Defining knowledge translation

Abstract

Many terms have been used to describe the process of putting knowledge into action. 6 In their work to create a search filter for knowledge translation, McKibbon and colleagues have so far identified more than 90 terms for use of research (Dr. Ann McKibbon, McMaster University: unpublished data, 2009)! In the United Kingdom and Europe, the terms implementation science or research utilization are commonly used. In the United States, the terms dissemination and diffusion, research use, and knowledge transfer and uptake are often used. In Canada, the terms knowledge transfer and exchange and knowledge translation are commonly used. Knowledge translation has been adopted in Canada because translation of research is embedded in the mandate of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (the federal agency for the funding of health research). In this series, we use the terms knowledge translation and knowledge-to-action interchangeably.