Implementing Evidence-Based Practices in Rural Areas: Development and Testing of a Researcher Practitioner Collaboration in Mental Health.

Purpose: Rural communities face specific challenges when attempting to implement evidence-based interventions, due to their size, distance from knowledge centers, and broad responsibility for the local population. The aim of this study was to investigate the utilization of an RPC (Research Practice Collaboration) initiative as a strategy for translation and implementation of EBPs in rural municipalities seeking to develop their services for individuals with serious mental illness.

Materials and methods: Following a broad invitation consisting of a presentation of the newly produced National Psychiatry Guidelines, to four northern regions in Sweden, four municipalities participated in an RPC process that focused on the implementation of specific EBPs.

Results: In addition to confirming many of the challenges in rural areas, the participants reported that the RPC process helped them to understand the relevance of these methods to their own conditions and ambitions. They were able to recognize and build on their already existing strengths and achieve incremental steps toward EBPs.

Discussion: The collaborative nature of the structure and knowledge dissemination, requiring extremely tailored implementation strategies while considering the essential components in relation to local conditions, led to increased readiness to implement these practices as locally relevant.

Conclusion: Research practice collaborations may contribute to the implementation of EBPs in rural areas by increasing the accessibility and relevance of these methods in these challenging conditions. Identifying structures for sustainably supporting these types of collaborations is a challenge for national actors.