DS 12 Increase Accessibility of Information on Water Safety Programs
Develop and implement a mechanism to increase the quality, quantity, availability and accessibility of information on existing programmatic efforts in water safety.
Spectrum level: Changing Organizational Practices Educating Providers
Evidence level: Low
Rationale:
Programmatically, much has been tried in drowning prevention and there is much to be learned through sharing those efforts; however, most communities work in isolation. A mechanism, such as a communication hub, would allow the sharing of experiences and lessons learned and ultimately increase the impact of community efforts.
Anticipated Impact:
After implementing this recommendation, you can expect to experience the following outcomes.
– Coordinated efforts may lead to an increased understanding of what has been tried and found successful (or not). – This mechanism may lead to a better way to identify, disseminate, and scale up effective water safety and drowning prevention interventions.
Evidence:
Knowledge hubs have a multitude of benefits for the key players looking to make change including academics, communities, service providers, and policymakers. These include improving dissemination processes, providing more effective community interventions, ensuring informed practice, and creating policy assessment tools.
Evidence Sources:
Brar J, Chowdhury N, Raihan MMH, Khalid A, O'Brien MG, Walsh CA, Turin TC. The Benefits, Challenges, and Strategies toward Establishing a Community-Engaged Knowledge Hub: An Integrative Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Jan 9;20(2):1160. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20021160. PMID: 36673915; PMCID: PMC9858916.
High Risk Populations Addressed:
All populations can benefit from implementation of this recommendation. However, it is important to consider, community, county, or state programs would be collected, all of which probably target their own high risk populations.
Evaluation Metrics:
Indicators of long-term impact include:
– Enhanced information on prevention programs, costs, and effects available – Programs have enough details about the intervention and implementation to allow replication – Development of a mechanism to assist with choosing and implementing programs
Indicators of intermediate impact include:
– Increase in number of programs identified and entered
– Increase in the use of the system by those searching for relevant programs
Indicators of initial impact:
– Development of a searchable database of local/county/state drowning prevention efforts
Implementation:
Consider the following to ensure successful implementation:
– Approach Safe States Alliance for support with this effort.
– Organize a community of practice (https://www.communityofpractice.ca/background/what-is-a-community-of-practice/) for drowning prevention where communities support and mentor each other.
– Obtain program information in an organized and comprehensive manner to maximize usability (guided interview).
– Develop a searchable database across a number of variables to maximally match programs with communities.
– Share prevention programs, costs, and effects so that interested communities could learn from and support each other.
Challenges to Implementation:
When implementing this recommendation, you might encounter challenges related to the following factors.
- Challenges in creating knowledge hubs are generally consistent for all stakeholders and typically relate to funding, resources, and conflicting perspectives.
– Identifying suitable programs for inclusion may be difficult.
– Those who operate successful programs may not have access to the data needed to document its success, and, or, the information needed to support replication.
Potential Facilitators:
The following factors might facilitate the implementation of this recommendation.
- In parallel with knowledge hub creation also consider strategies to address challenges such as funding, resources, means of addressing conflicting perspectives.
- An established Community of Practice would aid in ensuring success in replicating programs.
GAP Recommendation:
None