January 16, 2026
Researchers share the latest science at the 2025 D&I Conference
Global WACh researchers among a group of researchers University of Washington Department of Global Health and partner organizations
In December 2025, Global WACh faculty, staff, and student researchers presented the latest science at the 18th Annual Conference on the Science of Dissemination & Implementation (D&I), co-hosted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and AcademyHealth. The conference theme, “Realizing the Benefits of Dissemination & Implementation Science,” highlighted success stories and challenges in turning evidence into impact across health systems and communities.
Our team participated in a larger network of fellow researchers from the UW Department of Global Health and partner organizations. It was an enriching and insightful opportunity to learn about emerging trends and evidence in the implementation science field for all.
Drs. Sarah Shaw (Research Scientist) and Kristin Beima-Sofie (Senior Research Scientist) at a D&I Conference poster exhibition.
Many of the accepted abstracts focused on how to best integrate evidence-based interventions within clinical and community settings, as well as how to recast the nature or conduct of the research itself to make it more relevant and actionable in those settings. Our science highlighted topics such as using a Community of Practice among pregnant women to improve PrEP delivery, identifying barriers and challenges to linking perinatal clients with community health workers (CHWs) through text communication to promote on-demand support for neonatal health, and implementing a readiness assessment to evaluate stakeholder’s preparedness to undertake a new project, implement a change, or adopt an intervention. See a roundup of 14 abstracts below.
| Title | Presenting Author | Authors |
| A convergent mixed methods evaluation of a pilot Community of Practice to scale integrated pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for pregnant and postpartum women in Kenya | Katy Sharrock | Katherine Sharrock, Joseph Sila, Mercy Awuor, Fredrick Owuor, Annabell Dollah, Moses Okombo, Nancy Atieno, Ben Odhiambo, Felix Abuna, Nancy Ngumbau, George Oketch, Enock Sifuna, Jonah Onentiah, Anjuli Wagner, John Kinuthia, Arianna Means |
| Prioritizing social needs and planning approaches for implementation within HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis navigation at community organizations in Washington State | Sarah Hicks | Sarah Hicks, Pamela Bonsu, Anjuli Wagner, Bryan Weiner, Michael Barnes, Zandt Bryan, Lydia Chwastiak, David Katz |
| Stakeholder-prioritized implementation strategies for scale-up sustainability of a stepped-care tool for HIV care among youth | Sarah Hicks | Sarah Hicks, Nok Chhun, James Kibugi, Patricia Odhiambo, Tobias Odwar, Alphonce Oguok, Bryan Weiner, Kawango Agot, Mark Ayallo, Kristin Beima-Sofie |
| Challenges and enablers in implementing a community-based text messaging intervention among community health workers in Kenya: Insights from a consolidated framework for implementation research (CFIR)-guided qualitative study | Priyanka Shrestha | Priyanka Shrestha, Winnie Atieno, Violet Apondi, Lincoln Pothan, Felix Abuna, Daniel Mwakanema, Felix Otieno, Fredrick Owuor, Ferdin Mukumbang, Millicent Masinde, Agatha Olago, Grace John-Stewart, Bryan Weiner, Arianna Means, Anna Hedstorm, Jennifer Unger, John Kinuthia, Keshet Ronen |
| Examining behavioral mechanisms and impact of implementation strategies on community health workers’ fidelity to a text messaging intervention in western Kenya: a mixed-methods study using the theory of planned behavior | Priyanka Shrestha | Priyanka Shrestha, c, Winnie Atieno, Violet Apondi, Lincoln Pothan, Felix Abuna, Daniel Mwakanema, Felix Otieno, Fredrick Owuor, Ferdin Mukumbang, Millicent Masinde, Agatha Olago, Grace John-Stewart, Bryan Weiner, Arianna Means, Anna Hedstorm, Jennifer Unger, John Kinuthia, Keshet Ronen |
| Co-design piloting of SMS messages to engage caregivers in nutritional monitoring of HIV-exposed children at home | Arianna Means | Arianna Means, Rishika Mohanty, Catherine Achieng, Olivia Schultes, Eric Ochola, Wanini Edemba, Kirk Tickell, Benson Singa |
| Using systems analysis to optimize nutritional care for HIV exposed children in Kenya | Arianna Means | Arianna Means, Damaris Odhiambo, Emily Yoshioka, Mary Masheti, Mariyam Sheikh, Phlona Amam, Megan Coe, Julius Nyaoke, Jill Neary, Olivia Schultes, Emmanuel Oduor, Marline Serede, Emily Pearman, Agnes Ndirangu, Eric Ochola, Benson Singa |
| Understanding mechanisms of action for team-based learning: A case study of how collective efficacy facilities adaptation of a stepped care intervention for adolescents young adults in western Kenya | Nok Chhun | Nok Chhun, Dorothy Mangale, Kawango Agot, Jacinta Badia, James Kibugi, Dorothy Oketch, Winnie Owade, Julie Kadima, Pamela Kohler, Grace John-Stewart, Kristin Beima-Sofie |
| Implementation outcomes of a bidirectional SMS adherence support tool for pregnant and postpartum PrEP users in Kenya: a qualitative study of client, provider, and community perspectives | Tessa Concepcion | Tessa Concepcion, Eunita Akim, Bih Moki Suh, Jerusha Nyabiage, Marin Strong, Felix Abuna, Helen Aketch, Lauren Gomez, Emmaculate Nzove, Nancy Ngumbau, , Sarah Obatsa, Ben Odhiambo, Caroline Omom, Salphine Watoyi, John Kinuthia, Jillian Pintye |
| Integrating stakeholder network analysis readiness assessment methods to evaluate readiness to scale a faith leader–led intervention to improve newborn health in Ethiopia | Dieudonne Hakizimana | Dieudonne Hakizimana, Adane Nigusie, Getahun Alemie, Bron Guthrie, Bryan Weiner, Miruna Buta, Katherine Rankin, Kegnie Shitu, Judd Walson, Arianna Means |
| Acceptable but complex!: Self-screening, tele-health and task-shifting, as strategies to improve delivery of mental health services to adolescents and youth with HIV | Cyrus Mugo | Cyrus Mugo, Irene Inwani, Shannon Dorsey, David Dowdy, Manasi Kumar, Judith Adhiambo, Anjuli Wagner, Irene Njuguna, Caren Mburu, Naomi-Idah Anyango, Gordon Okomo, Winnie Atieno, Merceline Odhiambo, Dorothy Mangale |
| Using FRAME to characterize provider-identified adaptations to integration of a stepped care intervention for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders in maternal-child-health clinics in Kenya | Agnes Karingo Karume | Agnes Karingo Karume, Asterico Neema, Yuwei Wang, Anne Kaggiah, Nancy Ngumbau, Alexra Rose, Lincoln Pothan, Anna Larsen, Linnet Ongeri, Amritha Bhat, Dorothy Mangale, John Kinuthia, Anjuli Wagner, Keshet Ronen |
| Pathways to sustainability of the Adolescent Transition Package to support youth living with HIV in Kenya: a coincidence analysis | Sarah Shaw | Sarah Shaw, Cyrus Mugo, Kristin Beima-Sofie, Alina Metje, Anjuli Wagner, Caren Mburu, Florence Ayugi, Calvince Aballa, Hellen Moraa, Christine Kundu, Annabell Dollah, Mercy Awuor, Gabrielle O’Malley, Dalton Wamalwa, Grace John-Stewart, Irene Njuguna, Christopher Kemp |
| The Implementation Paradox: Early Implementation Constructs and Service Coverage in Perinatal Mental Health Screening | Yuwei Wang | Yuwei Wang, Agnes Karume, Nancy Ngumbau, Anna Larsen, Alexra Rose, Catherine Maina, Asterico Neema, David Owaga, Lincoln Pothan, Barbra Richardson, Linnet Ongeri, Anjuli Wagner, Bryan Weiner, Amritha Bhat, Keshet Ronen, John Kinuthia |