Table 1 KT Definitions

Dissemination

Identifying the appropriate audience and tailoring the message and medium to the audience. Dissemination activities can include such things as summaries for/briefings to stakeholders, educational sessions, creation of tools and media engagement.

Synthesis

The contextualization and integration of research findings of individual research studies within the larger body of knowledge on the topic. A synthesis must be reproducible and transparent in its methods, using quantitative and/or qualitative methods. It could take the form of a systematic review, follow the methods developed by the Cochrane Collaboration, result from a consensus conference or expert panel or synthesize qualitative or quantitative results. Realist syntheses, narrative syntheses, meta-analyses, meta-syntheses and practice guidelines are all forms of synthesis.

Exchange

Interactions between evidence users and researchers at any or all stages of the research process. The Canadian Health Services Research Foundation (CHSRF) says that effective knowledge exchange involves interaction between knowledge users and researchers and results in mutual learning through the process of planning, producing, disseminating, and applying existing or new research in decision-making.

Application

The iterative process by which new or existing health research evidence is put into practice. Application can refer to both the integration of evidence into existing programs, policies or practices, or the development of new evidence-informed programs, policies, practices, products and services.