Supporting the implementation of prevention strategies by public health nurses to reduce intimate partner violence in Alaska

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a critical determinant of health, affecting over 40% of women and men in the US. IPV is particularly prevalent in Alaska and among American Indian and Alaska Native individuals. Given the widespread prevalence, impact on communities, and associated adverse outcomes, prevention strategies are urgently needed. Public health nurses (PHNs) can play a key role in IPV prevention, particularly in rural and underserved communities.

These nurses work “upstream” to prevent and mitigate risks for underlying challenges to health and have unique skills in communication, collaboration, and applying evidence-informed approaches. Alaska has a unique geography and largely centralized public health system with a statewide infrastructure to deploy prevention practices. In their 2018-2021 strategic plan, Alaska’s statewide Section of PHN, within their Department of Health, made IPV a priority focus area. The Alaska Section of PHN is currently recentering their prevention efforts and updating their strategic plan.

To guide their strategic planning process, we propose a practice-based research partnership between academic researchers at two leading research institutions and Alaska’s statewide Section of PHN to advance the use of high-impact, evidence-informed IPV prevention practices throughout the state. With input from Advisory Board members representing various organizations in Alaska, a team of interdisciplinary researchers and practitioners with expertise in IPV prevention, public health systems, practice-based research, mixed methods, and implementation science will initiate an Implementation Mapping process that combines quantitative data from existing sources (i.e., administrative data documenting PHN activities across the state) with newly acquired qualitative data from focus groups with PHNs and other state public health leaders. Specifically, we will: (1) describe the array of IPV practices delivered by PHNs throughout the state; (2) identify factors related to effective implementation of IPV practices delivered by PHNs; and (3) develop implementation strategies for PHNs to overcome common barriers to effective implementation of evidence-informed IPV practices using established implementation science frameworks: RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance) and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Science (CFIR). Identifying and implementing IPV prevention practices that are evidence-informed, feasible, relevant, and contextually appropriate is critical to the advancement of IPV prevention led by PHNs in Alaska.

Findings from this solution-oriented study will benefit state and national organizations engaged in IPV prevention with rural and underserved communities and support further research regarding IPV prevention and PHN practice.

Grant Number: 1R21NR021303-01
NIH Institute/Center: NIH
Principal Investigator: Avanti Adhia