Authors: M. Alexis Kirk, Caitlin Kelley, Nicholas Yankey, Sarah A. Birken, Brenton Abadie and Laura Damschrode
CFIR is one of the most widely used theoretical frameworks in implementation science. It helps understand the barriers and facilitators for implementing evidence-based practices. This meta-analytic study determines how Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research has been used in research including the type of studies, its application, and its contribution.
Results show that it is used mostly in mixed methods and qualitative studies and is rarely used in purely quantitative studies focusing on the feasibility and/or effectiveness of project implementation. The majority of the initial search articles that cited CFIR did not integrate it into methods and reporting of findings. However, the discussion section of several articles noted that the standardized nature of the CFIR would promote comparison across future research, and two articles mentioned how the CFIR promoted theoretical development.