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Developing an implementation fidelity checklist for a vocational rehabilitation intervention

Abstract

Background: Despite growing numbers of studies reporting the efficacy of complex interventions and their implementation, many studies fail to report information on implementation fidelity or describe how fidelity measures used within the study were developed. This study aimed to develop a fidelity checklist for measuring the implementation fidelity of an early, stroke-specialist vocational rehabilitation intervention (ESSVR) in the RETAKE trial. Methods: To develop the fidelity measure, previous checklists were reviewed to inform the assessment structure, and core intervention components were extracted from intervention descriptions into a checklist, which was ratified by eight experts in fidelity measurement and complex interventions. Guidance notes were generated to assist with checklist completion. To test the measure, two researchers independently applied the checklist to fifteen stroke survivor intervention case notes using retrospective observational case review. The scoring was assessed for interrater reliability. Results: A fidelity checklist containing 21 core components and 6 desirable components across 4 stages of intervention delivery was developed with corresponding guidance notes. Interrater reliability of each checklist item ranged from moderate to perfect (Cohen’s kappa 0.69–1). Conclusions: The resulting checklist to assess implementation fidelity is fit for assessing the delivery of vocational rehabilitation for stroke survivors using retrospective observational case review. The checklist proved its utility as a measure of fidelity and may be used to inform the design of future implementation strategies.
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Category

Academic article

Language

English

Author(s)

  • Katie Powers
  • Sara Clarke
  • Julie Phillips
  • Jain A. Holmes
  • Rachel Cripps
  • Kristelle Craven
  • Amanda Farrin
  • Roshan das Nair
  • Kathryn A. Radford

Affiliation

  • SINTEF Digital / Health Research
  • King's College London
  • University of Leeds
  • University of Nottingham

Year

2022

Published in

Pilot and Feasibility Studies

Volume

8

View this publication at Norwegian Research Information Repository