Abstract
Successful dissemination and implementation of evidence-based healthcare practices requires effective communication across traditional disciplinary and professional boundaries. This thesis presents a project-based inquiry into how such communication can be improved and facilitated through a theoretically grounded approach that draws from science communication, theories of learning, and dissemination and implementation science. The project involved collaboration between researchers from the School of Physiotherapy and the Centre for Science Communication at the University of Otago, with the aim to produce theoretically grounded communication resources for a case study, WellPro. The case study WellPro is an evidence-based wellbeing programme developed in the School of Physiotherapy for people with long-term conditions and multimorbidity.
Methods
The approach of this thesis project has been pragmatic and based on reading of scholarly literature involving theories from science communication, learning, and dissemination and implementation sciences, consultation with key stakeholders and development of communication resources. As the creative component of this Master of Science Communication thesis, the communication resources have been developed to promote WellPro and to support newly formed interprofessional teams to implement WellPro in healthcare districts across Aotearoa New Zealand. Through an iterative process of critical examination of theoretical frameworks and creative practice, a set of theory-based assertions were compiled into an original communication framework. The AIMS framework can be used to support the development of future communication resources for dissemination and implementation practices.
Results
The set of communication resources produced for WellPro comprise an infographic, a short promotional video, an orientation guide and outlines for team planning workshops. The development process of the communication resources involved the production and editing of creative materials including audio, film, written copy and group activities.
The creative process necessitated and guided assembly of the AIMS framework, an original conceptual framework that integrates perspectives from disparate disciplines. Drawing on theories of science communication, theories of learning and other disciplines has great potential to improve dissemination and implementation of evidence-based healthcare practices and ultimately lead to equitable healthcare outcomes. The AIMS communication framework provides a foundation for further exploration and evaluation of this approach and future development of communication resources. Thus, in addition to being an interdisciplinary collaboration in its own right, the project utilises an interdisciplinary approach to facilitating interprofessional communication in dissemination and implementation activities.
Conclusion
The WellPro communication resources presented here provide a solid foundation for further development of communication resources to support the implementation of WellPro. Of particular value in future will be the evaluation of both the programme and the communication resources used to support its implementation. The AIMS communication framework is a tool that can be used in both development of future resources and in guiding evaluation of existing resources.