Building Capacity for Dissemination and Implementation Research in a Tribal Healthcare System

PROJECT SUMMARY - Overall
Average life expectancy for Alaska Native and American Indian (ANAI) people is 10 years shorter than non-
Hispanic Whites, and ANAIs have higher death rates from conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and
cancer. Yet, healthcare services in ANAI communities are significantly underfunded. Tribes and health
organizations serving ANAI patients need evidence about the successful implementation of effective
interventions to improve ANAI health outcomes. Southcentral Foundation (SCF), a tribally-owned and operated
healthcare organization with an award-winning model of healthcare delivery and redesign, thus proposes a set
of five independent yet related efforts in this Center application, “Building Capacity for Dissemination and
Implementation Research in a Tribal Healthcare System.” SCF is the primary applicant and will lead
these efforts with local partners at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and University of Alaska,
as well as national partners at the University of Washington, Mayo Clinic, and University of Arkansas
Medical Sciences. Other experts within and outside of Alaska will provide additional support.
Implementing a Diabetes Screening and Referral Services Developed for Dental Clinics Within an
Urban Alaska Native Health Care Setting (RP1) will study the implementation of an evidence-based
intervention to identify ANAIs at risk for diabetes; Metabolism-Informed Care to Aid Alaska Native People
to Quit Smoking (RP2) will assess the acceptability and feasibility of using a nicotine metabolite ratio test to
select smoking cessation treatment; and Jumpstarting Culturally-informed Advance Care Planning with
ANAI People in Primary Care (RP3) will evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of an evidence-
based, culturally-tailored palliative care intervention in ANAIs with serious illness. Two capacity building
efforts will optimize success of the RPs and Center as a whole. The Researcher Career Enhancement
Project will provide ongoing training and mentoring in foundational research skills and build new capacity
in D&I research. The Administrative Core will support communication and coordination, implement a unified
evaluation strategy, and create a new career pathway for ANAI Research Administrators. All Center
components will be evaluated using two well-recognized D&I research frameworks: Reach, Effectiveness,
Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) and the Consolidated Framework for
Implementation Research (CFIR).
The proposed Center will expand research capacity within an established ANAI-led and -operated
Research Department. Fulfillment of the specific aims will advance the capacity the tribal healthcare
organization and ANAI researchers to lead future research focused on improving the health of ANAIs.

Grant Number: 5S06GM142122-04
NIH Institute/Center: NIH
Principal Investigator: Julie Beans