Document Processes

• Document logistical details and strategies used in policy-research collaborations to develop best practices

Explore Systems

• Explore system-level functions for potential interventions (e.g. formalize interdisciplinary policy development)

Demonstrate Value

• Establish and publicize relationship between evidence-based public health policy and positive outcomes

One-third of studies (n=10) discussed the widely varying interpretations of thedefinition of evidence as a complicating factor in the examination of evidenceintegration in health policy. In addition to illustrating fundamental differencesbetween the professions of policy research and policymaking, this lack of consensuscan hinder collaboration by generating tension. Study participants reported a range ofsources used as evidence to inform policy, including:

Low Priority

Methods

Integrating Evidence Into Health Policy: Navigating Cross-sectoral and Interdisciplinary CollaborationTessa Heeren,1 Diana Dulf,2 Elena Bozdog,2 Răzvan Cherecheș,2 Ahmed Syed,3 Arja R. Aro4

1 University of Iowa Public Policy Center , 2Babeș-Bolyai University Cluj School of Public Health, 3 University of Warwick Medical School, 4University of Southern Denmark Unit for Health Promotion Research

Introduction

Records excluded(n = 2454)

- full text unavailable- lacked peer review- written in a language other than English- study conducted outside of Europe

Full-text articles assessed for eligibility(n = 71)

Studies included in synthesis(n = 30)

Records identified through database

searching(n = 2542)

Full-text articles excluded(n = 41)

- study does not describe the use of evidence by policymakers- study does not relate to decision making process in public health policy

Abstracts screened(n = 2525)

Records after duplicates removed

(n = 2525)

Records identified through additional

sources(n = 22)

While there is substantial demand for systematic and evidence-based publichealth policy,1,2 the process of translating public health research into policyremains underdeveloped. Using evidence to inform public health decision-making has been proven effective,3,4 but the current body of literature lacksdetail about the role of research in actual legislative processes.2,5

Two reviewers used terms including evidence-based, public health, policymaking,and Europe to search for articles across seven databases:

This systematic review assesses theextent to which evidence is used inEuropean public health decision-making practice, along withhighlighting barriers and facilitatorsto developing and implementingevidence-based policy.

ImplicationsResults

Of the 30 studies examined in this review, the majority (n=17) reported analysis basedon interviews and surveys which gathered input from diverse perspectives, including:

Acknowledgements

• PubMed• Scopus• Cochrane Library

• Science Direct• Web of Science• ClinicalKey

• Health and Safety Science Abstract

• General Internet Search

My participation in this research was facilitated by the faculty at the Cluj School of Public Health and funded byMinority Health and Health Disparities International Research and Training (MHIRT) program. The MHIRT internshipis administered by the Center for International Rural and Environmental Health (CIREH) in the University of IowaCollege of Public Health. Graphics were provided by the University of Iowa Public Policy Center.

Selected References

Policymakers Researchers Public health experts

Community members

Healthcare professionals

Sources of Evidence

Factors that Facilitate Evidence-based Policy

Access*

Availability and Applicability*

Interdisciplinary Collaboration*

Political Alignment

Limited Resources

Low Efficacy

Unfamiliar Domain

Awareness of and access to research unrestricted by fees or subscription requirements

Professional networks that enable contact and communication between policymakers and researchers

The existence of relevant, clear, and readily applicable

evidence in the body of literature

Research is valued as a strategy to lend legitimacy to a

predetermined agenda

A lack of motivationstemmed from

perceptions that evidence is useless

and irrelevant to policy decisions

A lack of skills and familiarity with research

makes interpreting manuscripts difficult and the process of identifying

evidence overwhelming

Policymakers are wary of bias in research and skeptical of the motives of researchers

Along with financial constraints, time is limited by terms of

political office

Build Trust

Inclusive Collaboration

Cross-sector Experience

Transparency

Barriers to GeneratingEvidence-based Policy

ShiftParadigm

Relevant Topics

Political Levers

Modernize Dissemination

Improve Readability

ExpandReach

User –Friendly

Databases

Study participants Researchers can build relationships with policymakers by including stakeholders throughout the research process, securing funding from nonpartisan sources, publicly releasing outcomes, and gaining experience in politics to better understand application context and advance research literacy.

Research organizations can dedicate resources to investigating pertinent topics and repositioning negative perceptions about evidence. Existing influencers, such as political pressure (e.g. campaign donors, lobbies, advocacy groups, established parties) can be harnessed to amplify demand for policies based in evidence.

Researchers can increase the viability of evidence-based policy

by streamlining reports for general audiences, publicizing

findings outside academic circles, and storing research in databases

that are publicly accessible and searchable.

The research leading to these results is within the Research into Policy in Physical Activity (REPOPA) project, and hasreceived funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013); grant agreement no 281532. Thisdocument reflects only the views of the atuhors, and neither the European Commission nor any person on its behalf is liable forany use that may be made of the information contained herein.

Topics for Further Investigation

Public Demand

*The absence of this facilitator was also reported as a barrier

Assumption

Public Opinion

Political Ideology

Policy Based

Evidence

Personal NarrativesIntuition

Anecdote

Expert Statement

Personal Experience

1. Brownson R, Chriqui J, Stamatakis K. Understanding Evidence-Based Public Health Policy. American Journal of Public Health. 2009; 99(9):1576-1583.2. Singh K. Evidence-based public health: Barriers and facilitators to the transfer of knowledge into practice. Indian Journal of Public Health. 2015;59(2):131.3. Fielding J, Briss P. Promoting Evidence-Based Public Health Policy: Can We Have Better Evidence And More Action?. Health Affairs. 2006; 25(4): 969-978.

4. Anderson L, Brownson R, Fullilove M, Teutsch S, Novick L, Fielding J et al. Evidence-Based Public Health Policy and Practice: Promises and Limits. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2005; 28(5):226-230.5. Oliver K, Innvær S, Lorenc T, Woodman J, Thomas J. A systematic review of barriers to and facilitators of the use of evidence by policymakers. BMC Health Services Research. 2014;14(1).

GeneralizabilityThe results of this review are specific to thepublic health practices and political climatesof countries in Europe, and cannot begeneralized to settings outside of Europe.

Exclusion criteriaThe search methodology and parameters ofexclusion in this study may have affectedthe results and conclusions of this review.

Limitations