[2023] SCIENTIFIC WORKSHOP ON “UPDATING KNOWLEDGE IN IMPLEMENTATION RESEARCH DESIGN” – A FOUNDATION FOR APPLIED RESEARCH

 

On August 8, 2023, the Faculty of Public Health, Danang University of Medical Technology and Pharmacy, successfully held a specialized workshop entitled “Updating Knowledge in Implementation Research Design,” attracting significant attention from faculty members and students in the field of public health.

 

The keynote speaker, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Thi Kim Anh, delivered an in-depth and comprehensive presentation focusing on three key topics:

  1. Differentiating between implementation research and intervention research—clarifying their definitions, roles, objectives, applications, and relevant case examples;
  2. Important considerations in selecting appropriate research designs tailored to implementation research;
  3. Effective strategies for conducting implementation studies. 

The workshop served not only as a platform for knowledge updates but also as a lively academic forum. Participants posed numerous practical questions related to selecting suitable research designs, assessing contextual and cultural appropriateness, evaluating implementation outcomes, and structuring the research proposal. Despite time constraints, the speaker thoughtfully addressed several core questions, including:

  • Should all intervention studies adopt an implementation research approach?
  • Can the suitability of an intervention to a local “context” and “culture” be assessed through a literature review?
  • What are some specific examples of quantitative outcome indicators in implementation research?
  • How is implementation effectiveness assessed? Are evaluation tests similar to those used in intervention studies?
  • How should the “study design” section be written in proposals that combine intervention effectiveness and implementation process assessments?

The workshop concluded with a wealth of valuable insights, enhancing participants' research capabilities and encouraging the adoption of context-specific implementation models in public health practice. This event also marked a meaningful step forward in promoting sustainable and context-appropriate applied research in Vietnam.