of shared book reading for promoting language and literacy development, but it is known that families experiencing vulnerability may have reduced access to books and are less likely to share books regularly at home. Community hubs often provide support to families experiencing vulnerability and may provide an opportunity to create environments that support families to engage in shared book reading, especially if families are invited into the creation of these environments through co‐design. However, there is currently little evidence regarding the impact of co‐designing shared book reading environments with families in community settings. Aims: The current study is part of a broader project which used co‐design to develop a shared book reading environment in collaboration with stakeholders in a community hub. This small‐scale study aimed to provide a preliminary evaluation of the impact of this co‐designed shared book reading environment at the community hub on (1) the frequency of shared book reading at the hub; (2) participants' confidence and enjoyment of reading with children at the hub; and (3) participants' experiences of shared book reading at the hub. Method & Procedures: The co‐design project was carried out in four phases with families, staff and community partners at the community hub. A convergent mixed‐methods approach was used to collect and analyse quantitative and qualitative data in the first and last phase of the project to evaluate project outcomes. Quantitative data (environmental observations of reading at the hub and participant ratings of confidence and enjoyment of reading with children at the hub) were analysed using descriptive statistics and nonparametric statistical tests. Qualitative data (participants' responses regarding their experiences of changes implemented in the community hub) were analysed using inductive content analysis. Outcome & Results: An increased frequency of shared book reading was observed within the community hub after changes were implemented, and positive changes in enjoyment of book reading were recorded. Qualitative responses from participants following conclusion of the project were organised into three main categories, which showed that (1) children and families were reading more and enjoying reading activities that were happening; (2) children and families were borrowing more books; and (3) families had changed the way they were reading at home with their children. Conclusions & Implications: A co‐designed shared book reading environment within a community hub had a positive impact on shared book reading experiences for families in areas with high levels of vulnerability. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on this subject: Community hubs provide a unique opportunity to support early language and literacy development in partnership with families in areas of vulnerability; however, there is limited literature investigating the impacts of these supports. A previous study utilised co‐design to develop a shared book reading environment with stakeholders at a community hub in an area where a high proportion of children are considered to be 'vulnerable' in terms of language and literacy development. It was found that co‐design enabled the development of collaborative changes to support shared book reading that were valued and owned by families, staff and community partners at the community hub. What this study adds: The current study focused on evaluating the impact of a co‐design project on the frequency of shared book reading at the hub and participants' experiences, confidence and enjoyment of reading with children at the hub. Analysis of pre‐ and post‐data provide preliminary evidence that a co‐designed shared book reading environment in a community hub can have a positive impact on increasing families' awareness and engagement with book borrowing, engagement in shared book reading activities in the community and at home, and participants' confidence and enjoyment of reading with children. What are the clinical implications of this work?: Speech pathologists have an important role to play in prevention and promotion. This study has shown that collaboration with families experiencing vulnerability can support the implementation of strategies to promote shared reading in a community hub and demonstrate increased quality and frequency of shared book reading. The utilisation of a community hub also highlights the opportunities for the speech pathology profession to deliver community‐based promotion and prevention initiatives as a strategy to address equitable language outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 13 years since the inception of Implementation Science, we have witnessed a continued rise in the number of submissions, reflecting the growing global interest in methods to enhance the uptake of research findings into healthcare practice and policy. We now receive over 800 submissions annually, and there is a large gap between what is submitted and what gets published. To better serve the needs of the research community, we announce our plans to introduce a new journal, Implementation Science Communications, which we believe will support publication of types of research reports currently not often published in Implementation Science. In this editorial, we state both journals' scope and current boundaries and set out our expectations for the scientific reporting, quality, and transparency of the manuscripts we receive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mis-implementation (i.e., the premature termination or inappropriate continuation of public health programs) contributes to the misallocation of limited public health resources and the sub-optimal response to the growing global burden of chronic disease. This study seeks to describe the occurrence of mis-implementation in four countries of differing sizes, wealth, and experience with evidence-based chronic disease prevention (EBCDP).Methods: A cross-sectional study of 400 local public health practitioners in Australia, Brazil, China, and the United States was conducted from November 2015 to April 2016. Online survey questions focused on how often mis-termination and mis-continuation occur and the most common reasons programs end and continue.Results: We found significant differences in knowledge of EBCDP across countries with upwards of 75% of participants from Australia (n = 91/121) and the United States (n = 83/101) reporting being moderately to extremely knowledgeable compared with roughly 60% (n = 47/76) from Brazil and 20% (n = 21/102) from China (p < 0.05). Far greater proportions of participants from China thought effective programs were never mis-terminated (12.2% (n = 12/102) vs. 1% (n = 2/121) in Australia, 2.6% (n = 2/76) in Brazil, and 1.0% (n = 1/101) in the United States; p < 0.05) or were unable to estimate how frequently this happened (45.9% (n = 47/102) vs. 7.1% (n = 7/101) in the United States, 10.5% (n = 8/76) in Brazil, and 1.7% (n = 2/121) in Australia; p < 0.05). The plurality of participants from Australia (58.0%, n = 70/121) and the United States (36.8%, n = 37/101) reported that programs often mis-continued whereas most participants from Brazil (60.5%, n = 46/76) and one third (n = 37/102) of participants from China believed this happened only sometimes (p < 0.05). The availability of funding and support from political authorities, agency leadership, and the general public were common reasons programs continued and ended across all countries. A program's effectiveness or evidence-base-or lack thereof-were rarely reasons for program continuation and termination.Conclusions: Decisions about continuing or ending a program were often seen as a function of program popularity and funding availability as opposed to effectiveness. Policies and practices pertaining to programmatic decision-making should be improved in light of these findings. Future studies are needed to understand and minimize the individual, organizational, and political-level drivers of mis-implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The common liver fluke (Fasciola hepatica) causes the disease fasciolosis, which results in considerable losses within the global agri-food industry. There is a shortfall in the drugs that are effective against both the adult and juvenile life stages within the mammalian host, such that new drug targets are needed. Over the last decade the stem cells of parasitic flatworms have emerged as reservoirs of putative novel targets due to their role in development and homeostasis, including at host-parasite interfaces. Here, we investigate and characterise the proliferating cells that underpin development in F. hepatica. We provide evidence that these cells are capable of self-renewal, differentiation, and are sensitive to ionising radiation—all attributes of neoblasts in other flatworms. Changes in cell proliferation were also noted during the early stages of in vitro juvenile growth/development (around four to seven days post excystment), which coincided with a marked reduction in the nuclear area of proliferating cells. Furthermore, we generated transcriptomes from worms following irradiation-based ablation of neoblasts, identifying 124 significantly downregulated transcripts, including known stem cell markers such as fgfrA and plk1. Sixty-eight of these had homologues associated with neoblast-like cells in Schistosoma mansoni. Finally, RNA interference mediated knockdown of histone h2b (a marker of proliferating cells), ablated neoblast-like cells and impaired worm development in vitro. In summary, this work demonstrates that the proliferating cells of F. hepatica are equivalent to neoblasts of other flatworm species and demonstrate that they may serve as attractive targets for novel anthelmintics. Author summary: Liver fluke are parasitic worms that infect both livestock and humans worldwide, threatening food security and human health. Treatments against this disease-causing parasite are limited, and growing resistance to drugs is undermining the effectiveness of control strategies. Since drugs represent the only viable control option, it is crucial that new drugs are discovered through the identification and validation of new drug targets. Stem cells play important roles in the normal growth and repair processes of many organisms, but when these cells become dysregulated through mutation, they can drive the development of cancers. Stem cells of liver fluke may be attractive novel drug targets as disruption would affect worm survival and/or development within their host. In this research we describe the characteristics of liver fluke stem cells, such as their sensitivity to radiation and their ability to develop into new cell types (key stem cell features). We used radiation in combination with RNA sequencing to identify genes associated with the liver fluke stem cells. Finally, we used reverse genetics to reduce the expression of a gene associated with stem cells, which led to the loss of stem cells and reduced worm growth/development. These data provide evidence to support the exploitation of stem cells as a source of novel drug targets for liver fluke control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Late-life depression and white matter hyperintensities (WMH) have been linked to increased dementia risk. However, there is a dearth of literature examining these relationships in Black adults. We investigated whether depression or WMH volume are associated with a higher likelihood of dementia diagnosis in a sample of late middle-aged to older Black adults, and whether dementia prevalence is highest in individuals with both depression and higher WMH volume. Methods Secondary data analysis involved 443 Black participants aged 55+ with brain imaging within 1 year of baseline visit in the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center Uniform Data Set. Chi-square analyses and logistic regression models controlling for demographic variables examined whether active depression in the past 2 years, WMH volume, or their combination were associated with higher odds of all-cause dementia. Results Depression and higher WMH volume were associated with a higher prevalence of dementia. These associations remained after controlling for demographic factors, as well as vascular disease burden. Dementia risk was highest in the depression/high WMH volume group compared to the depression-only group, high WMH volume-only group, and the no depression/low WMH volume group. Post hoc analyses comparing the Black sample to a demographically matched non-Hispanic White sample showed associations of depression and the combination of depression and higher WMH burden with dementia were greater in Black compared to non-Hispanic White individuals. Discussion Results suggest late-life depression and WMH have independent and joint relationships with dementia and that Black individuals may be particularly at risk due to these factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An obituary for Professor Elizabeth Waters, founding co-ordinating editor of public health research group Cochrane Public Health, is presented.

Issues addressed: While adolescent health literacy research has gained momentum, there is little evidence regarding its implementation and data collection in school settings. This study explored the feasibility of collecting health literacy data from Australian secondary schools and piloted three health literacy instruments. Methods: A cross‐sectional study was designed to recruit four government secondary schools in Melbourne. Active, opt‐in consent was obtained from parents and students in Years 7‐9, and an online survey was conducted. Three health literacy instruments were used: the 8‐item Health Literacy Assessment Tool (HLAT‐8), the Newest Vital Sign (NVS), and the 47‐item Health Literacy Survey (HLS‐47). Results: A total of 120 students (age 12‐15 years) were finally recruited from one school, whereas the other three schools declined due to busy educational commitment or no interest in research. Learnings and reflections on data collection included: a shared perspective of health literacy evaluation between school and researchers; the feasibility of online data collection; and the possibility of obtaining passive, opt‐out consent. About one‐quarter (23.7%‐32.2%) of students were likely to have poor health literacy. Conclusions: Although the recruitment was challenging, this pilot study indicates the feasibility of large‐scale online health literacy survey in future school‐based research. So what?: Measuring and monitoring adolescent health literacy is essential to achieve the aim of the Australian Curriculum of Health and Physical Education. More implementation research is needed with representative samples to validate health literacy instruments and examine the impact of health literacy on health promotion outcomes in Australian adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2/Covid-19 affects all of us and is associated with rapid and massive changes in healthcare and societies. As a response, a range of interventions for patients and populations have been implemented in health and preventive settings, or need to be implemented in the short and long term. Implementation science offers a multidisciplinary perspective and systematic approach for the design, evaluation and analysis of programmes and policies to enhance implementation. The emergence of Covid-19 provides an urgent need to develop new perspectives and approaches in implementation science, such as the addition of innovative and rigorous approaches to the collection, use and analysis of 'real-world' data. Above all, we hope that implementation scientists will focus on what they can contribute to manage Covid-19 and its consequences for people, healthcare and society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]