Dissemination efforts to optimize service delivery to children, adolescents, and their families – How systematic reviews (SRs) can be utilized

Article type
Authors
Nilsen KH1, Reedtz C2, Axelsdottir B1, Borren I1, Ludvigsen KH1, Helland SS1, Winje H1, Neumer S1
1Regional Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Eastern and Southern Norway
2Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health, North/UiT The Arctic University of Norway
Abstract
Background
Access to research is a prerequisite for decision-making in policy and practice. Those who strive to enhance the mental health of children and adolescents often encounter difficulties while attempting to locate and utilize reliable evidence.

Objectives
Our aim is to support practitioners and decision-makers in child and adolescent mental health and welfare (CAMHW) in optimizing the delivery of services. Further, to contribute to the implementation of evidence-based practice, by providing access to trustworthy information based on systematically reviewed research.

Outcomes
Four closely cooperating research centres in Norway have developed an ecosystem of digital resources, to disseminate research findings derived from SRs in CAMHW:

PsykTestBarn (psyktestbarn.no) publishes SRs on the psychometric properties of tests and diagnostic tools used to assess mental health and other traits in children and young people, in a Norwegian context.

Ungsinn (ungsinn.no) publishes SRs on specific psycho-social interventions/programs and their evidence of effectiveness. It grades the quality of evidence on a scale of 0 to 5, based on the number and quality of studies, beneficial effects and implementation quality.

IN SUM (insum.no) is a database containing all international SRs on the effects of CAMHW interventions. IN SUM includes the SRs published by Ungsinn and serves as the basis for The
Intervention Handbook.

The Intervention Handbook (tiltakshandboka.no) presents living (i.e., updated yearly) reviews of SRs on diagnostic areas and interventions. SRs are evaluated using Cochrane methodology for Overviews of Reviews.

Ungsinn, PsykTestBarn, and The Intervention Handbook are peer-reviewed and registered open-access scientific journals.

Conclusion
Each resource – as well as the collaboration between them - has been funded by the Norwegian government. Growing interest and use from the practice field and government indicates that accessible evidence-based information is important. Our next challenge is to further increase the use of our resources, and ensure that local decision-making is based on these resources.

Patient, public and/or healthcare consumer involvement: Resource users are active in initiating reviews, and are included in the review processes as reviewers together with researchers.

This work may be of relevance to patients in making trustworthy evidence available, on a common platform, in an accessible format.