Implementation research (IR) helps design strategies or solutions to overcome bottlenecks that prevent proven and innovative public health interventions to reach the people who need them and ensure that these interventions are used in a manner that results in the outcome for which they were intended.

Such solutions include how to overcome barriers to adoption of drugs, diagnostics or preventive measures that improve health for people at risk of malaria, tuberculosis, NTDs or other infectious diseases. IR can help to ensure that health solutions reach the people who need them and are used in ways that generate intended results.

Join a Massive Open Online Course

This Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) is a step-by-step online training that will introduce you to designing and demonstrating robust IR projects. You will have access to leading world experts who will take you through the core concepts of IR, including how to: identify the challenges of various health settings; assess the appropriateness of existing strategies; develop new interventions and strategies by working with communities and stakeholders; specify your IR questions; and design rigorous research projects.

You will learn how to identify IR outcomes, evaluate effectiveness, and make plans to scale-up implementation. There is no technical or scientific background needed although a health background will be an advantage. The course is on invitation only, please join by sending an email to launoisp@who.int.

Source: http://www.who.int/tdr/capacity/strengthening/mooc/en/.