INTRODUCTION
The following definitions of terms commonly used by primary care researchers were developed by the Practice-Based Research Subcommittee of the North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG) Committee on Advancing the Science of Family Medicine(CASFM) after reviewing available definitions, discussions among the members, and advice from outside experts. Establishing a shared terminology is critical for the evolution and growth of primary care research, and these are offered in support of that goal.
Primary care research:
Research directed at understanding and improving the primary care function as defined by the Institute of Medicine (“the provision of integrated, accessible healthcare services by clinicians that are accountable for addressing a large majority of personal healthcare needs, developing a sustained partnership with patients, and practicing within the context of family and community”). Primary care research includes theoretical and methodological research, health care research (investigations of the components of the primary care function itself), clinical research, and health systems research (including educational research, translational research, and health policy research).
Practice-based research:
Research that is grounded in, informed by, and intended to improve practice with the goal of improving the health of patients.
Primary care practice-based research:
Research that is grounded in, informed by, and intended to improve primary care practice with the goal of improving the health of patients.
Practice-based research network:
A group of separate practices that collaborate with each other and often with outside experts to conduct multiple research projects over an extended period of time while continuing to deliver care to patients.
Primary care practice-based research networks:
Practice-based research networks composed primarily of primary care clinicians that focus their research and development activities on issues relevant to the primary care of patients.
Community-based research:
Research that is conducted in community settings and is intended to improve community-based interventions and community health.
Participatory research:
Research, with the collaboration of those affected by the issue being studied (includes individuals and organizations), for the purpose of taking action or effecting change.
Community-based participatory research:
Research conducted with the collaboration of a community for the purpose of taking action or effecting change. The community, in this case, could be any geographically, socioculturally, or occupationally defined group with common interests and goals. In both participatory research and community-based participatory research, the research questions generally emerge as a result of the attempt to move forward toward a set of objectives, not as the a priori reason for the research.
Efficacy research:
Research to determine whether an intervention produces desired results under optimal or near optimal conditions.
Effectiveness research:
Research to determine whether an intervention produces desired results under the conditions in which the intervention is likely to be used.
Clinical quality improvement:
An interdisciplinary process designed to improve the delivery of preventive, diagnostic, therapeutic, and rehabilitative measures in order to maintain, restore, and improve health outcomes of individuals and populations cost-effectively.
Research translation or knowledge translation:
The sequence of events through which a proven scientific discovery moves in a bidirectional fashion between basic scientists, clinical researchers, practitioners, and consumers of health care services.
Translational research:
Research that seeks to characterize the sequence of events through which a scientific discovery moves between basic scientists, clinical researchers, practitioners, and consumers, and to find more effective ways to facilitate this process. Translational research can be further specified by the translational phase that it addresses, phase I (basic science to human research or human research to basic science), phase II (human research to practice-based and community-based research or practice-based and community-based research to human research), or phase III (practice-based research to practice and community or practice and community to practice-based research). Phase III translational research is often further divided into dissemination research, implementation research, and diffusion research.
Dissemination research:
The study of how the targeted distribution of information and intervention materials to a specific audience can be successfully executed so that increased spread of this knowledge achieves greater use and has increased impact.
Implementation research:
The study of how a specific set of activities and designed strategies effect the integration of evidence-based information and interventions into health care and community health practices.
Diffusion research:
The study of the factors necessary for successful adoption and implementation by additional stakeholders and the targeted population of an evidence-based intervention that has been successfully implemented in some sites, resulting in widespread use.
The authors are members of the Practice-Based Research Subcommittee of the North American Primary Care Research Group Committee on Advancing the Science of Family Medicine