Research to Practice

WHAT WE DO

Making research useful in real settings

At Utafiti Wellness, we believe that research only creates value when it reaches the people who need it. Our Research‑to‑Practice work focuses on translating evidence into practical, actionable outputs that directly improve health services and community well‑being.

Our goal: To ensure that every piece of evidence we generate or synthesise results in a tangible change — whether that's a new clinical protocol, a community health tool, or a training module for frontline workers.

We work closely with health workers, facility managers, and community health volunteers to understand what they need, and then co‑create solutions that are practical, culturally appropriate, and ready to use.

We don't just publish findings — we turn them into action.

OUR APPROACH

How we turn evidence into practice

Co‑design with practitioners
We involve health workers, community leaders, and facility managers in every step — from identifying problems to designing solutions.
Practical tools & guides
We develop checklists, job aids, treatment protocols, and decision‑support tools that fit seamlessly into daily workflows.
Training & capacity building
We equip practitioners with the skills and confidence to apply new evidence in their work, through hands‑on workshops and mentorship.
Continuous feedback & refinement
We monitor how tools are being used, gather feedback, and iterate to ensure they remain relevant and effective.
Simplified communication
We transform complex research into clear, concise, and accessible materials — in English and local languages.

IN PRACTICE

What we deliver

Here are examples of the practical outputs we create through our Research‑to‑Practice work. Each is designed to be used immediately in real‑world settings.

Clinical Protocols

Evidence‑based, step‑by‑step guides for health workers on managing common conditions — from maternal care to infectious diseases. Designed for use at the point of care.

Digital Job Aids

Mobile‑friendly decision‑support tools and calculators that help health workers make quick, accurate decisions at the point of care — even in low‑connectivity settings.

Community Action Kits

Simple, visual materials and activity guides that community health volunteers can use to educate and engage households on nutrition, hygiene, immunisation, and more.

Data Use Toolkits

Practical guides for health facility managers on how to use routine data to improve service delivery, identify gaps, and track progress toward health targets.

Training Modules

Ready‑to‑deliver training packages for in‑service and pre‑service health workers, including facilitator guides, participant materials, and evaluation tools.

Simplified Summaries

Plain‑language summaries of research findings, designed for policymakers, facility managers, and community leaders — so evidence is accessible to everyone.

OUR PROCESS

From evidence to practice, step by step

We follow a structured, participatory process to ensure that our outputs are relevant, usable, and sustainable.

Identify need

We engage practitioners and communities to understand their challenges and priorities.

Synthesize evidence

We review and synthesise the best available research to inform the solution.

Co‑create solution

We design and prototype the tool or guide together with end‑users.

Test & refine

We pilot the solution in real settings, gather feedback, and improve.

This iterative cycle ensures that every tool we produce is grounded in evidence, shaped by real‑world experience, and continuously improved.

REAL‑WORLD IMPACT

Where our work makes a difference

Our Research‑to‑Practice work is embedded in real health systems and communities across Kenya. Here's how we translate evidence into action.

Primary Health Care

We're in the planning phase of developing clinical protocols and job aids for 12 health facilities in 3 counties to improve adherence to national guidelines.

Community Health

We're working on co‑creating a community action kit on maternal and child health to be used by 150+ community health volunteers to reach over 8,000 households.

Digital Health

We're in the process of designing a mobile‑friendly decision‑support tool for childhood illness management, to be used by 45+ health workers across 5 sub‑counties.

Data for Decision‑Making

We're nearly commencing the training of 28 facility managers on using routine data to identify service delivery gaps, projected to lead to improvement in immunisation coverage in projected pilot facilities.