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Table 1 Research objectives and operationalization

From: A systematic review of the use of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research

Research objective

Operationalization of objective (codes for analysis)

Objective 1: determine the types of studies that use the CFIR

General study characteristics, including:

 • Research objective

 • Setting

 • Unit of analysis (e.g., organization- or provider-level)

 • Phase of implementation (pre-, during, or post-implementation)

 • Study design and methods (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods)

Objective 2: determine how the CFIR is being applied, including depth of application

Depth of CFIR application, including:

 • How the CFIR was used (e.g., to guide data analysis, data collection, or both)

 • Rationale of selection of CFIR constructs, as well as which CFIR constructs were selected and used

 • Investigation of outcomes, including implementation effectiveness outcomes, and measurement of association between CFIR constructs and outcomes

Objective 3: determine the contribution of the CFIR to implementation research

General commentary about validity and utility of the CFIR, based on three questions posed by Damschroder et al. in their seminal CFIR publication [3], which included:

 • Coherence of CFIR terminology

 • Whether the CFIR promotes comparison across studies

 • Whether the CFIR stimulates new theoretical development