As a field, D&I relies heavily on theories, models, and frameworks (TMFs) to guide the development of implementation strategies as well as the measurement of antecedents, mediators, and outcomes. This page will help you to understand the role of TMFs in D&I, point you to online tools that can assist with selecting TMFs, and provide you with basic resources for three of the most widely used TMFs in the field.
Understanding Theories, Models, and Frameworks
This paper offers a highly useful overview of the concepts of theories, models, and frameworks in D&I science, with key insights into how different types of TMFs serve different functions. Very brief introductions to some of the major TMFs are provided.
Nilsen, P. (2015). Making sense of implementation theories, models and frameworks. Implementation Science, 10, Article 53. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13012-015-0242-0 (Paper)
There are a plethora of theories, models, and frameworks (TMFs) in implementation science, with TMFs serving multiple functions—some TMFs explain the role of context in impacting implementation, while other TMFs can help drive decisions around implementation strategies to be used and outcomes to be measured. Dr. Sarah Birken from Wake Forest University School of Medicine walks through how TMFs can help to define the determinants of implementation and then identify implementation strategies that can impact those determinants. Dr. Birken’s presentation begins at the 5:37 minute mark. (Video; 58 min)
This review provided one of the first efforts to document the myriad of theories, models, and frameworks in D&I science. Table 2 is particularly helpful in differentiating which TMFs are relevant to dissemination vs. implementation research.
Tabak, R. G., Khoong, E. C., Chambers, D. A., & Brownson, R. C. (2012). Bridging research and practice: Models for dissemination and implementation research. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 43(3), 337–350. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2012.05.024 (Paper)
Delivered as part of the 2023 D&I Short Course hosted by the University of Utah, Dr. J.D. Smith describes how the Implementation Research Logic Model (IRLM) can help researchers to integrate multiple frameworks that may be relevant for their work, such as implementation determinant frameworks, implementation strategies, implementation outcome frameworks. The IRLM can be helpful in both planning a study as well as executing your study and reporting its results. (Video; 71 min)
