Implementation Science to Address Health Disparities and Improve the Equitable Implementation of Proven Interventions

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Background

As health research moves through the translation pipeline, some minoritized groups have been left behind. This gap in translation has worsened, and or become more apparent for many during the COVID-19 pandemic. Implementation science can help address this gap by guiding the equitable dissemination and implementation of health interventions, healthcare policies and practices. With significant research focus on implementation of proven health interventions, there is a tremendous opportunity to ensure all individuals have access to, and benefit from, lifesaving healthcare and health interventions.

The aim of this Research Topic is to gather the latest implementation science advances towards health equity and facilitate the assessment of progress made to date. The editors of this topic are particularly interested in research efforts that focus on incorporating implementation science into routine health care, and public health settings to improve equity and impact on population health in North and South America. Considering these points, this topic welcomes manuscripts around the following themes, but not limited to:

• Implementation science to identify, address and understand health disparities;
• Implementation science to reduce mortality and excess deaths in minoritized populations;
• Studies designed for (or exploring) equitable implementation of proven interventions/practices;
• Dynamic adaptation and testing of health interventions and/or implementation strategies;
• Systematic barriers to equitable implementation (such as federal/state/local policies, data quality and availability) particularly in populations less likely to be included in implementation science studies (e.g. deaf or hard of hearing individuals, indigenous peoples, confined populations, and immigrants);
• Systematizing the process of adapting interventions and implementation strategies;
• Adaptations to existing implementation science frameworks to address and study health equity;
• Implementation research efforts to address racism;
• Implementation science practices, interventions and policies that contribute to health inequities;
• De-implementation of practices, interventions and policies that contribute to health inequities.

This Research Topic welcomes qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods studies. Article types may include original research, systematic reviews, methods articles, case reports, and commentaries.

Keywords: Implementation Science, Health Equity, Health Disparities, Interventions, Dissemination

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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