Content validity of an item bank to assess intervention characteristic determinants of implementing evidence-based practices

Background Barriers and facilitators, collectively called determinants, of evidence-based practice implementation are key to identifying the best strategies for promoting implementation. Assessing determinants before implementation can help tailor strategies to those that would be most effective. Current measures of determinants are not comparable across implementation settings and implementation scientists and practitioners often have to create their own measures. This study was the first step in creating determinants item banks that are usable across settings and focused on intervention characteristics. We aimed to establish the content validity of the item bank.Method This study used a concurrent mixed methods approach. Items for assessing intervention characteristic determinants were first identified through systematic reviews. Implementation scientists then completed a survey where they provided both quantitative and qualitative feedback on the items. Finally, three experts with both clinical and implementation experience provided feedback on redundancy and representativeness.Results The systematic reviews identified over 1,959 items so subsequent steps were limited to focus on intervention characteristic determinants (271 items) such as adaptability of the practice. Based on feedback from thirty implementation scientists, the items were reduced to 92 but an additional 53 were added, most due to qualitative feedback. Items were also rewritten based on qualitative results. Three experts reviewed the remaining 145 items. Based on their feedback, the number of items was reduced to 109.Conclusions Creating a determinants item bank was feasible and the final items had content validity. The next steps include testing reliability and validity in a larger sample of clinicians implementing evidence-based practices. Barriers prevent or impede an organization from using a new practice or innovation. Facilitators help promote the use of a new practice or innovation within an organization. Assessing barriers and facilitators before starting a new practice can help target barriers and increase the chances of successfully using the practice. This study created new measures of barriers and facilitators of using a new practice or innovation. Previous measures were identified through literature reviews. Implementation scientists provided feedback on the measures through an online survey. Three experts with clinical and implementation experience provided additional feedback. Measures were revised based on the survey and expert feedback. The next steps are to test the measures with clinicians implementing a new practice.