Abstract
Abstract
Background
The implementation of youth care guidelines remains a complex process. Several evidence–based frameworks aid the identification and specification of implementation determinants and strategies. However, the influence of specific strategies on certain determinants remains unclear. Therefore, we need to clarify which active ingredients of strategies, known as behaviour change techniques (BCTs), elicit behaviour change and improve implementation outcomes. With this knowledge, we are able to formulate evidence–based implementation hypotheses. An implementation hypothesis details how determinants and in turn, implementation outcomes might be influenced by specific implementation strategies and their BCTs. We aimed to identify (1) determinants relevant to the implementation of youth care guidelines and (2) feasible and potentially effective implementation hypotheses.
Methods
A four–round online modified Delphi study was conducted. In the first round, experts rated the implementation determinants based on their relevance. Next, experts formulated implementation hypotheses by connecting BCTs and implementation strategies to determinants and were asked to provide a rationale for their choices. In round three, the experts reconsidered and finalised their hypotheses based on an anonymous overview of all formulated hypotheses, including rationales. Finally, the experts rated the implementation hypotheses based on their potential effectiveness and feasibility.
Results
Fourteen experts completed the first, second, and third rounds, with 11 completed the final round. Guideline promotion, mandatory education, presence of an implementation leader, poor management support, knowledge regarding guideline use, and a lack of communication skills were reported as most relevant determinants. In total, 46 hypotheses were formulated, ranging from 6 to 9 per determinant. For each determinant, we provide an overview of the implementation hypotheses that were most commonly deemed feasible and potentially effective.
Conclusion
This study offers valuable insights into youth care guideline implementation by systematically identifying relevant determinants and formulating hypotheses based on expert input. Determinants related to engagement and to knowledge and skills were found to be relevant to youth care guideline implementation. This study offers a set of hypotheses that could help organisations, policymakers, and professionals guide the implementation process of youth care guidelines to ultimately improve implementation outcomes. The effectiveness of these hypotheses in practice remains to be assessed.
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Reference98 articles.
1. UNICEF. Convention on the rights of the child. 1989.
2. Statistics Netherlands. The Annual Report Youth Monitor 2020 [Jaarrapport 2020 Landelijke Jeugdmonitor] The Hague: Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport; 2020.
3. Statistics Netherlands. The Annual Report Youth Monitor 2023 [Jaarrapport 2023 Landelijke Jeugdmonitor] The Hague: Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport; 2023.
4. Tausendfreund T, Knot-Dickscheit J, Schulze GC, Knorth EJ, Grietens H. Families in multi-problem situations: backgrounds, characteristics, and care services. Child Youth Serv. 2016;37(1):4–22.
5. Netherlands Youth Institute. Dossier on multi-problem families [Dossier multiprobleemgezinnen] 2014.