Examining the feasibility and effectiveness of a community-based organization implementing an event-based knowledge mobilization initiative to promote physical activity guidelines for people with spinal cord injury among support personnel.

UNLABELLED

Community-based organizations (CBOs) and support personnel that serve marginalized members of society have the potential to be important partners in knowledge mobilization (KM). A CBO in partnership with researchers developed an event-based KM initiative to disseminate evidence-based physical activity guidelines for people with spinal cord injury.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this case study is to demonstrate a) how a CBO can implement a KM initiative and b) the effectiveness of the initiative for disseminating the guidelines to support personnel.

METHOD

The KM initiative consisted of 12 events about the new guidelines held within the CBO's regional areas. Evaluation of the events was guided by the RE-AIM (reach, efficacy or effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance) framework.

RESULTS

Adoption of the events was high, with 88% of regions hosting an event. Overall fidelity to the event protocol was high among researchers (100.00% ± .00), peers (65% ± 33.74), and staff (70.00% ± 34.96). The events reached 140 support personnel who attended the events. Significant increases in support personnel's self-efficacy and intentions to promote physical activity to people with spinal cord injury were seen at Time 2 but not maintained at Time 3.

CONCLUSIONS

Event-based KM initiatives may be an effective strategy for CBOs to disseminate information to support personnel and ensure that KM initiatives are supported by staff and delivered as intended.