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Kredo T, Effa E, Mbeye N, Mabetha D, Schmidt BM, Rohwer A, McCaul M, Kallon II, Munabi-Babigumira S, Glenton C, Young T, Lewin S, Vandvik PO, Cooper S. Evaluating the impact of the global evidence, local adaptation (GELA) project for enhancing evidence-informed guideline recommendations for newborn and young child health in three African countries: a mixed-methods protocol. Health Res Policy Syst 2024; 22:114. [PMID: 39160559 PMCID: PMC11334341 DOI: 10.1186/s12961-024-01189-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Poverty-related diseases (PRD) remain amongst the leading causes of death in children under-5 years in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) based on the best available evidence are key to strengthening health systems and helping to enhance equitable health access for children under five. However, the CPG development process is complex and resource-intensive, with substantial scope for improving the process in SSA, which is the goal of the Global Evidence, Local Adaptation (GELA) project. The impact of research on PRD will be maximized through enhancing researchers and decision makers' capacity to use global research to develop locally relevant CPGs in the field of newborn and child health. The project will be implemented in three SSA countries, Malawi, South Africa and Nigeria, over a 3-year period. This research protocol is for the monitoring and evaluation work package of the project. The aim of this work package is to monitor the various GELA project activities and evaluate the influence these may have on evidence-informed decision-making and guideline adaptation capacities and processes. The specific project activities we will monitor include (1) our ongoing engagement with local stakeholders, (2) their capacity needs and development, (3) their understanding and use of evidence from reviews of qualitative research and, (4) their overall views and experiences of the project. METHODS We will use a longitudinal, mixed-methods study design, informed by an overarching project Theory of Change. A series of interconnected qualitative and quantitative data collections methods will be used, including knowledge translation tracking sheets and case studies, capacity assessment online surveys, user testing and in-depth interviews, and non-participant observations of project activities. Participants will comprise of project staff, members of the CPG panels and steering committees in Malawi, South Africa and Nigeria, as well as other local stakeholders in these three African countries. DISCUSSION Ongoing monitoring and evaluation will help ensure the relationship between researchers and stakeholders is supported from the project start. This can facilitate achievement of common goals and enable researchers in South Africa, Malawi and Nigeria to make adjustments to project activities to maximize stakeholder engagement and research utilization. Ethical approval has been provided by South African Medical Research Council Human Research Ethics Committee (EC015-7/2022); The College of Medicine Research and Ethics Committee, Malawi (P.07/22/3687); National Health Research Ethics Committee of Nigeria (01/01/2007).
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Kredo
- Health Systems Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.
- School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
| | - Emmanuel Effa
- University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria
| | | | - Denny Mabetha
- Health Systems Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Bey-Marrié Schmidt
- Health Systems Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
- School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Anke Rohwer
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Michael McCaul
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Idriss Ibrahim Kallon
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Claire Glenton
- Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Norway
| | - Taryn Young
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Simon Lewin
- Health Systems Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Per Olav Vandvik
- MAGIC Evidence Ecosystem Foundation, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Health Economics and Health Management, Institute for Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Sara Cooper
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
- School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Cochrane South Africa, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
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Durão S, Effa E, Mbeye N, Mthethwa M, McCaul M, Naude C, Brand A, Blose N, Mabetha D, Chibuzor M, Arikpo D, Chipojola R, Kunje G, Vandvik PO, Esu E, Lewin S, Kredo T. Using a priority setting exercise to identify priorities for guidelines on newborn and child health in South Africa, Malawi, and Nigeria. Health Res Policy Syst 2024; 22:48. [PMID: 38627761 PMCID: PMC11020907 DOI: 10.1186/s12961-024-01133-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sub-Saharan Africa is the region with the highest under-five mortality rate globally. Child healthcare decisions should be based on rigorously developed evidence-informed guidelines. The Global Evidence, Local Adaptation (GELA) project is enhancing capacity to use global research to develop locally relevant guidelines for newborn and child health in South Africa (SA), Malawi, and Nigeria. The first step in this process was to identify national priorities for newborn and child health guideline development, and this paper describes our approach. METHODS We followed a good practice method for priority setting, including stakeholder engagement, online priority setting surveys and consensus meetings, conducted separately in South Africa, Malawi and Nigeria. We established national Steering Groups (SG), comprising 10-13 members representing government, academia, and other stakeholders, identified through existing contacts and references, who helped prioritise initial topics identified by research teams and oversaw the process. Various stakeholders were consulted via online surveys to rate the importance of topics, with results informing consensus meetings with SGs where final priority topics were agreed. RESULTS Based on survey results, nine, 10 and 11 topics were identified in SA, Malawi, and Nigeria respectively, which informed consensus meetings. Through voting and discussion within meetings, and further engagement after the meetings, the top three priority topics were identified in each country. In SA, the topics concerned anemia prevention in infants and young children and post-discharge support for caregivers of preterm and LBW babies. In Malawi, they focused on enteral nutrition in critically ill children, diagnosis of childhood cancers in the community, and caring for neonates. In Nigeria, the topics focused on identifying pre-eclampsia in the community, hand hygiene compliance to prevent infections, and enteral nutrition for LBW and preterm infants. CONCLUSIONS Through dynamic and iterative stakeholder engagement, we identified three priority topics for guideline development on newborn and child health in SA, Malawi and Nigeria. Topics were specific to contexts, with no overlap, which highlights the importance of contextualised priority setting as well as of the relationships with key decisionmakers who help define the priorities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solange Durão
- Health Systems Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.
| | - Emmanuel Effa
- Cochrane Nigeria, Institute of Tropical Diseases Research and Prevention, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria
| | - Nyanyiwe Mbeye
- Evidence Informed Decision-Making Centre, Department of Community and Environmental Health, School of Global and Public Health, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Mashudu Mthethwa
- Cochrane Nigeria, Institute of Tropical Diseases Research and Prevention, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria
| | - Michael McCaul
- Centre for Evidence-Based Health Care, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Celeste Naude
- Centre for Evidence-Based Health Care, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Amanda Brand
- Centre for Evidence-Based Health Care, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ntombifuthi Blose
- Health Systems Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Denny Mabetha
- Health Systems Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Moriam Chibuzor
- Cochrane Nigeria, Institute of Tropical Diseases Research and Prevention, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria
| | - Dachi Arikpo
- Cochrane Nigeria, Institute of Tropical Diseases Research and Prevention, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria
| | - Roselyn Chipojola
- Evidence Informed Decision-Making Centre, Department of Community and Environmental Health, School of Global and Public Health, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Gertrude Kunje
- Evidence Informed Decision-Making Centre, Department of Community and Environmental Health, School of Global and Public Health, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Per Olav Vandvik
- MAGIC Evidence Ecosystem Foundation, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Medicine, Lovisenberg Diaconal Trust, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ekpereonne Esu
- Cochrane Nigeria, Institute of Tropical Diseases Research and Prevention, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria
| | - Simon Lewin
- Department of Health Sciences Alesund, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Tamara Kredo
- Cochrane Nigeria, Institute of Tropical Diseases Research and Prevention, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria
- Centre for Evidence-Based Health Care, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
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Shikako K, El Sherif R, Cardoso R, Zhang H, Lai J, Mogo ERI, Schuster T. Applying behaviour change models to policy-making: development and validation of the Policymakers' Information Use Questionnaire (POLIQ). Health Res Policy Syst 2023; 21:8. [PMID: 36691025 PMCID: PMC9872298 DOI: 10.1186/s12961-022-00942-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to develop and validate the Policymakers' Information Use Questionnaire (POLIQ) to capture the intention of individuals in decision-making positions, such as health policy-makers, to act on research-based evidence in order to inform theory and the application of behaviour change models to decision-making spheres. METHODS The development and validation comprised three steps: item generation, qualitative face validation with cognitive debriefing and factorial construct validation. Confirmatory factor analysis was applied to estimate item-domain correlations for five predefined constructs relating to content, beliefs, behaviour, control and intent. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was calculated to assess the overall consistency of questionnaire items with the predefined constructs. Participants in the item generation and face validation were health and policy researchers and two former decision-makers (former assistant deputy ministers) from the Canadian provincial level. Participants in the construct validation were 39 Canadian decision-makers at various positions of municipal, provincial and federal jurisdiction who participated in a series of policy dialogues focused on childhood disability. RESULTS Cognitive debriefing allowed for small adjustments in language for clarity, including simultaneous validation of the English and French questionnaires. Participants found that the questions were clear and addressed the domains being targeted. Internal consistency of items belonging to the respective questionnaire domains was moderate to high, with estimated Cronbach's alpha values ranging from 0.67 to 0.84. Estimated item-domain correlations indicated moderate to high measurement performance for the domains norm, control and beliefs, whereas weak to moderate correlations resulted for the constructs content and intent. Estimated imprecision of factor loadings (95% confidence interval widths) was considerable for the questionnaire domains content and intent. CONCLUSION Measuring decision-makers' behaviour in relation to research evidence use is challenging. We provide initial evidence on face validity and appropriate measurement properties of the POLIQ based on a convenience sample of decision-makers in social and health policy. Larger validation studies and further psychometric property testing will support further utility of the POLIQ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keiko Shikako
- grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, McGill University, Montréal, QC Canada ,grid.498757.00000 0001 0556 2094MAB-Mackay Rehabilitation Centre, Montréal, QC Canada
| | - Reem El Sherif
- grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC Canada
| | - Roberta Cardoso
- grid.63984.300000 0000 9064 4811Research Institute, McGill University Health Center, Montréal, QC Canada ,grid.498757.00000 0001 0556 2094MAB-Mackay Rehabilitation Centre, Montréal, QC Canada
| | - Hao Zhang
- grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC Canada
| | - Jonathan Lai
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada ,Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorder Alliance (CASDA), Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Ebele R. I. Mogo
- grid.5335.00000000121885934Global Diet and Activity Research Group and Network, MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Tibor Schuster
- grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC Canada
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King C, Baker K, Richardson S, Wharton-Smith A, Bakare AA, Jehan F, Chisti MJ, Zar H, Awasthi S, Smith H, Greenslade L, Qazi SA. Paediatric pneumonia research priorities in the context of COVID-19: An eDelphi study. J Glob Health 2022; 12:09001. [PMID: 35265333 PMCID: PMC8874896 DOI: 10.7189/jogh.12.09001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Pneumonia remains the leading cause of infectious deaths in children under-five globally. We update the research priorities for childhood pneumonia in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and explore whether previous priorities have been addressed. Methods We conducted an eDelphi study from November 2019 to June 2021. Experts were invited to take part, targeting balance by: gender, profession, and high (HIC) and low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). We followed a three-stage approach: 1. Collating questions, using a list published in 2011 and adding newly posed topics; 2. Narrowing down, through participant scoring on importance and whether they had been answered; 3. Ranking of retained topics. Topics were categorized into: prevent and protect, diagnosis, treatment and cross-cutting. Results Overall 379 experts were identified, and 108 took part. We started with 83 topics, and 81 further general and 40 COVID-19 specific topics were proposed. In the final ranking 101 topics were retained, and the highest ranked was to “explore interventions to prevent neonatal pneumonia”. Among the top 20 topics, epidemiological research and intervention evaluation was commonly prioritized, followed by the operational and implementation research. Two COVID-19 related questions were ranked within the top 20. There were clear differences in priorities between HIC and LMIC respondents, and academics vs non-academics. Conclusions Operational research on health system capacities, and evaluating optimized delivery of existing treatments, diagnostics and case management approaches are needed. This list should act as a catalyst for collaborative research, especially to meet the top priority in preventing neonatal pneumonia, and encourage multi-disciplinary partnerships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina King
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Kevin Baker
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Malaria Consortium, London, UK
| | | | | | - Ayobami A Bakare
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Community Medicine, University College Hospital Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Fyezah Jehan
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Mohammod Jobayer Chisti
- Nutrition and Clinical Services Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Heather Zar
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health and SA-MRC Unit on Child & Adolescent Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Shally Awasthi
- Department of Paediatrics, King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, India
| | - Helen Smith
- Malaria Consortium, London, UK
- Consultant, International Health Consulting Services Ltd, UK
| | | | - Shamim A Qazi
- Consultant, Retired staff World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
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Doshmangir L, Mostafavi H, Behzadifar M, Yazdizadeh B, Sajadi HS, Hasanpoor E, Mahdavi M, Majdzadeh R. Individual and institutional capacity-building for evidence-informed health policy-making in Iran: a mix of local and global evidence. Health Res Policy Syst 2022; 20:18. [PMID: 35151312 PMCID: PMC8841080 DOI: 10.1186/s12961-022-00816-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Providing valid evidence to policy-makers is a key factor in the development of evidence-informed policy-making (EIPM). This study aims to review interventions used to promote researchers’ and knowledge-producing organizations’ knowledge and skills in the production and translation of evidence to policy-making and explore the interventions at the individual and institutional level in the Iranian health system to strengthen EIPM.
Methods
The study was conducted in two main phases: a systematic review and a qualitative study. First, to conduct the systematic review, the PubMed and Scopus databases were searched. Quality appraisal was done using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklists. Second, semi-structured interviews and document review were used to collect local data. Purposive sampling was used and continued until data saturation. A qualitative content analysis approach was used for data analysis.
Results
From a total of 11,514 retrieved articles, 18 papers were eligible for the analysis. Based on the global evidence, face-to-face training workshops for researchers was the most widely used intervention for strengthening researchers’ capacity regarding EIPM. Target audiences in almost all of the training programmes were researchers. Setting up joint training sessions that helped empower researchers in understanding the needs of health policy-makers had a considerable effect on strengthening EIPM. Based on the local collected evidence, the main interventions for individual and institutional capacity-building were educational and training programmes or courses related to the health system, policy-making and policy analysis, and research cycle management. To implement the individual and institutional interventions, health system planners and authorities and the community were found to have a key role as facilitating factors.
Conclusion
The use of evidence-based interventions for strengthening research centres, such as training health researchers on knowledge translation and tackling institutional barriers that can prevent well-trained researchers from translating their knowledge, as well as the use of mechanisms and networks for effective interactions among policy-makers at the macro and meso (organizational) level and the research centre, will be constructive for individual and institutional capacity-building. The health system needs to strengthen its strategic capacity to facilitate an educational and training culture in order to motivate researchers in producing appropriate evidence for policy-makers.
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Uneke C, Sombie I, Johnson E, Uneke B, Okolo S. Promoting the use of evidence in health policy-making in the economic commission of the West African States Region: Exploring the perception of policy-makers on the necessity of an evidence-based policy-making guidance. Ann Afr Med 2022; 21:223-230. [DOI: 10.4103/aam.aam_90_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
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Oyedokun TB, Abidoye RB, Akinbogun SP. Bridging the gap between real estate research and professional practice in Nigeria. PROPERTY MANAGEMENT 2021. [DOI: 10.1108/pm-12-2020-0087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
PurposeBeyond contributing to literature, research findings are expected to reinforce existing best practices while also serving as a springboard for formulating new and more efficient methods of undertaking economic activities. However, academic research is sometimes divorced from implementation and research findings are not always translated into practice. This study, therefore, assesses the impact of real estate research activities and findings on the practice of real estate surveying and valuation in Nigeria as the largest real estate market in Africa.Design/methodology/approachAn online questionnaire survey was conducted to obtain relevant data from Estate Surveyors and Valuers across the country. The survey questions cover reading of academic papers from the field of real estate and the reasons for doing so; whether they have made any changes to their professional practice based on findings from academic papers; and possible barriers to adoption academic research findings in your practice. Mean score ranking and principal component analysis were employed for data analysis.FindingsOut of a total of 61 participants, only 35 have made a change to their professional practice based on findings from academic papers they have read. “Personal development and enlightenment” ranks first on the list of reasons for reading academic papers among the participants while barriers to the adoption of academic research findings relate mainly to education, dissemination and lack of guidance on how to apply research findings.Practical implicationsThe study demonstrates how findings from real estate research are being applied and identifies possible barriers that must be addressed to improve the level of application and consequently, the value of academic studies.Originality/valueThe study provides evidence on barriers to the adoption of academic research and contributes to the global effort to bridge the gap between academia and practice.
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Malama A, Zulu JM, Nzala S, Kombe MM, Silumbwe A. Health research knowledge translation into policy in Zambia: policy-maker and researcher perspectives. Health Res Policy Syst 2021; 19:42. [PMID: 33761935 PMCID: PMC7992358 DOI: 10.1186/s12961-020-00650-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The translation of public health research evidence into policy is critical to strengthening the capacity of local health systems to respond to major health challenges. However, a limited amount of public health research evidence generated in developing countries is actually translated into policy because of various factors. This study sought to explore the process of health research knowledge translation into policy and to identify factors that facilitate or hinder the process in Zambia. Methods This work was an exploratory qualitative study comprising two phases. Firstly, a document review of health policies and strategic frameworks governing research was undertaken to understand the macro-environment for knowledge translation in Zambia. Secondly, key informant interviews were conducted with those responsible for health research and policy formulation. The study interviewed 15 key informants and a thematic analysis approach was used. Results The document review showed that there are policy efforts to promote knowledge translation through improvement of the research macro-environment. However, the interviews showed that coordination and linkage of the knowledge creation, translation and policy-making processes remains a challenge owing to lack of research knowledge translation capacity, limited resources and lack of knowledge hubs. Emerging local research leadership and the availability of existing stock of underutilized local health research data provide an opportunity to enhance knowledge translation to feed into policy processes in Zambia. Conclusions Public health research knowledge translation into policy remains a challenge in Zambia. To enhance the uptake of research evidence in policy-making, this study suggests the need for improved coordination, financing and capacity-building in knowledge translation processes for both health researchers and policy-makers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Malama
- Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, University of Zambia, P.O. Box 51110, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Joseph Mumba Zulu
- Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, University of Zambia, P.O. Box 51110, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Selestine Nzala
- Department of Medical Education, School of Medicine, University of Zambia, P.O. Box 51110, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Maureen Mupeta Kombe
- Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, University of Zambia, P.O. Box 51110, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Adam Silumbwe
- Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, University of Zambia, P.O. Box 51110, Lusaka, Zambia.
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Partridge ACR, Mansilla C, Randhawa H, Lavis JN, El-Jardali F, Sewankambo NK. Lessons learned from descriptions and evaluations of knowledge translation platforms supporting evidence-informed policy-making in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review. Health Res Policy Syst 2020; 18:127. [PMID: 33129335 PMCID: PMC7603785 DOI: 10.1186/s12961-020-00626-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Knowledge translation (KT) platforms are organisations, initiatives and networks that focus on supporting evidence-informed policy-making at least in part about the health-system arrangements that determine whether the right programmes, services and products get to those who need them. Many descriptions and evaluations of KT platforms in low- and middle-income countries have been produced but, to date, they have not been systematically reviewed. METHODS We identified potentially relevant studies through a search of five electronic databases and a variety of approaches to identify grey literature. We used four criteria to select eligible empirical studies. We extracted data about seven characteristics of included studies and about key findings. We used explicit criteria to assess study quality. In synthesising the findings, we gave greater attention to themes that emerged from multiple studies, higher-quality studies and different contexts. RESULTS Country was the most common jurisdictional focus of KT platforms, EVIPNet the most common name and high turnover among staff a common infrastructural feature. Evidence briefs and deliberative dialogues were the activities/outputs that were the most extensively studied and viewed as helpful, while rapid evidence services were the next most studied but only in a single jurisdiction. None of the summative evaluations used a pre-post design or a control group and, with the exception of the evaluations of the influence of briefs and dialogues on intentions to act, none of the evaluations achieved a high quality score. CONCLUSIONS A large and growing volume of research evidence suggests that KT platforms offer promise in supporting evidence-informed policy-making in low- and middle-income countries. KT platforms should consider as next steps expanding their current, relatively limited portfolio of activities and outputs, building bridges to complementary groups, and planning for evaluations that examine 'what works' for 'what types of issues' in 'what types of contexts'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arun C R Partridge
- Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
| | - Cristián Mansilla
- McMaster Health Forum and Health Policy PhD Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Harkanwal Randhawa
- Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - John N Lavis
- McMaster Health Forum and Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.,Africa Centre for Evidence, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Fadi El-Jardali
- Knowledge to Policy Center and Department of Health Management and Policy, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Nelson K Sewankambo
- Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, Department of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
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Uneke CJ, Sombie I, Johnson E, Uneke BI, Okolo S. Promoting the use of evidence in health policymaking in the ECOWAS region: the development and contextualization of an evidence-based policymaking guidance. Global Health 2020; 16:73. [PMID: 32762759 PMCID: PMC7409627 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-020-00605-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The Economic Commission of the West African States (ECOWAS), through her specialised health Institution, the West African Health Organization (WAHO) is supporting Members States to improve health outcomes in West Africa. There is a global recognition that evidence-based health policies are vital towards achieving continued improvement in health outcomes. The need to have a tool that will provide systematic guide on the use of evidence in policymaking necessitated the production of the evidence-based policy-making (EBPM) Guidance. Methods Google search was performed to identify existing guidance on EBPM. Lessons were drawn from the review of identified guidance documents. Consultation, interaction and interviews were held with policymakers from the 15 West African countries during WAHO organized regional meetings in Senegal, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso. The purpose was to elicit their views on the strategies to promote the use of evidence in policymaking to be included in the EBPM Guidance. A regional Guidance Validation Meeting for West African policymakers was thereafter convened by WAHO to review findings from review of existing guidance documents and validate the EBPM Guidance. Results Out of the 250 publications screened, six publications fulfilled the study inclusion criteria and were reviewed. Among the important issues highlighted include: what evidence informed decision-making is; different types of research methods, designs and approaches, and how to judge the quality of research. The identified main target end users of the EBPM Guidance are policy/decision makers in the West African sub-region, at local, sub-national, national and regional levels. Among the key recommendations included in the EBPM Guidance include: properly defining/refining policy problem; reviewing contextual issues; initiating policy priority setting; considering political acceptability of policy; commissioning research; use of rapid response services, use of policy advisory/technical/steering committees; and use of policy briefs and policy dialogue. Conclusion The EBPM Guidance is one of the emerging tools that can enhance the understanding of evidence to policy process. The strategies to facilitate the use of evidence in policymaking outlined in the Guidance, can be adapted to local context, and incorporated validated approaches that can be used to promote evidence-to-policy-to-practice process in West Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chigozie Jesse Uneke
- African Institute for Health Policy and Health Systems, Ebonyi State University, CAS Campus, Abakaliki, PMB 053, Nigeria.
| | - Issiaka Sombie
- West African Health Organisation, 175, Avenue Ouezzin Coulibaly, Bobo Dioulasso, 01 01 BP 153, Burkina Faso
| | - Ermel Johnson
- West African Health Organisation, 175, Avenue Ouezzin Coulibaly, Bobo Dioulasso, 01 01 BP 153, Burkina Faso
| | - Bilikis Iyabo Uneke
- African Institute for Health Policy and Health Systems, Ebonyi State University, CAS Campus, Abakaliki, PMB 053, Nigeria
| | - Stanley Okolo
- West African Health Organisation, 175, Avenue Ouezzin Coulibaly, Bobo Dioulasso, 01 01 BP 153, Burkina Faso
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Murunga VI, Oronje RN, Bates I, Tagoe N, Pulford J. Review of published evidence on knowledge translation capacity, practice and support among researchers and research institutions in low- and middle-income countries. Health Res Policy Syst 2020; 18:16. [PMID: 32039738 PMCID: PMC7011245 DOI: 10.1186/s12961-019-0524-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Knowledge translation (KT) is a dynamic and iterative process that includes synthesis, dissemination, exchange and ethically sound application of knowledge to yield beneficial outcomes for society. Effective KT requires researchers to play an active role in promoting evidence uptake. This paper presents a systematised review of evidence on low- and middle-income country (LMIC) researchers' KT capacity, practice and interventions for enhancing their KT practice (support) with the aim of identifying gaps and informing future research and interventions. METHODS An electronic search for peer-reviewed publications focusing on LMIC researchers' KT capacity, practice and support across all academic fields, authored in English and from the earliest records available to February 2019, was conducted using PubMed and Scopus. Selected studies were appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool, data pertaining to publication characteristics and study design extracted, and an a priori thematic analysis of reported research findings completed. RESULTS The search resulted in 334 screened articles, of which 66 met the inclusion criteria. Most (n = 43) of the articles presented original research findings, 22 were commentaries and 1 was a structured review; 47 articles reported on researchers' KT practice, 12 assessed the KT capacity of researchers or academic/research institutions and 9 reported on KT support for researchers. More than half (59%) of the articles focused on sub-Saharan Africa and the majority (91%) on health research. Most of the primary studies used the case study design (41%). The findings suggest that LMIC researchers rarely conduct KT and face a range of barriers at individual and institutional levels that limit their KT practice, including inadequate KT knowledge and skills, particularly for communicating research and interacting with research end-users, insufficient funding, and inadequate institutional guidelines, structures and incentives promoting KT practice. Furthermore, the evidence-base on effective interventions for enhancing LMIC researchers' KT practice is insufficient and largely of weak quality. CONCLUSIONS More high-quality research on researchers' KT capacity, practice and effective KT capacity strengthening interventions is needed. Study designs that extend beyond case studies and descriptive studies are recommended, including better designed evaluation studies, e.g. use of realist approaches, pragmatic trials, impact evaluations, implementation research and participatory action research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Violet Ibukayo Murunga
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 3BX United Kingdom
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Center for Capacity Research, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L35QA United Kingdom
- African Institute for Development Policy, 6th Floor, Block A, Westcom Point Bldg, Mahiga Mairu Ave Off Waiyaki Way, Westlands, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Rose Ndakala Oronje
- African Institute for Development Policy, 6th Floor, Block A, Westcom Point Bldg, Mahiga Mairu Ave Off Waiyaki Way, Westlands, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Imelda Bates
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Center for Capacity Research, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L35QA United Kingdom
| | - Nadia Tagoe
- KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
- Office of Grants and Research, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Justin Pulford
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Center for Capacity Research, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L35QA United Kingdom
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Fulone I, Barreto JOM, Barberato-Filho S, de Carvalho MH, Lopes LC. Knowledge Translation for Improving the Care of Deinstitutionalized People With Severe Mental Illness in Health Policy. Front Pharmacol 2020; 10:1470. [PMID: 32038229 PMCID: PMC6985550 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.01470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Knowledge translation (KT) is an effective strategy that uses the best available research evidence to bring stakeholders together to develop solutions and improve public health policy-making. Despite progress, the process of deinstitutionalization in Brazil is still undergoing consolidation, and the changes and challenges that are involved in this process are complex and necessitate evidence-informed decision-making. Accordingly, this study used KT tools to support efforts that aim to improve the care that is available to deinstitutionalized people with severe mental disorders in Brazil. Methods We used the Supporting Policy Relevant Reviews and Trials tools for evidence-informed health policymaking and followed eight steps: 1) capacity building; 2) identification of a priority policy issue within a Brazilian public health system; 3) meetings with policy-makers, researchers and stakeholders; 4) development of an evidence brief (EB) that addresses the problem of deinstitutionalization; 5) facilitating policy dialogue (PD); 6) the evaluation of the EB and PD; 7) post-dialogue mini-interviews; and 8) dissemination of the findings. Results Capacity building and meetings with key informants promoted awareness about the gap between research and practice. Local findings were used to define the problem and develop the EB. Twenty-four individuals (policy-makers, stakeholders, researchers, representatives of the civil society, and public defense) participated in the PD. They received the EB to subsidise their deliberations during the PD, which in turn were used to validate and improve the EB. The PD achieved the objective of promoting an exhaustive discussion about the problem and proposed options and improved communication and interaction among those who are involved in mental health care. The features of both the EB and PD were considered to be favorable and helpful. Conclusions The KT strategy helped participants understand different perspectives and values, the interpersonal tensions that exist among those who are involved in the field of mental health, and the strategies that can bridge the gap between research and policy-making. The present findings suggest that PDs can influence practice by promoting greater engagement among stakeholders who formulate or revise mental health policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izabela Fulone
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Course, University of Sorocaba, UNISO, Sorocaba, Brazil
| | | | - Silvio Barberato-Filho
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Course, University of Sorocaba, UNISO, Sorocaba, Brazil
| | | | - Luciane Cruz Lopes
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Course, University of Sorocaba, UNISO, Sorocaba, Brazil
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Tait H, Williamson A. A literature review of knowledge translation and partnership research training programs for health researchers. Health Res Policy Syst 2019; 17:98. [PMID: 31842896 PMCID: PMC6916221 DOI: 10.1186/s12961-019-0497-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Researchers and policy-makers are increasingly working together with the goal of creating research that is focused on solving real-world problems; however, knowledge translation (KT) activities, and the partnerships they often require, can be challenging. The aim of this review is to determine the extent of the literature on training programs designed to improve researcher competency in KT and to describe existing training methods that may be used by those hoping to build capacity for partnership research. METHODS MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO and CINAHL were searched for peer review articles published between January 2000 and July 2019. Studies were eligible for inclusion in the review if they described the development of, curriculum for, or evaluation of KT and/or partnership research training programs. Data extraction included information on evaluation methods, outcomes and implications as well as the format, aims and themes of each capacity-building program. RESULTS The review identified nine published articles that met inclusion criteria - four papers described training events, two papers described participant experiences of specific learning sessions within a larger training course, two papers described part time secondments for KT capacity-building and one paper described a plan for KT training embedded within an existing research training course. All programs were delivered face-to-face, all included practical skills-building opportunities, and all employed multiple learning modalities such as seminars and small group discussions. Evaluation of the training programs was primarily conducted through qualitative interviews or feedback surveys. CONCLUSION To date, few KT training initiatives have been described in the literature and none of these have been rigorously evaluated. The present review offers insights into the planning, development and participant experiences associated with the small number of training initiatives that have been described. There is insufficient evidence available at present to identify the most effective models for training researchers in KT and partnership skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Tait
- The Sax Institute, PO Box K617, Haymarket, NSW, 1240, Australia.
| | - Anna Williamson
- The Sax Institute, PO Box K617, Haymarket, NSW, 1240, Australia
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Bastani P, Alipoori S, Imani-Nasab MH, Jamalabadi S, Kavosi Z. Evidence-based decision making among healthcare managers: Evidence from a developing Country. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/20479700.2019.1632002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Peivand Bastani
- Health Human Resources Research Center, School of Management and Medical Informatics, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Somayeh Alipoori
- Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohammad-Hasan Imani-Nasab
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran
| | - Sara Jamalabadi
- Health Human Resources Research Center, School of Management and Medical Informatics, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Zahra Kavosi
- Health Human Resources Research Center, School of Management and Medical Informatics, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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Uneke CJ, Langlois EV, Uro-Chukwu HC, Chukwu J, Ghaffar A. Fostering access to and use of contextualised knowledge to support health policy-making: lessons from the Policy Information Platform in Nigeria. Health Res Policy Syst 2019; 17:38. [PMID: 30961649 PMCID: PMC6454691 DOI: 10.1186/s12961-019-0431-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Contextualising evidence to inform policy-making is increasingly recognised as key to developing and implementing effective health policies. Creating a one-stop shop for evidence is an approach that can facilitate timely access to the best evidence to inform policy decisions. We report outcomes after implementation of the Policy Information Platform (PIP), a pilot one-stop evidence repository in Nigeria designed to alleviate barriers to accessing policy-relevant knowledge. Methods This cross-sectional study involved five phases, namely (1) consultation with Nigerian policy-makers to identify priority policy issues, areas of health policy information needs, and challenges and capacity constraints in accessing evidence for policy-making; (2) a stakeholder engagement workshop to formally launch the PIP; (3) extraction of data and other information from scientific articles, policy briefs, evaluation reports, grey literature and health policy documents relevant to policy-making in Nigeria (identified by Google and PubMed searches and by examination of websites of relevant Nigerian government ministries, agencies and parastatals), for use in developing the PIP website; (4) promotion of the PIP in national and state health policy meetings; and (5) evaluation of the PIP using a stakeholder survey questionnaire distributed via email and critical appraisal of the grey literature included in the PIP using the authority, accuracy, coverage, objectivity, date and significance (AACODS) checklist. Results Priority policy areas identified by policy-makers were disease control and prevention, population health issues and health administration. Challenges identified by policy-makers were a lack of adequate capacity to access policy-relevant evidence and transform the evidence into policy. Policy-makers suggested using systematic reviews, policy briefs and rapid response mechanisms and involving policy-makers in research as ways of increasing evidence uptake for policy. A total of 126 policy-relevant, peer-reviewed scientific articles, 85 health policy documents and 201 policy-relevant grey literature documents were selected for inclusion in the PIP. Of the 195 individuals contacted via email to evaluate the PIP, 31 (15.9%) provided a response. Respondents noted that the PIP facilitated access to information based on local evidence and context-sensitive data. Barriers identified included lack of knowledge about the PIP and limited capacity of end-users to use the data compiled in the platform. Conclusion An easily accessible one-stop shop of policy-relevant evidence can considerably improve policy-makers’ access to evidence for use in policy-making and practice. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12961-019-0431-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chigozie Jesse Uneke
- African Institute for Health Policy & Health Systems, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria.
| | - Etienne V Langlois
- Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, World Health Organization, Avenue Appia 20, 1211, Geneva 27, Switzerland
| | - Henry C Uro-Chukwu
- African Institute for Health Policy & Health Systems, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Jeremiah Chukwu
- African Institute for Health Policy & Health Systems, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Abdul Ghaffar
- Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, World Health Organization, Avenue Appia 20, 1211, Geneva 27, Switzerland
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Edwards A, Zweigenthal V, Olivier J. Evidence map of knowledge translation strategies, outcomes, facilitators and barriers in African health systems. Health Res Policy Syst 2019; 17:16. [PMID: 30732634 PMCID: PMC6367796 DOI: 10.1186/s12961-019-0419-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The need for research-based knowledge to inform health policy formulation and implementation is a chronic global concern impacting health systems functioning and impeding the provision of quality healthcare for all. This paper provides a systematic overview of the literature on knowledge translation (KT) strategies employed by health system researchers and policy-makers in African countries. METHODS Evidence mapping methodology was adapted from the social and health sciences literature and used to generate a schema of KT strategies, outcomes, facilitators and barriers. Four reference databases were searched using defined criteria. Studies were screened and a searchable database containing 62 eligible studies was compiled using Microsoft Access. Frequency and thematic analysis were used to report study characteristics and to establish the final evidence map. Focus was placed on KT in policy formulation processes in order to better manage the diversity of available literature. RESULTS The KT literature in African countries is widely distributed, problematically diverse and growing. Significant disparities exist between reports on KT in different countries, and there are many settings without published evidence of local KT characteristics. Commonly reported KT strategies include policy briefs, capacity-building workshops and policy dialogues. Barriers affecting researchers and policy-makers include insufficient skills and capacity to conduct KT activities, time constraints and a lack of resources. Availability of quality locally relevant research was the most reported facilitator. Limited KT outcomes reflect persisting difficulties in outcome identification and reporting. CONCLUSION This study has identified substantial geographical gaps in knowledge and evidenced the need to boost local research capacities on KT practices in low- and middle-income countries. Evidence mapping is also shown to be a useful approach that can assist local decision-making to enhance KT in policy and practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Edwards
- School of Public Health and Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory, Cape Town, 7925 South Africa
| | - Virginia Zweigenthal
- School of Public Health and Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory, Cape Town, 7925 South Africa
- Western Cape Government Health, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jill Olivier
- School of Public Health and Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory, Cape Town, 7925 South Africa
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Williamson A, Barker D, Green S, D’Este C, Davies HTO, Jorm L, Shakeshaft A, Rudge S, Redman S. Increasing the capacity of policy agencies to use research findings: a stepped-wedge trial. Health Res Policy Syst 2019; 17:14. [PMID: 30728034 PMCID: PMC6366302 DOI: 10.1186/s12961-018-0408-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This paper describes the trial of a novel intervention, Supporting Policy In health with evidence from Research: an Intervention Trial (SPIRIT). It examines (1) the feasibility of delivering this kind of programme in practice; (2) its acceptability to participants; (3) the impact of the programme on the capacity of policy agencies to engage with research; and (4) the engagement with and use of research by policy agencies. METHODS SPIRIT was a multifaceted, highly tailored, stepped-wedge, cluster-randomised, trial involving six health policy agencies in Sydney, Australia. Agencies were randomly allocated to one of three start dates to receive the 1-year intervention programme. SPIRIT included audit, feedback and goal setting; a leadership programme; staff training; the opportunity to test systems to facilitate research use in policies; and exchange with researchers. Outcome measures were collected at each agency every 6 months for 30 months. RESULTS Participation in SPIRIT was associated with significant increases in research use capacity at staff and agency levels. Staff reported increased confidence in research use skills, and agency leaders reported more extensive systems and structures in place to support research use. Self-report data suggested there was also an increase in tactical research use among agency staff. Given the relatively small numbers of participating agencies and the complexity of their contexts, findings suggest it is possible to effect change in the way policy agencies approach the use of research. This is supported by the responses on the other trial measures; while these were not statistically significant, on 18 of the 20 different measures used, the changes observed were consistent with the hypothesised intervention effect (that is, positive impacts). CONCLUSIONS As an early test of an innovative approach, SPIRIT has demonstrated that it is possible to increase research engagement and use in policy agencies. While more work is needed to establish the replicability and generalisability of these findings, this trial suggests that building staff skills and organisational structures may be effective in increasing evidence use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Williamson
- The Sax Institute, PO Box K617, Haymarket, Sydney, NSW 1240 Australia
- The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Sally Green
- Australasian Cochrane Centre, Melbourne, Australia
- Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Catherine D’Este
- The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
- Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | | | - Louisa Jorm
- The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Sian Rudge
- The Sax Institute, PO Box K617, Haymarket, Sydney, NSW 1240 Australia
| | - Sally Redman
- The Sax Institute, PO Box K617, Haymarket, Sydney, NSW 1240 Australia
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Makinde OA, Odimegwu CO. A qualitative inquiry on the status and adequacy of legal instruments establishing infectious disease surveillance in Nigeria. Pan Afr Med J 2018; 31:22. [PMID: 30918549 PMCID: PMC6430840 DOI: 10.11604/pamj.2018.31.22.14119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The threat of devastating disease outbreaks is on the rise with several outbreaks recorded across the world in the last five years. The intractable Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in West Africa which spread to Nigeria was a reawakening point. This study aims to review the status and adequacy of the legal framework for disease surveillance in Nigeria. Methods: a mixed methods approach comprising of document reviews and key informant interviews was used in data collection. METHODS A mixed methods approach comprising of document reviews and key informant interviews was used in data collection. RESULTS Fourteen key informants from the federal ministry of health (FMOH) and six States were interviewed. Five legal instruments were identified and reviewed. The Quarantine Act of 1926 remains the active National Law on disease surveillance in Nigeria. An Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response Policy (IDSR) was developed in 2005 as the means for achieving the International Health Regulations (IHR). All six states claimed to have adopted the national IDSR policy though none could present a domesticated version of the policy. Key informants were concerned that Nigeria does not yet have an adequate legal framework for disease surveillance. CONCLUSION The legal instruments establishing disease surveillance in Nigeria require strengthening and possibly enactment as a National Law in order to address emerging disease threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olusesan Ayodeji Makinde
- Demography And Population Studies Program, Schools of Public Health and Social Sciences, University of The Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Managing Partner, Viable Knowledge Masters, 22 Olusegun Obasanjo Street, Peace Court Estate, Lokogoma, Abuja Federal Capital Territory Nigeria
| | - Clifford Obby Odimegwu
- Demography And Population Studies Program, Schools of Public Health and Social Sciences, University of The Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Haynes A, Rowbotham SJ, Redman S, Brennan S, Williamson A, Moore G. What can we learn from interventions that aim to increase policy-makers' capacity to use research? A realist scoping review. Health Res Policy Syst 2018; 16:31. [PMID: 29631606 PMCID: PMC5892006 DOI: 10.1186/s12961-018-0277-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 01/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Health policy-making can benefit from more effective use of research. In many policy settings there is scope to increase capacity for using research individually and organisationally, but little is known about what strategies work best in which circumstances. This review addresses the question: What causal mechanisms can best explain the observed outcomes of interventions that aim to increase policy-makers’ capacity to use research in their work? Methods Articles were identified from three available reviews and two databases (PAIS and WoS; 1999–2016). Using a realist approach, articles were reviewed for information about contexts, outcomes (including process effects) and possible causal mechanisms. Strategy + Context + Mechanism = Outcomes (SCMO) configurations were developed, drawing on theory and findings from other studies to develop tentative hypotheses that might be applicable across a range of intervention sites. Results We found 22 studies that spanned 18 countries. There were two dominant design strategies (needs-based tailoring and multi-component design) and 18 intervention strategies targeting four domains of capacity, namely access to research, skills improvement, systems improvement and interaction. Many potential mechanisms were identified as well as some enduring contextual characteristics that all interventions should consider. The evidence was variable, but the SCMO analysis suggested that tailored interactive workshops supported by goal-focused mentoring, and genuine collaboration, seem particularly promising. Systems supports and platforms for cross-sector collaboration are likely to play crucial roles. Gaps in the literature are discussed. Conclusion This exploratory review tentatively posits causal mechanisms that might explain how intervention strategies work in different contexts to build capacity for using research in policy-making. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12961-018-0277-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abby Haynes
- Sax Institute, 235 Jones Street, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia. .,Sydney School of Public Health, Edward Ford Building (A27), University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, 2006, Australia.
| | - Samantha J Rowbotham
- Menzies Centre for Health Policy, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,The Australian Prevention Partnership Centre, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Sally Redman
- Sax Institute, 235 Jones Street, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Sue Brennan
- Australasian Cochrane Centre, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Anna Williamson
- Sax Institute, 235 Jones Street, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Gabriel Moore
- Sax Institute, 235 Jones Street, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia.,Sydney School of Public Health, Edward Ford Building (A27), University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, 2006, Australia
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20
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Bailey SL, Bono RS, Nash D, Kimmel AD. Implementing parallel spreadsheet models for health policy decisions: The impact of unintentional errors on model projections. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0194916. [PMID: 29570737 PMCID: PMC5865740 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Spreadsheet software is increasingly used to implement systems science models informing health policy decisions, both in academia and in practice where technical capacity may be limited. However, spreadsheet models are prone to unintentional errors that may not always be identified using standard error-checking techniques. Our objective was to illustrate, through a methodologic case study analysis, the impact of unintentional errors on model projections by implementing parallel model versions. Methods We leveraged a real-world need to revise an existing spreadsheet model designed to inform HIV policy. We developed three parallel versions of a previously validated spreadsheet-based model; versions differed by the spreadsheet cell-referencing approach (named single cells; column/row references; named matrices). For each version, we implemented three model revisions (re-entry into care; guideline-concordant treatment initiation; immediate treatment initiation). After standard error-checking, we identified unintentional errors by comparing model output across the three versions. Concordant model output across all versions was considered error-free. We calculated the impact of unintentional errors as the percentage difference in model projections between model versions with and without unintentional errors, using +/-5% difference to define a material error. Results We identified 58 original and 4,331 propagated unintentional errors across all model versions and revisions. Over 40% (24/58) of original unintentional errors occurred in the column/row reference model version; most (23/24) were due to incorrect cell references. Overall, >20% of model spreadsheet cells had material unintentional errors. When examining error impact along the HIV care continuum, the percentage difference between versions with and without unintentional errors ranged from +3% to +16% (named single cells), +26% to +76% (column/row reference), and 0% (named matrices). Conclusions Standard error-checking techniques may not identify all errors in spreadsheet-based models. Comparing parallel model versions can aid in identifying unintentional errors and promoting reliable model projections, particularly when resources are limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie L. Bailey
- Department of Health Behavior and Policy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
- Physics Department, University of California–Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Rose S. Bono
- Physics Department, University of California–Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Denis Nash
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, City University of New York, New York, United States of America
| | - April D. Kimmel
- Physics Department, University of California–Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Uneke CJ, Sombie I, Uro-Chukwu HC, Mohammed YG, Johnson E. Promoting evidence informed policymaking for maternal and child health in Nigeria: lessons from a knowledge translation workshop. Health Promot Perspect 2018; 8:63-70. [PMID: 29423364 PMCID: PMC5797310 DOI: 10.15171/hpp.2018.08] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2017] [Accepted: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Knowledge translation (KT) is a process that ensures that research evidence gets translated into policy and practice. In Nigeria, reports indicate that research evidence rarely gets into policymaking process. A major factor responsible for this is lack of KT capacity enhancement mechanisms. The objective of this study was to improve KT competence of an implementation research team (IRT), policymakers and stakeholders in maternal and child health to enhance evidence-informed policymaking. Methods: This study employed a “before and after” design, modified as an intervention study. The study was conducted in Bauchi, north-eastern Nigeria. A three-day KT training workshop was organized and 15 modules were covered including integrated and end-of-grant KT; KT models, measures, tools and strategies; priority setting; managing political interference; advocacy and consensus building/negotiations; inter-sectoral collaboration; policy analysis, contextualization and legislation. A 4-point Likert scale pre-/post-workshop questionnaires were administerd to evaluate the impact of the training, it was designed in terms of extent of adequacy; with “grossly inadequate” representing 1 point, and “very adequate” representing 4 points. Results: A total of 45 participants attended the workshop. There was a noteworthy improvement in the participants’ understanding of KT processes and strategies. The range of the preworkshop mean of participants knowledge of modules taught was from 2.04-2.94, the range for the postworkshop mean was from 3.10–3.70 on the 4-point Likert scale. The range of percentage increase in mean for participants’ knowledge at the end of the workshop was from 13.3%–55.2%. Conclusion: The outcome of this study suggests that using a KT capacity building programme e.g., workshop, health researchers, policymakers and other stakeholders can acquire capacity and skill that will facilitate evidence-to-policy link.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chigozie Jesse Uneke
- African Institute for Health Policy & Health Systems, Ebonyi State University, PMB 053 Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Issiaka Sombie
- Organisation Ouest Africaine de la Santé, 175, avenue Ouezzin Coulibaly, 01 BP 153 Bobo-Dioulasso 01, Burkina Faso
| | | | | | - Ermel Johnson
- Organisation Ouest Africaine de la Santé, 175, avenue Ouezzin Coulibaly, 01 BP 153 Bobo-Dioulasso 01, Burkina Faso
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Uneke CJ, Sombie I, Keita N, Lokossou V, Johnson E, Ongolo-Zogo P, Uro-Chukwu HC. Promoting evidence informed policy making in Nigeria: a review of the maternal, newborn and child health policy development process. Health Promot Perspect 2017; 7:181-189. [PMID: 29085794 PMCID: PMC5647352 DOI: 10.15171/hpp.2017.33] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2017] [Accepted: 06/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: There is increasing recognition worldwide that health policymaking process should be informed by best available evidence. The purpose of this study was to review the policy documents on maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) in Nigeria to assess the extent evidence informed policymaking mechanism was employed in the policy formulation process. Methods: A comprehensive literature search of websites of the Federal Ministry of Health(FMOH) Nigeria and other related ministries and agencies for relevant health policy documents related to MNCH from year 2000 to 2015 was undertaken. The following terms were used interchangeably for the literature search: maternal, child, newborn, health, policy, strategy,framework, guidelines, Nigeria. Results: Of the 108 policy documents found, 19 (17.6%) of them fulfilled the study inclusion criteria. The policy documents focused on the major aspects of maternal health improvements in Nigeria such as reproductive health, anti-malaria treatment, development of adolescent and young people health, mid wives service scheme, prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV and family planning. All the policy documents indicated that a consultative process of collection of input involving multiple stakeholders was employed, but there was no rigorous scientific process of assessing, adapting, synthesizing and application of scientific evidence reported in the policy development process. Conclusion: It is recommended that future health policy development process on MNCH should follow evidence informed policy making process and clearly document the process of incorporating evidence in the policy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chigozie Jesse Uneke
- Knowledge Translation Platform, African Institute for Health Policy & Health Systems Studies, Ebonyi State University, PMB 053 Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Issiaka Sombie
- Organisation Ouest Africaine de la Santé, 175, avenue Ouezzin Coulibaly, 01 BP 153 Bobo-Dioulasso 01, Burkina Faso
| | - Namoudou Keita
- Organisation Ouest Africaine de la Santé, 175, avenue Ouezzin Coulibaly, 01 BP 153 Bobo-Dioulasso 01, Burkina Faso
| | - Virgil Lokossou
- Organisation Ouest Africaine de la Santé, 175, avenue Ouezzin Coulibaly, 01 BP 153 Bobo-Dioulasso 01, Burkina Faso
| | - Ermel Johnson
- Organisation Ouest Africaine de la Santé, 175, avenue Ouezzin Coulibaly, 01 BP 153 Bobo-Dioulasso 01, Burkina Faso
| | - Pierre Ongolo-Zogo
- Hopital Central Yaounde, CDBPH Lawrence VERGNE Building 2nd Floor, Avenue Henry Dunant Messa, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Henry Chukwuemeka Uro-Chukwu
- Knowledge Translation Platform, African Institute for Health Policy & Health Systems Studies, Ebonyi State University, PMB 053 Abakaliki, Nigeria
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Uneke CJ, Sombie I, Uro-Chukwu HC, Johnson E, Okonofua F. Using equitable impact sensitive tool (EQUIST) and knowledge translation to promote evidence to policy link in maternal and child health: report of first EQUIST training workshop in Nigeria. Pan Afr Med J 2017; 28:37. [PMID: 29158860 PMCID: PMC5687877 DOI: 10.11604/pamj.2017.28.37.13269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The Equitable Impact Sensitive Tool (EQUIST) designed by UNICEF and knowledge translation (KT) are important strategies that can help policymakers to improve equity and evidence-informed policy making in maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH). The purpose of this study was to improve the knowledge and capacity of an MNCH implementation research team (IRT) and policy makers to use EQUIST and KT. A modified “before and after” intervention study design was used in which outcomes were measured on the target participants both before the intervention (workshop) is implemented and after. A 5-point likert scale according to the degree of adequacy was employed. A three -day intensive EQUIST and KT training workshop was organized in Edo State, Nigeria with 45 participants in attendance. Some of the topics covered included: (i) Knowledge translation models, measures & tools; (ii) Policy review, analysis and contextualization; (iii) Policy formulation and legislation process; (iv) EQUIST Overview & Theory of change; (v) EQUIST's situation analysis, scenario analysis and scenario comparison. The pre-workshop mean of understanding of use of KT ranged from 2.02-3.41, while the post-workshop mean ranged from 3.24-4.30. Pre-workshop mean of understanding of use of EQUIST ranged from 1.66-2.41, while the post-workshop mean ranged from 3.56-4.54 on the 5point scale. The percentage increase in mean of KT and EQUIST at the end of the workshop ranged from 8.0%-88.1% and 65.6%-158.4% respectively. Findings of this study suggest that policymakers' and researchers KT and EQUSIT use competence relevant to evidence-informed policymaking can be enhanced through training workshop.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chigozie Jesse Uneke
- African Institute for Health Policy and Health Systems Studies, Ebonyi State University, PMB 053 Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Issiaka Sombie
- Organisation Ouest Africaine de la Santé, 175, Avenue Ouezzin Coulibaly, 01 BP 153 Bobo-Dioulasso 01, Burkina Faso
| | - Henry Chukwuemeka Uro-Chukwu
- African Institute for Health Policy and Health Systems Studies, Ebonyi State University, PMB 053 Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Ermel Johnson
- Organisation Ouest Africaine de la Santé, 175, Avenue Ouezzin Coulibaly, 01 BP 153 Bobo-Dioulasso 01, Burkina Faso
| | - Friday Okonofua
- Women's Health and Action Research Centre Benin City Nigeria
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Uneke CJ, Sombie I, Keita N, Lokossou V, Johnson E, Ongolo-Zogo P. Improving maternal and child health policymaking processes in Nigeria: an assessment of policymakers' needs, barriers and facilitators of evidence-informed policymaking. Health Res Policy Syst 2017; 15:48. [PMID: 28722554 PMCID: PMC5516839 DOI: 10.1186/s12961-017-0217-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In Nigeria, interest in the evidence-to-policy process is gaining momentum among policymakers involved in maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH). However, numerous gaps exist among policymakers on use of research evidence in policymaking. The objective of this study was to assess the perception of MNCH policymakers regarding their needs and the barriers and facilitators to use of research evidence in policymaking in Nigeria. METHODS The study design was a cross-sectional assessment of perceptions undertaken during a national MNCH stakeholders' engagement event convened in Abuja, Nigeria. A questionnaire designed to assess participants' perceptions was administered in person. Group consultations were also held, which centred on policymakers' evidence-to-policy needs to enhance the use of evidence in policymaking. RESULTS A total of 40 participants completed the questionnaire and participated in the group consultations. According to the respondents, the main barriers to evidence use in MNCH policymaking include inadequate capacity of organisations to conduct policy-relevant research; inadequate budgetary allocation for policy-relevant research; policymakers' indifference to research evidence; poor dissemination of research evidence to policymakers; and lack of interaction fora between researchers and policymakers. The main facilitators of use of research evidence for policymaking in MNCH, as perceived by the respondents, include capacity building for policymakers on use of research evidence in policy formulation; appropriate dissemination of research findings to relevant stakeholders; involving policymakers in research design and execution; and allowing policymakers' needs to drive research. The main ways identified to promote policymakers' use of evidence for policymaking included improving policymakers' skills in information and communication technology, data use, analysis, communication and advocacy. CONCLUSION To improve the use of research evidence in policymaking in Nigeria, there is a need to establish mechanisms that will facilitate the movement from evidence to policy and address the needs identified by policymakers. It is also imperative to improve organisational initiatives that facilitate use of research evidence for policymaking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chigozie J Uneke
- Knowledge Translation Platform, African Institute for Health Policy & Health Systems, Ebonyi State University, PMB 053, Abakaliki, Nigeria.
| | - Issiaka Sombie
- West African Health Organisation, 175 avenue Ouezzin Coulibaly, 01 BP 153, Bobo-Dioulasso 01, Burkina Faso
| | - Namoudou Keita
- West African Health Organisation, 175 avenue Ouezzin Coulibaly, 01 BP 153, Bobo-Dioulasso 01, Burkina Faso
| | - Virgil Lokossou
- West African Health Organisation, 175 avenue Ouezzin Coulibaly, 01 BP 153, Bobo-Dioulasso 01, Burkina Faso
| | - Ermel Johnson
- West African Health Organisation, 175 avenue Ouezzin Coulibaly, 01 BP 153, Bobo-Dioulasso 01, Burkina Faso
| | - Pierre Ongolo-Zogo
- Hopital Central Yaounde, CDBPH Lawrence VERGNE Building 2nd Floor, Avenue Henry Dunant Messa, Yaoundé, Cameroon
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Uneke CJ, Sombie I, Keita N, Lokossou V, Johnson E, Ongolo-Zogo P. An assessment of policymakers' engagement initiatives to promote evidence informed health policy making in Nigeria. Pan Afr Med J 2017; 27:57. [PMID: 28819479 PMCID: PMC5554684 DOI: 10.11604/pamj.2017.27.57.9844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2016] [Accepted: 11/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In most developing countries including Nigeria, one of the most challenging issues associated with evidence-to-policy link is the capacity constraints of policymakers to access, synthesize, adapt and utilize available research evidence. The purpose of this review is to assess the efforts and various initiatives that have been undertaken to deliberately engage policymakers and other stakeholders in the health sector in Nigeria for the promotion of evidence informed policymaking. A MEDLINE Entrez Pubmed search was performed and studies that investigated policy making process, evidence to policy link, research to policy mechanism, and researchers/policymakers interaction in Nigeria in relation to health policy were sought. Of the 132 publications found, 14(10.6%) fulfilled the study inclusion criteria and were selected and included in the review. Of the fourteen scientific publications identified, 11 of the studies targeted both researchers and policymakers and the principal tool of intervention was training workshops which focused on various aspects of evidence informed policymaking. All the studies indicated positive outcomes and impacts in relation to quantifiable improvement in policymakers' knowledge and competence in evidence to policy process. Capacity strengthening engagement mechanism is needed for both researchers to generate better evidence and for policymakers and health-care professionals to better use available evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chigozie Jesse Uneke
- Knowledge Translation Platform, African Institute for Health Policy and Health Systems, Ebonyi State University, PMB 053 Abakaliki Nigeria
| | - Issiaka Sombie
- Organisation Ouest Africaine de la Santé, 175, avenue Ouezzin Coulibaly, 01 BP 153 Bobo-Dioulasso 01, Burkina Faso
| | - Namoudou Keita
- Organisation Ouest Africaine de la Santé, 175, avenue Ouezzin Coulibaly, 01 BP 153 Bobo-Dioulasso 01, Burkina Faso
| | - Virgil Lokossou
- Organisation Ouest Africaine de la Santé, 175, avenue Ouezzin Coulibaly, 01 BP 153 Bobo-Dioulasso 01, Burkina Faso
| | - Ermel Johnson
- Organisation Ouest Africaine de la Santé, 175, avenue Ouezzin Coulibaly, 01 BP 153 Bobo-Dioulasso 01, Burkina Faso
| | - Pierre Ongolo-Zogo
- Hopital Central Yaounde, CDBPH Lawrence VERGNE Building 2nd Floor, Avenue Henry Dunant Messa Yaoundé
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Uzochukwu B, Onwujekwe O, Mbachu C, Okwuosa C, Etiaba E, Nyström ME, Gilson L. The challenge of bridging the gap between researchers and policy makers: experiences of a Health Policy Research Group in engaging policy makers to support evidence informed policy making in Nigeria. Global Health 2016; 12:67. [PMID: 27809862 PMCID: PMC5095957 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-016-0209-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2015] [Accepted: 10/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Getting research into policy and practice (GRIPP) is a process of going from research evidence to decisions and action. To integrate research findings into the policy making process and to communicate research findings to policymakers is a key challenge world-wide. This paper reports the experiences of a research group in a Nigerian university when seeking to ‘do’ GRIPP, and the important features and challenges of this process within the African context. Methods In-depth interviews were conducted with nine purposively selected policy makers in various organizations and six researchers from the universities and research institute in a Nigerian who had been involved in 15 selected joint studies/projects with Health Policy Research Group (HPRG). The interviews explored their understanding and experience of the methods and processes used by the HPRG to generate research questions and research results; their involvement in the process and whether the methods were perceived as effective in relation to influencing policy and practice and factors that influenced the uptake of research results. Results The results are represented in a model with the four GRIPP strategies found: i) stakeholders’ request for evidence to support the use of certain strategies or to scale up health interventions; ii) policymakers and stakeholders seeking evidence from researchers; iii) involving stakeholders in designing research objectives and throughout the research process; and iv) facilitating policy maker-researcher engagement in finding best ways of using research findings to influence policy and practice and to actively disseminate research findings to relevant stakeholders and policymakers. The challenges to research utilization in health policy found were to address the capacity of policy makers to demand and to uptake research, the communication gap between researchers, donors and policymakers, the management of the political process of GRIPP, the lack of willingness of some policy makers to use research, the limited research funding and the resistance to change. Conclusions Country based Health Policy and Systems Research groups can influence domestic policy makers if appropriate strategies are employed. The model presented gives some direction to potential strategies for getting research into policy and practice in the health care sector in Nigeria and elsewhere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Uzochukwu
- Department of Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu-campus, Nigeria. .,Health Policy Research Group, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu-campus, Nigeria. .,Department of Health Administration and Management, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu-campus, Nigeria.
| | - Obinna Onwujekwe
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu-campus, Nigeria.,Health Policy Research Group, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu-campus, Nigeria.,Department of Health Administration and Management, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu-campus, Nigeria
| | - Chinyere Mbachu
- Health Policy Research Group, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu-campus, Nigeria
| | - Chinenye Okwuosa
- Health Policy Research Group, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu-campus, Nigeria
| | - Enyi Etiaba
- Health Policy Research Group, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu-campus, Nigeria.,Department of Health Administration and Management, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu-campus, Nigeria
| | - Monica E Nyström
- Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics (LIME), Karolinska Institutet, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå university, 901 87, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Lucy Gilson
- Health Policy and Systems Division, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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Abstract
Greenhalgh and Fahy's paper about the 2014 Research Excellence Framework provides insights into the challenges of assessing research impact. Future research assessment exercises should consider how best to include measurement of indirect and non-linear impact and whether efforts in knowledge transfer and co-production should be explicitly recognised. Greenhalgh and Fahy's findings also demonstrate that the structure of the assessment exercise can privilege certain kinds of research and may therefore miss some research that has a high impact on policy and practice. There are a growing number of courses, tools, and funding models to assist researchers in making an impact, although as yet there is little evidence about whether these approaches work in practice. Please see related article: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/13/232.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally Redman
- The Sax Institute, Level 13 Building 10, 235 Jones Street, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia.
| | - Abby Haynes
- The Sax Institute, Level 13 Building 10, 235 Jones Street, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia.
| | - Anna Williamson
- The Sax Institute, Level 13 Building 10, 235 Jones Street, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia.
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Uneke CJ, Ezeoha AE, Uro-Chukwu H, Ezeonu CT, Ogbu O, Onwe F, Edoga C. Improving Nigerian health policymakers' capacity to access and utilize policy relevant evidence: outcome of information and communication technology training workshop. Pan Afr Med J 2015; 21:212. [PMID: 26448807 PMCID: PMC4587084 DOI: 10.11604/pamj.2015.21.212.6375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2015] [Accepted: 03/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Information and communication technology (ICT) tools are known to facilitate communication and processing of information and sharing of knowledge by electronic means. In Nigeria, the lack of adequate capacity on the use of ICT by health sector policymakers constitutes a major impediment to the uptake of research evidence into the policymaking process. The objective of this study was to improve the knowledge and capacity of policymakers to access and utilize policy relevant evidence. A modified “before and after” intervention study design was used in which outcomes were measured on the target participants both before the intervention is implemented and after. A 4-point likert scale according to the degree of adequacy; 1 = grossly inadequate, 4 = very adequate was employed. This study was conducted in Ebonyi State, south-eastern Nigeria and the participants were career health policy makers. A two-day intensive ICT training workshop was organized for policymakers who had 52 participants in attendance. Topics covered included: (i). intersectoral partnership/collaboration; (ii). Engaging ICT in evidence-informed policy making; use of ICT for evidence synthesis; (iv) capacity development on the use of computer, internet and other ICT. The pre-workshop mean of knowledge and capacity for use of ICT ranged from 2.19-3.05, while the post-workshop mean ranged from 2.67-3.67 on 4-point scale. The percentage increase in mean of knowledge and capacity at the end of the workshop ranged from 8.3%-39.1%. Findings of this study suggest that policymakers’ ICT competence relevant to evidence-informed policymaking can be enhanced through training workshop.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chigozie Jesse Uneke
- Department of Medical Microbiology/Parasitology, Faculty of Clinical Medicine, Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Nigeria ; Health Policy & systems Research Project (Knowledge Translation Platform), Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Abel Ebeh Ezeoha
- Health Policy & systems Research Project (Knowledge Translation Platform), Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Nigeria ; Department of Banking & Finance, Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Henry Uro-Chukwu
- Health Policy & systems Research Project (Knowledge Translation Platform), Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Nigeria ; National Obstetrics Fistula Centre, Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Chinonyelum Thecla Ezeonu
- Health Policy & systems Research Project (Knowledge Translation Platform), Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Nigeria ; Department of Paediatrics, Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Ogbonnaya Ogbu
- Department of Medical Microbiology/Parasitology, Faculty of Clinical Medicine, Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Nigeria ; Department of Applied Microbiology, Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Friday Onwe
- Health Policy & systems Research Project (Knowledge Translation Platform), Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Nigeria ; Department of Sociology/Anthropology, Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Chima Edoga
- Health Policy & systems Research Project (Knowledge Translation Platform), Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Nigeria ; Catholic Relief Services (Nigeria Program), Abakaliki, Nigeria
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Enhancing health policymakers' information literacy knowledge and skill for policymaking on control of infectious diseases of poverty in Nigeria. Online J Public Health Inform 2015; 7:e221. [PMID: 26284149 PMCID: PMC4537854 DOI: 10.5210/ojphi.v7i2.5874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In Nigeria, one of the major challenges associated with evidence-to-policy
link in the control of infectious diseases of poverty (IDP), is deficient
information literacy knowledge and skill among policymakers. There is need
for policymakers to acquire the skill to discover relevant information,
accurately evaluate retrieved information and to apply it correctly. Objectives To use information literacy tool of International Network for Availability of
Scientific Publications (INASP) to enhance policymakers' knowledge
and skill for policymaking on control of IDP in Nigeria. Methods Modified "before and after" intervention study design was
used in which outcomes were measured on target participants both before the
intervention is implemented and after. This study was conducted in Ebonyi
State, south-eastern Nigeria and participants were career health policy
makers. A two-day health-policy information literacy training workshop was
organized to enhance participants" information literacy capacity.
Topics covered included: introduction to information literacy; defining
information problem; searching for information online; evaluating
information; science information; knowledge sharing interviews; and training
skills. Results A total of 52 policymakers attended the workshop. The pre-workshop mean
rating (MNR) of knowledge and capacity for information literacy ranged from
2.15-2.97, while the post-workshop MNR ranged from 3.34-3.64 on 4-point
scale. The percentage increase in MNR of knowledge and capacity at the end
of the workshop ranged from 22.6%-55.3%. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that through information literacy training
workshop policy makers can acquire the knowledge and skill to identify,
capture and share the right kind of information in the right contexts to
influence relevant action or a policy decision.
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Uneke CJ, Ezeoha AE, Uro-Chukwu H, Ezeonu CT, Ogbu O, Onwe F, Edoga C. Enhancing the Capacity of Policy-Makers to Develop Evidence-Informed Policy Brief on Infectious Diseases of Poverty in Nigeria. Int J Health Policy Manag 2015; 4:599-610. [PMID: 26340489 PMCID: PMC4556576 DOI: 10.15171/ijhpm.2015.100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2015] [Accepted: 05/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The lack of effective use of research evidence in policy-making is a major challenge in most low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). There is need to package research data into effective policy tools that will help policy-makers to make evidence-informed policy regarding infectious diseases of poverty (IDP). The objective of this study was to assess the usefulness of training workshops and mentoring to enhance the capacity of Nigerian health policy-makers to develop evidence-informed policy brief on the control of IDP. METHODS A modified "before and after" intervention study design was used in which outcomes were measured on the target participants both before the intervention is implemented and after. A 4-point Likert scale according to the degree of adequacy; 1 = "grossly inadequate," 4 = "very adequate" was employed. The main parameter measured was participants' perceptions of their own knowledge/understanding. This study was conducted at subnational level and the participants were the career health policy-makers drawn from Ebonyi State in the South-Eastern Nigeria. A one-day evidence-to-policy workshop was organized to enhance the participants' capacity to develop evidence-informed policy brief on IDP in Ebonyi State. Topics covered included collaborative initiative; preparation and use of policy briefs; policy dialogue; ethics in health policy-making; and health policy and politics. RESULTS The preworkshop mean of knowledge and capacity ranged from 2.49-3.03, while the postworkshop mean ranged from 3.42-3.78 on 4-point scale. The percentage increase in mean of knowledge and capacity at the end of the workshop ranged from 20.10%-45%. Participants were divided into 3 IDP mentorship groups (malaria, schistosomiasis, lymphatic filariasis [LF]) and were mentored to identify potential policy options/recommendations for control of the diseases for the policy briefs. These policy options were subjected to research evidence synthesis by each group to identify the options that have the support of research evidence (mostly systematic reviews) from PubMed, Cochrane database and Google Scholar. After the evidence synthesis, five policy options were selected out of 13 for malaria, 3 out of 10 for schistosomiasis and 5 out of 11 for LF. CONCLUSION The outcome suggests that an evidence-to-policy capacity enhancement workshop combined with a mentorship programme can improve policy-makers' capacity for evidence-informed policy-making (EIP).
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Affiliation(s)
- Chigozie Jesse Uneke
- Department of Medical Microbiology/Parasitology, Faculty of Clinical Medicine, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
- Health Policy & systems Research Project (Knowledge Translation Platform), Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Abel Ebeh Ezeoha
- Health Policy & systems Research Project (Knowledge Translation Platform), Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
- Department of Banking & Finance, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Henry Uro-Chukwu
- Health Policy & systems Research Project (Knowledge Translation Platform), Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
- National Obstetrics Fistula Centre, Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Chinonyelum Thecla Ezeonu
- Health Policy & systems Research Project (Knowledge Translation Platform), Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
- Department of Paediatrics, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Ogbonnaya Ogbu
- Health Policy & systems Research Project (Knowledge Translation Platform), Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
- Department of Applied Microbiology, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Friday Onwe
- Health Policy & systems Research Project (Knowledge Translation Platform), Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
- Department of Sociology/Anthropology, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Chima Edoga
- Health Policy & systems Research Project (Knowledge Translation Platform), Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
- Catholic Relief Services (Nigeria Program), Abakaliki, Nigeria
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Uneke CJ, Ndukwe CD, Ezeoha AA, Uro-Chukwu HC, Ezeonu CT. Implementation of a health policy advisory committee as a knowledge translation platform: the Nigeria experience. Int J Health Policy Manag 2015; 4:161-8. [PMID: 25774373 DOI: 10.15171/ijhpm.2015.21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2014] [Accepted: 01/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In recent times, there has been a growing demand internationally for health policies to be based on reliable research evidence. Consequently, there is a need to strengthen institutions and mechanisms that can promote interactions among researchers, policy-makers and other stakeholders who can influence the uptake of research findings. The Health Policy Advisory Committee (HPAC) is one of such mechanisms that can serve as an excellent forum for the interaction of policy-makers and researchers. Therefore, the need to have a long term mechanism that allows for periodic interactions between researchers and policy-makers within the existing government system necessitated our implementation of a newly established HPAC in Ebonyi State Nigeria, as a Knowledge Translation (KT) platform. The key study objective was to enhance the capacity of the HPAC and equip its members with the skills/competence required for the committee to effectively promote evidence informed policy-making and function as a KT platform. METHODS A series of capacity building programmes and KT activities were undertaken including: i) Capacity building of the HPAC using Evidence-to-Policy Network (EVIPNet) SUPPORT tools; ii) Capacity enhancement mentorship programme of the HPAC through a three-month executive training programme on health policy/health systems and KT in Ebonyi State University Abakaliki; iii) Production of a policy brief on strategies to improve the performance of the Government's Free Maternal and Child Health Care Programme in Ebonyi State Nigeria; and iv) Hosting of a multi-stakeholders policy dialogue based on the produced policy brief on the Government's Free Maternal and Child Health Care Programme. RESULTS The study findings indicated a noteworthy improvement in knowledge of evidence-to-policy link among the HPAC members; the elimination of mutual mistrust between policy-makers and researchers; and an increase in the awareness of importance of HPAC in the Ministry of Health (MoH). CONCLUSION Findings from this study suggest that a HPAC can function as a KT platform and can introduce a new dimension towards facilitating evidence-to-policy link into the operation of the MoH, and can serve as an excellent platform to bridge the gap between research and policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chigozie Jesse Uneke
- Department of Medical Microbiology/Parasitology, Faculty of Clinical Medicine, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria. ; Health Policy & Systems Research Project (Knowledge Translation Platform), Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | | | - Abel Abeh Ezeoha
- Department of Banking & Finance, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria
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Ellen ME, Lavis JN, Sharon A, Shemer J. Health systems and policy research evidence in health policy making in Israel: what are researchers' practices in transferring knowledge to policy makers? Health Res Policy Syst 2014; 12:67. [PMID: 25491890 PMCID: PMC4269930 DOI: 10.1186/1478-4505-12-67] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2014] [Accepted: 11/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Ensuring the use of research evidence in health system management and policy decisions is an important challenge in this century. Knowledge transfer and exchange (KTE) has emerged as a paradigm to address the challenges and start closing the ‘know-do’ gap. This area of work is gaining momentum in most developed countries, yet, to date, no work has been performed in Israel within this area. The purpose of this study was to identify which KTE activities health systems and policy researchers in Israel have undertaken. Methods A cross-sectional web-based survey of researchers who have conducted health systems and policy research in Israel was developed. The survey consisted of a demographics section, quantitative scales, and open-ended questions. The survey was sent to all health systems and policy researchers in Israel (n = 125). Results The study response rate (28%) was relatively low as compared to other studies in the same field (range of 42% to 88%). Our survey found that more than a third of the health systems and policy researchers in Israel reported that they were frequently or always involved in the following KTE activities: interactions with target audience through the research process (i.e., during developing a research question or executing the research; 35% to 42%) or through formal or informal meetings during conferences, workshops, or conversations (40%). Less than half of the health systems and policy researchers in Israel are engaged in bridging activities aimed to facilitate target audiences to use research. Conclusions This is a fairly new area in Israel and therefore the level of engagement of researchers in KTE activities is not very high. The low response rates could be because KTE is a new field in Israel and minimal KTE initiatives have been undertaken. It is preferable to have higher response rates, yet, after several initiatives, this was the outcome. While the findings are relevant, they may not reflect the total population of health system and policy researchers in Israel. Health system and policy researchers in Israel need to be introduced to the benefits and potential advantages of KTE in an organized and systematic way.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moriah E Ellen
- Jerusalem College of Technology, Ha-Va'ad ha-Le'umi St 21, Jerusalem 93721, Israel.
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Mijumbi RM, Oxman AD, Panisset U, Sewankambo NK. Feasibility of a rapid response mechanism to meet policymakers' urgent needs for research evidence about health systems in a low income country: a case study. Implement Sci 2014; 9:114. [PMID: 25208522 PMCID: PMC4172950 DOI: 10.1186/s13012-014-0114-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2014] [Accepted: 08/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Despite the recognition of the importance of evidence-informed health policy and practice, there are still barriers to translating research findings into policy and practice. The present study aimed to establish the feasibility of a rapid response mechanism, a knowledge translation strategy designed to meet policymakers' urgent needs for evidence about health systems in a low income country, Uganda. Rapid response mechanisms aim to address the barriers of timeliness and relevance of evidence at the time it is needed. METHODS A rapid response mechanism (service) designed a priori was offered to policymakers in the health sector in Uganda. In the form of a case study, data were collected about the profile of users of the service, the kinds of requests for evidence, changes in answers, and courses of action influenced by the mechanism and their satisfaction with responses and the mechanism in general. RESULTS We found that in the first 28 months, the service received 65 requests for evidence from 30 policymakers and stakeholders, the majority of whom were from the Ministry of Health. The most common requests for evidence were about governance and organization of health systems. It was noted that regular contact between the policymakers and the researchers at the response service was an important factor in response to, and uptake of the service. The service seemed to increase confidence for policymakers involved in the policymaking process. CONCLUSION Rapid response mechanisms designed to meet policymakers' urgent needs for research evidence about health systems are feasible and acceptable to policymakers in low income countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhona M Mijumbi
- />College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Andrew D Oxman
- />Norwegian Knowledge Center for the Health Services, St Olavs plass, Oslo, 0130 Norway
| | - Ulysses Panisset
- />World Health Organization, Avenue Appia 20, Geneva 27, 1211 Switzerland
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El-Jardali F, Lavis J, Moat K, Pantoja T, Ataya N. Capturing lessons learned from evidence-to-policy initiatives through structured reflection. Health Res Policy Syst 2014; 12:2. [PMID: 24438365 PMCID: PMC3904410 DOI: 10.1186/1478-4505-12-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2013] [Accepted: 01/09/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Knowledge translation platforms (KTPs), which are partnerships between policymakers, stakeholders, and researchers, are being established in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to enhance evidence-informed health policymaking (EIHP). This study aims to gain a better understanding of the i) activities conducted by KTPs, ii) the way in which KTP leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders perceive these activities and their outputs, iii) facilitators that support KTP work and challenges, and the lessons learned for overcoming such challenges, and iv) factors that can help to ensure the sustainability of KTPs. Methods This paper triangulated qualitative data from: i) 17 semi-structured interviews with 47 key informants including KTP leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders from 10 KTPs; ii) document reviews, and iii) observation of deliberations at the International Forum on EIHP in LMICs held in Addis Ababa in August 2012. Purposive sampling was used and data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Deliberative dialogues informed by evidence briefs were identified as the most commendable tools by interviewees for enhancing EIHP. KTPs reported that they have contributed to increased awareness of the importance of EIHP and strengthened relationships among policymakers, stakeholders, and researchers. Support from policymakers and international funders facilitated KTP activities, while the lack of skilled human resources to conduct EIHP activities impeded KTPs. Ensuring the sustainability of EIHP initiatives after the end of funding was a major challenge for KTPs. KTPs reported that institutionalization within the government has helped to retain human resources and secure funding, whereas KTPs hosted by universities highlighted the advantage of autonomy from political interests. Conclusions The establishment of KTPs is a promising development in supporting EIHP. Real-time lesson drawing from the experiences of KTPs can support improvements in the functioning of KTPs in the short term, while making the case for sustaining their work in the long term. Lessons learned can help to promote similar EIHP initiatives in other countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fadi El-Jardali
- Department of Health Management and Policy, American University of Beirut, Riad El Solh, PO Box 11-0236, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon.
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