Making an Impact: Dissemination of Results

Great works are only ever appreciated if other people see them. A systematic review is no different, in order to change practice in health and social care the results need dissemination in a way that will bring them to the widest possible audience. Making an impact can be important for individual career progression in universities, where one’s h-index is important. It is also important at an institutional level, as university departments are often ranked according to their research impact. For practitioners, disseminating best practice is an ethical, if not necessarily contractual requirement. Key elements of this process are writing in an appropriate style for the proposed audience and choosing the method of dissemination. For most authors, this is publication in a journal. Choosing the correct journal is an important task. Authors should ensure that any publication follows the appropriate guidance, which in most cases is PRISMA.