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Health Implementation Research Hub hosts seminar on adapting diabetes prevention programmes for primary care.
On 16 July, the Health Implementation Research Hub (HIRH) welcomed Prof Aina Maria Yáñez (University of the Balearic Islands) for a seminar exploring the implementation and adaptation of the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) within Spanish primary care. Held in the Western Gateway Building, the seminar attracted 17 attendees, with 10 participating in person and 7 joining online.
Prof Yáñez presented a programme of research examining how evidence-based interventions can be successfully adapted and implemented in routine healthcare settings. Drawing on three interconnected studies—a study protocol, an adaptation study, and a systematic evidence synthesis—she demonstrated how implementation science methods can support the translation of evidence into practice.
A central focus of the seminar was the ALADIM trial, which aims to adapt and implement the DPP for people at risk of type 2 diabetes within Spanish primary care. While diabetes prevention programmes are embedded within Spain's National Diabetes Strategy, the project seeks to tailor the intervention to local healthcare contexts while preserving its core functions.
Prof Yáñez described the use of the Intervention Mapping Adapt (IM-Adapt) framework to guide this process. IM-Adapt supports researchers and practitioners in assessing organisational readiness and contextual fit, helping identify which intervention components should remain unchanged and which require adaptation. She emphasised that one of the greatest challenges is determining which core elements must be retained to maintain intervention effectiveness.
Prof Yáñez also presented findings from a systematic evidence synthesis examining barriers and facilitators to implementing diabetes prevention programmes. Determinants were mapped to the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), while their influence on implementation outcomes was examined using the RE-AIM framework, illustrating how contextual factors shape programme adoption, implementation, and reach.
The seminar concluded with a discussion of implementation spillover effects and equity. Drawing on Diffusion of Innovations Theory and the RE-AIM framework, Prof Yáñez highlighted how implementation may generate both intended and unintended consequences, including inequities in programme reach and participation. The session prompted engaging discussion on balancing fidelity with adaptation, measuring implementation outcomes, and embedding equity considerations throughout implementation research.
The seminar formed part of Prof Aina Maria Yáñez's three-week visit to the Health Implementation Research Hub. We were delighted to host Aina at University College Cork and thank her for sharing her expertise and engaging with colleagues throughout her visit. Her time at the Hub provided a valuable opportunity to strengthen international collaboration and exchange knowledge in implementation science.