What does each RE-AIM element mean?

What does each element mean?

Reach — The absolute number, proportion, and representativeness of individuals who participate in a given program.

Representativeness refers to whether participants have characteristics that reflect the target population's characteristics. For example, if your intent is to increase physical activity in sedentary people between the ages of 35 and 70, you wouldn't test your program on triathletes.

Efficacy/Effectiveness — The impact of an intervention on important outcomes. This includes potential negative effects, quality of life, and costs.

Adoption — The absolute number, proportion, and representativeness of settings and staff who are willing to offer a program.

Implementation — At the setting level, implementation refers to the how closely staff members follow the program that the developers provide. This includes consistency of delivery as intended and the time and cost of the program.

Maintenance — The extent to which a program or policy becomes part of the routine organizational practices and policies. Within the RE-AIM framework, maintenance also applies at the individual level.

At the individual level, maintenance has been defined as the long-term effects of a program on outcomes after 6 or more months after the most recent intervention contact.

Read about Applying the RE-AIM Framework

Click here for more details and for answers to some basic questions. You’ll also find ideas to improve your chances at having a positive impact on public health.