Unit 6: Dissemination#

The dissemination process is well known by the CDC as it is a foundational part of the analytic process. Dissemination plays a critical role in ensuring that research findings are communicated effectively and efficiently to the stakeholders who can use the information to make informed decisions [McLoughlin and Martinez, 2022].

Health Equity and Data Cleaning

  • Research dissemination may not reach all populations or communities equally, particularly those who are marginalized or disadvantaged by preexisting barriers, such as language or cultural. This can result in limited access to important health information and evidence-based interventions, further exacerbating health disparities.
  • Whenever possible, researchers should engage communities or stakeholders in an equitable and inclusive manner, in order to facilitate community ownership and participation in the research process. This can help foster interventions and dissemination methods that reflect the needs and priorities of communities.

What is Dissemination#

Dissemination is closely related to health equity in public health research because it helps to ensure that research findings are disseminated to all stakeholders, regardless of their socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, or any other factor that may affect their access to information.

Dissemination and Public Health#

Dissemination helps to spread important information about diseases, treatments, and prevention methods to the public. For example, disseminating information about vaccination campaigns, disease outbreaks, and health risks can help individuals make informed decisions about their health.

Dissemination and Health Equity#

Effective dissemination of research findings can help bridge the gap between research and practice, as it can inform policy and practice changes that can lead to improvements in health outcomes for underserved or overlooked populations. It can also help to build trust and credibility among communities that may have historically been underserved or marginalized by the healthcare system [Ross-Hellauer et al., 2020].

The following questions can help aid in addressing health equity during the dissemination process:

  • Who is the audience?: Consider who the information is for.

    • General public

    • Academic / researcher

    • Internal organization leadership

    • Regulatory / lawmakers

    • Slocal public health (STLTs)

    • Healthcare providers

  • What is the venue for dissemination?: Choosing the venue for your information/research impacts the format of how your information displayed and limits the audience to the venue environment.

    • Journal / Paper

    • Conference / Presentation

    • Internal communication

    • Website / General Public

    • Blog post

    • Social media

  • What is accessibilty and reach?: Is the venue and format of your information/research suitable for the intended audience you are trying to reach. Are there other ways the findings should be used or communicated in order to address less accessible audiences?

Whenever possible, researchers should engage communities or stakeholders in an equitable and inclusive manner, in order to facilitate community ownership and participation in the research process. This can help foster interventions and dissemination methods that reflect the needs and priorities of communities.