Knowledge Translation
The term knowledge translation (KT) is increasing in importance and use in the fields of public health, medicine, and rehabilitation research (Brandt & Pope, 1997; CIHR, 2004; Davis et al., 2003; Glasgow, Lichtenstein, & Marcus, 2003; Jacobson, Butterill, & Goering, 2003; Tingus, Berland, Myklebust, & Sherwood, 2004).
KT is a relatively new term that is used to describe a relatively old problem—the underutilization of evidence-based research in systems of care. Underutilization of evidence-based research is often described as a gap between "what is known" and "what is currently done" in practice settings (Davis et al., 2003; Grol, 2000; Grol & Grimshaw, 2003).
KT has also emerged as an important concept for the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). NIDRR has remarked that KT plays an important role in enhancing the lives of individuals with disabilities, as science-based knowledge, technologies, and applications must be translated in order to inform disability and rehabilitation policy and improve practice (Tingus et al., 2004).
References
Brandt, E., & Pope, A. M. (Eds.). (1997). Enabling America: Assessing the role of rehabilitation science and engineering. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
CIHR. (2004). Knowledge translation strategy 2004 —2009: Innovation in action. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
Davis, D., Evans, M., Jadad, A., Perrier, L., Rath, D., Ryan, D., et al. (2003). The case for knowledge translation: Shortening the journey from evidence to effect. British Medical Journal, 327(7405), 33—35.
Glasgow, R. E., Lichtenstein, E., & Marcus, A. C. (2003).
Grol, R. (2000). Twenty years of implementation research. Family Practice, 17, S32 —S35.
Grol, R., & Grimshaw, J. (2003). From best evidence to best practice: Effective implementation of change in patients' care. Lancet, 362(9391), 1225 —1230.
Jacobson, N., Butterill, D., & Goering, P. (2003). Development of a framework for knowledge translation: Understanding user context. Journal of Health Services Research & Policy, 8(2), 94 —99.
Tingus, S. J., Berland, B. J., Myklebust, J., Sherwood, A. (2004, August). NIDRR long-range planning update for KDU. Paper presented at the Knowledge Dissemination and Utilization Projects Meeting: Translating Disability Research into Practice, Pentagon City, VA.
Adapted from NCDDR's FOCUS: Technical Brief Number 10, What is Knowledge Translation?