Linda Murphy

1
Strategies for increasing the use of research
evidence in policy and practice what do we know?

• Linda Murphy
• Special Advisor and Program Coordinator, GHRI
• May 9th, 2007

2
Session objectives

• Review and discuss key concepts in Knowledge
  Exchange to promote integration of research
  evidence into policy and practice
• Review and discuss the experience of two projects
  in promoting the use of research evidence to
  influence policy for Tobacco control

3
Terminology

• An explosion of new terms over recent years,
  including knowledge transfer knowledge
  translation knowledge mobilization knowledge
  utilization and knowledge transfer and exchange
• Signals a strong interest in improving our use of
  research in policy and practice

4
The central belief

• Early and ongoing involvement of relevant
  decision-makers in the conceptualization and
  conduct of a study is the best predictor of its
  utilization
• Beyer and Trice 1982, Weiss 1982, Lomas 1997 and
  2000,
• Innvaer 2002

5
The Wisdom of John Eisenberg

• Evidence is an important part, but not the only
  part of effective decision-making. The use of
  evidence is most successful when local
  differences are factored into the decision-making
  process, whether at the clinical, system or
  policy level.
• Eisenberg JM, Globalize the evidence,
  localize the decision Evidence-based medicine
  and international diversity, Health Affairs,
  2002 21(3)167

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Strengthening evidence-informed decision-making
Strengthening EIDM
Increasing linkage and exchange
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Knowledge exchange

• Sharing of information
• Collaborative problem solving
• Mutual learning
• Opportunities for linkage and exchange through
  the different stages of the research process

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The views of policy makers

• Personal contact between researchers and policy
  makers
• Good quality, timely and relevant research
• Including a summary and clear conclusions
• Research that confirmed current policy or
  endorsed self-interest
• Community pressure or client demand for research
• Research that included effectiveness data
• Innvaer S, Vist G, Trommald M, Oxman A. Health
  policy-makers perceptions of their use of
  evidence a systematic review J Health Services
  Research and Policy 2002 7239-244h

9
Strategies for project teams

• Link with decision-maker(s) and determine their
  research needs
• Integrate expertise and knowledge of
  decision-makers
• Strive for trans-disciplinary and collaborative
  research methods
• Support peer and merit review
• Broker knowledge with synthesis, plain language
  summaries, dissemination campaigns, exchanges and
  networks

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Other strategies

• Priority setting processes
• Theme-based competitions
• Decision support syntheses and deliberative
  processes
• Multi-stakeholder networks
• Theme-based exchanges
• Knowledge brokers
• Training to increase research application

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Final thoughts

• Evidence itself is not sufficient it must be
  communicated in ways that make it compelling.
• We are hardwired to learn from storytelling
  Its how we learn as children.

12
A few resources

• Use of Research Results in Policy Decision-Making
  lit review, Celia Almeida (www.idrc.ca)
• WHO Bulletin Volume 84, Number 8, August 2006,
  589-684 Special theme issue Knowledge
  Translation in Global Health (/www.who.int/bulleti
  n/volumes/84/8/en/index.html)
• Knowledge Translation, Basic Theories, Approaches
  and Applications, Anne-Marie Schryer-Roy, 2005
  for Research Matters (www.idrc.ca)
• Knowledge Exchange tools and resources
  (www.chsrf.ca/knowledge_transfer/tools_e.php)