Influencing health policy by disseminating evidence
HLT 490 Topic 4 DQ 2
Give an example of dissemination of evidence to influence health policy. Provide the Web address and analyze the evidence presented.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS
Influencing health policy by disseminating evidence
Introduction
Have you ever heard of the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, a longitudinal study of children born in Dunedin, New Zealand? If not, it’s worth checking out because it’s one of the longest studies ever conducted on human development. The most recent data showing how well children progress through their childhood and adolescence was published in 2017. It shows that they still have a long way to go before reaching their full potential, but the good news is that there are some improvements on previous years’ scores (though not as much as one might expect).
How can researchers working in the health sector disseminate research findings to help improve policy and practice?
Here are some tips on how to start:
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Find out what the policy makers want to hear. You can do this by talking with them directly, or by getting their input on your research through a researcher who knows them well. If you’re working in an area where there isn’t much evidence available, check whether other researchers have done similar studies and see if they have anything useful for you!
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Find out what the policy makers need to know. This might include information about how effective your intervention is likely to be, whether it’s cost-effective and has any unintended consequences that could affect people’s health (for example if they’re sicker afterwards). It also means thinking about what kind of impact this intervention will have on society as a whole—is it only affecting those who need it most? Is there another way we could help everyone improve their health without spending so much money?
Why should researchers disseminate their findings to help inform policy and practice?
The dissemination of research findings is a key component of evidence-based decision making. In order to improve health policy and practice, researchers need to be able to influence the decisions made by policymakers and practitioners. This can be achieved through:
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Extending the life cycle of their research
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Disseminating their findings (e.g., in the form of publications)
The key dissemination actions
The most effective ways to disseminate evidence are:
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Using intermediaries, like professional bodies or health care providers. Intermediaries can help you get your evidence into the hands of policy makers and practitioners.
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Mainstream media (such as newspapers, magazines and radio stations). This is because it’s the most widely read form of communication in society and therefore has the greatest reach. Furthermore, if you do manage to gain coverage in mainstream media outlets then this will have a big impact on how people receive your message about what works best for patients with certain conditions or diseases.
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Internet news sites such as Google News & Yahoo News search results pages – these provide an opportunity for researchers/authors/researchers/writers etc., who are looking for new ideas related specifically towards their field but also beyond just those specific fields – where they might find themselves researching more broadly instead too!
Using intermediaries
Intermediaries are trusted sources of information on a variety of health policies and practices. They play an important role in helping to bridge the gap between researchers, policy makers and the public. Intermediaries include journalists, public health professionals and policy makers but also civil society organisations such as associations or non-profit groups.
Intermediary organisations can help you communicate your research findings in ways that resonate with a wide audience. They can also give you access to resources that might not be available elsewhere (such as media training).
Mainstream media
Mainstream media is any publication that is read by a large number of people. It includes newspapers, magazines and television news broadcasts.
Mainstream media outlets are an excellent way to get your research findings out there in the world. They provide a wide audience who may not have heard about your study before and can help you promote it as well as raise awareness of your findings among policymakers, health care providers and other decision makers who need to make decisions about how best to improve health outcomes for patients. The downside is that mainstream media takes time – weeks or months rather than days or weeks – so if you need results quickly then using social media might be more appropriate for you (see below).
The internet
The internet is a good way to reach large numbers of people. It allows you to reach people who are not easy to reach through traditional media, such as rural communities and those who speak other languages. The internet also has the potential to be used for disseminating research findings, providing information about health and health services, organizing events such as conferences or workshops (to share knowledge), encouraging communication between different stakeholders in the field(s) of interest(s), etc.
Social media
Social media is a powerful tool to disseminate research findings. Research can be used to engage with the public, policy makers and other stakeholders. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are useful for reaching people who may not be engaged with mainstream media.
In addition to sharing findings through these channels, you can also establish your own social media presence so that you can respond directly to questions from individuals who want more information about your research or its outcomes (e-mailing addresses will do).
Knowledge translation planning and monitoring tools
Knowledge translation tools can help you to:
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Identify the most effective ways to disseminate evidence on health policy.
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Assess the effectiveness of your knowledge translation activities.
Researchers in the health sector need to ensure that their research findings are able to influence health policy.
Researchers in the health sector need to ensure that their research findings are able to influence health policy. The ability of researchers to influence policy is vital, as it can help improve health outcomes for consumers and patients.
The key roles of health professionals include:
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Disseminating findings from their research;
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Providing evidence-based advice; and/or
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Advising on how best to implement new policies or procedures based on those findings.
Conclusion
The health sector is a complex and diverse area of research. It’s important that researchers in this sector don’t just publish their findings, but also share them with others who might be able to make use of them. For example, doctors could use these insights to inform the treatment they offer patients, or it may be possible for nurses to use this information when creating clinical guidelines as part of their training. Furthermore, many people will not have access to peer-reviewed research papers but may find value in learning about emerging health issues through blogs or podcasts produced by expert sources. By disseminating their findings through such channels rather than solely publishing papers in journals or expensive books (which are often out of reach for those without university degrees), researchers can help ensure that their research has maximum impact on public policy makers who ultimately decide which medical treatments should be funded by tax payers’ money!
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