Recorded presentation

Shannon Frattaroli, PhD, MPH, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 North Broadway, 5th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21205-1996, 410-955-8022, sfrattar@jhsph.edu and Susan DeFrancesco, JD, MPH, Center for Injury Research and Policy, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205.

Injury prevention researchers tend to focus their empirical inquiry on defining the nature and scope of the injury problem, identifying injury risk factors, and evaluating the effectiveness of interventions to reduce the frequency and severity of injuries. These are necessary and important pursuits. However, researchers must also seek to understand how injury prevention policies are implemented, and to identify and refine the tools needed to understand the policy implementation process. In this way, researchers can monitor theoretically sound injury prevention policies and provide instruction to practitioners about how best to assure the effective translation of written policies into practice.

Drawing from three studies that examined the implementation of three different state-level laws designed to prevent gun violence, domestic violence, and playground injuries, we will discuss the methods used to examine how these injury prevention policies were implemented. Using the case study method and qualitative data collected through semi-structured interviews, direct observations, and document reviews we were able to determine the extent to which the policies examined were implemented and the factors that influenced their implementation.

Based on our experience with the case study method, we will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of this method, and the qualitative data collection tools we used for studying policy implementation. We will also share our perspective on the utility of other methods for conducting policy implementation research, the potential value of data collected through closed-ended surveys, and secondary sources for answering research questions about how injury prevention policies are being implemented.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to

• Articulate the relationship among policy development, policy implementation, and policy impact.
• Identify methods for conducting policy implementation research.
• Apply the methods discussed to injury prevention policies of interest to them.

Keywords: Methodology,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation