Revisiting time to translation: implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) in cancer control.

PURPOSE: Previous studies estimate translation of research evidence into practice takes 17 years. However, this estimate is not specific to cancer control evidence-based practices (EBPs), nor do these studies evaluate variation in the translational process. We examined the translational pathway of cancer control EBPs.
METHODS: We selected five cancer control EBPs where data on uptake were readily available. Years from landmark publication to clinical guideline issuance to implementation, defined as 50% uptake, were measured. The translational pathway for each EBP was mapped and an average total time across EBPs was calculated.
RESULTS: Five cancer control EBPs were included: mammography, clinicians' advice to quit smoking, colorectal cancer screening, HPV co-testing, and HPV vaccination. Time from publication to implementation ranged from 13 to 21 years, averaging 15 years. Time from publication to guideline issuance ranged from 3 to 17 years, and from guideline issuance to implementation, - 4 to 12 years. Clinician's advice to quit smoking, HPV co-testing, and HPV vaccination were most rapidly implemented; colorectal cancer screening and mammography were slowest to implement.
CONCLUSION: The average time to implementation was 15 years for the five EBPs we evaluated, a marginal improvement from prior findings. Although newer EBPs such as HPV vaccination and HPV co-testing were faster to implement than other EBPs, continued efforts in implementation science to speed research to practice are needed.