Vietnam Implementation Science Advancement: A Training Program to Improve HIV Prevention and Care

About This Grant

SUMMARY Implementation science is the study of methods to promote the systematic uptake of research findings into routine practice. This supplement supports the completion of activities of Vietnam Implementation Science Advancement (VISA), an HIV-related implementation science (IS) training program in Vietnam. Vietnam has been the focus of many NIH-funded intervention studies but has little IS capacity. VISA uses a depth and diffusion model to achieve its goals: 1) to expand the capacity of Vietnamese researchers to conduct IS research and 2) to ensure that researchers, policymakers, and program leaders understand IS principles. These long-term goals will be achieved by addressing the following aims: 1) Initiate the Hanoi Medical University Implementation Science Program (HMU-ISP); 2) Develop IS knowledge and research capacity among four health science universities in Vietnam; 3) Develop IS capacity among Vietnamese policymakers and health program leaders to foster translation of HIV research into practice. We have built depth by establishing the HMU-ISP. To date, we have trained two VISA Senior Fellows and two VISA PhD Fellows, both of whom are in the midst of completing their dissertations. Additionally, four VISA Faculty Fellows from HMU have participated in our training program (Aim 2). To diffuse IS knowledge throughout Vietnam, we have trained 9 VISA Faculty Fellows from three other Vietnamese universities and a total of 14 VISA Policy Fellows from Vietnamese HIV-focused governmental and non-governmental agencies, including the Vietnam Authority for HIV/AIDS Control, the agency responsible for HIV care and prevention policy in Vietnam. Training for the VISA Faculty and Policy Fellows has included didactic and workshop sessions, as well as a hands-on pilot research project. Our trainees have been highly productive, often exceeding expectations. However, some activities will require additional time to complete. Specifically, this supplement will support: 1) dissertation completion by the two VISA PhD Fellows; 2) completion of pilot projects for the VISA Faculty and Policy Fellows who are currently in the data analysis and manuscript preparation phases; 3) stipend and research support for the VISA Advanced Training Fellow; 4) publication fees, as needed, for all manuscripts to comply with current NIH requirements; 5) a dissemination workshop to highlight the programs achievements to academic and HIV-focused governmental and non-governmental agencies; 6) D43 faculty and mentor effort to provide oversight to the activities of this supplement and to complete a final evaluation. This innovative D43 brought together a strong team and has expanded HIV-related implementation science in Vietnam. Ongoing activities will be completed during this supplement, ensuring the greatest possible impact of VISA.