Assuring Healthy Caregivers, A Public Health Approach to Translating Research into Practice: The RE-AIM Framework
January 2008: The issue of caregiving—with the exponential growth in the number of caregivers; the huge costs to society, families, and individuals; and the development of effective interventions to address caregiver burden and health—has become a public health priority of national concern. It is imperative that research and practice communities work together to translate evidence-based programs and policies into widespread practice. Application of the RE-AIM Framework can facilitate successful translation efforts and make a positive difference in the lives of caregivers and their families and friends.
Assuring Healthy Caregivers, A Public Health Approach to Translating Research into Practice: The RE-AIM Framework was released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and The Kimberly-Clark Corporation in March 2008 at the Aging in America Conference, sponsored by the National Council on Aging (NCOA) and the American Society on Aging (ASA).
In the 2004 Caregiving in the U.S. report by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, it was estimated that approximately 44 million men and women in the United States who were providing unpaid care to a family member, friend or neighbor. These caregivers represented an estimated 22.9 million households (21% of all U.S. households). The one-year economic value of this unpaid labor force was recently estimated to be $306 billion.
Assuring Healthy Caregivers, A Public Health Approach to Translating Research into Practice: The RE-AIM Framework presents key questions and methods to help program developers, planners, and evaluators use the framework in their work on caregiving. Case examples are offered in which the RE-AIM framework is applied to a caregiver intervention program and a policy intervention; and additional resources for those interested in pursuing the use of RE-AIM for caregiver supports programs and policies are suggested.
Suggested Citation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Kimberly-Clark Corporation. Assuring Healthy Caregivers, A Public Health Approach to Translating Research into Practice: The RE-AIM Framework. Neenah, WI: Kimberly-Clark Corporation; 2008.
Assuring Healthy Caregivers, A Public Health Approach to Translating Research into Practice: The RE-AIM Framework