A comprehenSive tool to Support rEporting and critical appraiSal of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods implementation reSearch outcomes (ASSESS Tool)
- A comprehensive tool to describe studies focused on implementation that use qualitative, quantitative, and/or mixed methodologies and assess risk of bias of implementation outcomes
Critical Appraisal Checklist for Implementation Research
- Critical appraisal checklists help determine if a study is valid, determine the results, and to determine if the results can be applied to a clinical or research question.
Barriers and Facilitators of Healthcare Utilization amongst People Living with Sickle Cell Disease in the United States: A Scoping Review (2025) [Manuscript Under Review with PLOS One]
- Sickle cell disease (SCD) stands as one of the most prevalent genetic disorders in the United States (U.S.) that causes severe consequences such as organ damage and excruciating pain. Alarmingly, recent literature indicates a decline in the number of people living with SCD (PLWSCD) seeking professional care – hinting at an avoidance of the healthcare system. Therefore, this review synthesizes the evidence regarding barriers and facilitators influencing healthcare utilization among PLWSCD within the U.S.
Assessment of musical interventions and its effect on blood pressure among United States populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis (2024). Front Cardiovasc Med. 2024 Oct 15;11:1405455. DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2024.1405455
- Hypertension (HTN) currently affects over 120 million Americans, in the United States (US). Thus, the implementation of evidence-based interventions (EBI) for blood pressure (BP) reduction is pivotal in minimizing this burden. This work evaluates evidence from published literature on the effectiveness of musical interventions for BP reduction within the US.
Characterisation of medical conditions of children with sickle cell disease in the USA: findings from the 2007–2018 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). (2023). https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/bmjopen/13/2/e069075.full.pdf
- We used the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data set to examine the prevalence of comorbid medical conditions; explore barriers to accessing healthcare and special educational services; and assess the associations between sickle cell disease (SCD) status and demographics/socioeconomic status (SES), and social determinants of health (SDoH) on comorbidities among children in the USA. Data was acquired from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) Sample Child Core questionnaire 2007–2018 dataset that included 133,542 children.
Analysis of the 2007–2018 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS): Examining Neurological Complications among Children with Sickle Cell Disease in the United States. (2023). Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Jun 15;20(12):6137. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20126137
- This study compared neurological complications among a national sample of United States children with or without sickle cell disease (SCD) and evaluated health status, healthcare and special education utilization patterns, barriers to care, and association of SCD status and demographics/socioeconomic status (SES) on comorbidities and healthcare utilization. Data was acquired from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) Sample Child Core questionnaire 2007–2018 dataset that included 133,542 children.
Assessing descriptions of scalability for hypertension control interventions implemented in low-and middle-income countries: A systematic review (2022) PLoS One. 2022 Jul 28;17(7):e0272071. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272071
- The prevalence of hypertension continues to rise in low- and middle-income- countries (LMICs) where scalable, evidence-based interventions (EBIs) that are designed to reduce morbidity and mortality attributed to hypertension have yet to be fully adopted or disseminated. We sought to evaluate evidence from published randomized controlled trials using EBIs for hypertension control implemented in LMICs, and identify the WHO/ExpandNet scale-up components that are relevant for consideration during “scale-up” implementation planning.
Implementation science research for the scale-up of evidence-based interventions for sickle cell disease in africa: a commentary. Global Health. 2021 Feb 17;17(1):20. DOI: 10.1186/s12992-021-00671-x
- The burden of sickle cell disease (SCD) is greatest among African nations. Effective scalability of evidence-based interventions (e.g., newborn screening, health education, prophylaxis for infection, optimal nutrition and hydration, hydroxyurea therapy, blood transfusions, and transcranial Doppler (TCD) screening) is urgently needed particularly in these settings for disease management. However, Africa is constrained by limited resources and the lack of capacity to conduct implementation science research for proper understanding of context, and assessment of barriers and facilitators to the uptake and scalability of evidence-based interventions (EBI) for SCD management. We outline implementation science approaches to embed EBI for SCD within the African context and highlight key implementation research programs for SCD management. Building implementation research capacity will meet the major need of developing effective life-long and accessible locally-tailored interventions for patients with SCD in Africa.