Development and usability testing of tools to facilitate incorporating intersectionality in knowledge translation

doi:10.1186/s12913-022-08181-1

. 2022 Jun 27;22(1):830.

doi: 10.1186/s12913-022-08181-1.

Development and usability testing of tools to facilitate incorporating intersectionality in knowledge translation

Kathryn M Sibley^{1

2}, Danielle Kasperavicius³, Isabel Braganca Rodrigues⁴, Lora Giangregorio⁵, Jenna C Gibbs⁶, Ian D Graham^{7

8}, Alison M Hoens⁹, Christine Kelly¹⁰, Dianne Lalonde¹¹, Julia E Moore¹², Matteo Ponzano⁵, Justin Presseau^{7

8

13}, Sharon E Straus^{14

15}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 379 - 753 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 0W3, Canada. kathryn.sibley@umanitoba.ca.
² George and Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation, 379- 753 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 0W3, Canada. kathryn.sibley@umanitoba.ca.
³ Knowledge Translation Program, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁴ McMaster University, Department of Medicine, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
⁵ Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, and Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
⁶ Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
⁷ Clinical Epidemiology, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
⁸ School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
⁹ Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
¹⁰ Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 379 - 753 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 0W3, Canada.
¹¹ Learning Network, Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
¹² The Center for Implementation, Toronto, ON, Canada.
¹³ School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
¹⁴ Division of Infectious Diseases, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
¹⁵ Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.

PMID: 35761251
PMCID: PMC9238081
DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-08181-1

Development and usability testing of tools to facilitate incorporating intersectionality in knowledge translation

Kathryn M Sibley et al. BMC Health Serv Res. 2022.

. 2022 Jun 27;22(1):830.

doi: 10.1186/s12913-022-08181-1.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 379 - 753 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 0W3, Canada. kathryn.sibley@umanitoba.ca.
² George and Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation, 379- 753 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 0W3, Canada. kathryn.sibley@umanitoba.ca.
³ Knowledge Translation Program, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁴ McMaster University, Department of Medicine, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
⁵ Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, and Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
⁶ Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
⁷ Clinical Epidemiology, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
⁸ School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
⁹ Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
¹⁰ Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 379 - 753 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 0W3, Canada.
¹¹ Learning Network, Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
¹² The Center for Implementation, Toronto, ON, Canada.
¹³ School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
¹⁴ Division of Infectious Diseases, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
¹⁵ Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.

PMID: 35761251
PMCID: PMC9238081
DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-08181-1

Abstract

Background: The field of knowledge translation (KT) has been criticized for neglecting contextual and social considerations that influence health equity. Intersectionality, a concept introduced by Black feminist scholars, emphasizes how human experience is shaped by combinations of social factors (e.g., ethnicity, gender) embedded in systemic power structures. Its use has the potential to advance equity considerations in KT. Our objective was to develop and conduct usability testing of tools to support integrating intersectionality in KT through three key phases of KT: identifying the gap; assessing barriers to knowledge use; and selecting, tailoring, and implementing interventions.

Methods: We used an integrated KT approach and assembled an interdisciplinary development committee who drafted tools. We used a mixed methods approach for usability testing with KT intervention developers that included semi-structured interviews and the System Usability Scale (SUS). We calculated an average SUS score for each tool. We coded interview data using the framework method focusing on actionable feedback. The development committee used the feedback to revise tools, which were formatted by a graphic designer.

Results: Nine people working in Canada joined the development committee. They drafted an intersectionality primer and one tool that included recommendations, activities, reflection prompts, and resources for each of the three implementation phases. Thirty-one KT intervention developers from three countries participated in usability testing. They suggested the tools to be shorter, contain more visualizations, and use less jargon. Average SUS scores of the draft tools ranged between 60 and 78/100. The development committee revised and shortened all tools, and added two, one-page summary documents. The final toolkit included six documents.

Conclusions: We developed and evaluated tools to help embed intersectionality considerations in KT. These tools go beyond recommending the use of intersectionality to providing practical guidance on how to do this. Future work should develop guidance for enhancing social justice in intersectionality-enhanced KT.

Keywords: Gender-based analysis; Health equity; Integrated knowledge translation; Knowledge translation.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

**Fig. 1**
Visual representation of some intersecting categories. The categories mentioned in this figure are not an exhaustive list

See this image and copyright information in PMC

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References

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[1] Braithwaite J, Churruca K, Long JC, Ellis LA, Herkes J. When complexity science meets implementation science: a theoretical and empirical analysis of systems change. BMC Med. 2018;16(1):63. doi: 10.1186/s12916-018-1057-z. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[2] Braithwaite J, Churruca K, Long JC, Ellis LA, Herkes J. When complexity science meets implementation science: a theoretical and empirical analysis of systems change. BMC Med. 2018;16(1):63. doi: 10.1186/s12916-018-1057-z. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[3] Pfadenhauer LM, Gerhardus A, Mozygemba K, Lysdahl KB, Booth A, Hofmann B, et al. Making sense of complexity in context and implementation: the context and implementation of complex interventions (CICI) framework. Implementation Sci. 2017;12(1):21. doi: 10.1186/s13012-017-0552-5. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[4] Pfadenhauer LM, Gerhardus A, Mozygemba K, Lysdahl KB, Booth A, Hofmann B, et al. Making sense of complexity in context and implementation: the context and implementation of complex interventions (CICI) framework. Implementation Sci. 2017;12(1):21. doi: 10.1186/s13012-017-0552-5. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[5] World Health Organization. Social determinants of health. [place unknown]: World Health Organization; c2021. Available from: https://www.who.int/teams/social-determinants-of-health. [cited 2021 Feb 22].

[6] World Health Organization. Social determinants of health. [place unknown]: World Health Organization; c2021. Available from: https://www.who.int/teams/social-determinants-of-health. [cited 2021 Feb 22].

[7] Braveman P, Gottlieb L. The social determinants of health: it’s time to consider the causes of the causes. Public Health Rep. 2014;129 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):19–31. doi: 10.1177/00333549141291S206. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[8] Braveman P, Gottlieb L. The social determinants of health: it’s time to consider the causes of the causes. Public Health Rep. 2014;129 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):19–31. doi: 10.1177/00333549141291S206. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[9] Sorensen G. Introduction to social determinants of health. In: Goldman MB, Harch MC, editors. Women and health. San Diego: Academic Press; 2000. pp. 523–527.

[10] Sorensen G. Introduction to social determinants of health. In: Goldman MB, Harch MC, editors. Women and health. San Diego: Academic Press; 2000. pp. 523–527.

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Development and usability testing of tools to facilitate incorporating intersectionality in knowledge translation

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Development and usability testing of tools to facilitate incorporating intersectionality in knowledge translation

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Affiliations

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Conflict of interest statement

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