scholarly journals Assessing the impact of knowledge communication and dissemination strategies targeted at health policy-makers and managers: an overview of systematic reviews

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Evelina Chapman ◽  
Tomas Pantoja ◽  
Tanja Kuchenmüller ◽  
Tarang Sharma ◽  
Robert F. Terry
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Communication Strategy ◽  
Sufficient Evidence ◽  
Evidence Use ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Overview Of Systematic Reviews ◽  
Targeted Messages ◽  
Knowledge Communication ◽  
Health Managers

Abstract Background The use of research evidence as an input for health decision-making is a need for most health systems. There are a number of approaches for promoting evidence use at different levels of the health system, but knowledge of their effectiveness is still scarce. The objective of this overview was to evaluate the effectiveness of knowledge communication and dissemination interventions, strategies or approaches targeting policy-makers and health managers. Methods This overview of systematic reviews used systematic review methods and was conducted according to a predefined and published protocol. A comprehensive electronic search of 13 databases and a manual search in four websites were conducted. Both published and unpublished reviews in English, Spanish or Portuguese were included. A narrative synthesis was undertaken, and effectiveness statements were developed, informed by the evidence identified. Results We included 27 systematic reviews. Three studies included only a communication strategy, while eight only included dissemination strategies, and the remaining 16 included both. None of the selected reviews provided “sufficient evidence” for any of the strategies, while four provided some evidence for three communication and four dissemination strategies. Regarding communication strategies, the use of tailored and targeted messages seemed to successfully lead to changes in the decision-making practices of the target audience. Regarding dissemination strategies, interventions that aimed at improving only the reach of evidence did not have an impact on its use in decisions, while interventions aimed at enhancing users’ ability to use and apply evidence had a positive effect on decision-making processes. Multifaceted dissemination strategies also demonstrated the potential for changing knowledge about evidence but not its implementation in decision-making. Conclusions There is limited evidence regarding the effectiveness of interventions targeting health managers and policy-makers, as well as the mechanisms required for achieving impact. More studies are needed that are informed by theoretical frameworks or specific tools and using robust methods, standardized outcome measures and clear descriptions of the interventions. We found that passive communication increased access to evidence but had no effect on uptake. Some evidence indicated that the use of targeted messages, knowledge-brokering and user training was effective in promoting evidence use by managers and policy-makers.

scholarly journals Research use at the Ministry of Health in Burkina Faso: the decision-makers’ perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Dagenais
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Knowledge Transfer ◽  
Burkina Faso ◽  
Informed Decision ◽  
Communication Strategy ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Research Use ◽  
Informed Decision Making ◽  
Ministry Of Health ◽  
Policy Makers

Abstract Background Despite the increased emphasis placed on the use of evidence for policy development, relatively few initiatives have been developed to support evidence-informed decision-making, especially in West Africa. Moreover, studies examining the conditions under which policy-makers use research-based evidence are still scarce, but they show that their attitudes and opinions about research are one of the main determinants of such use. In February 2017, Burkina Faso’s Minister of Health planned to create a unit to promote evidence-informed decision-making within the ministry. Before the unit was set up, documenting the attitudes towards research at the highest levels of his Ministry appeared profitable to the unit’s planning. Method Individual interviews were conducted by the author with 14 actors positioned to consider evidence during decision-making from the Burkina Faso’s Minister of health cabinet. An interview grid was used to explore several themes such as attitudes towards research, obstacles and facilitators to research use, example of research use in decision-making and finally, ways to increase decision-makers’ participation in knowledge transfer activities. Interviews were partially transcribed and analysed by the author. Results The results show a mixed attitude towards research and relatively little indication of research use reported by respondents. Important obstacles were identified: evidence inaccessibility, lack of implementation guidelines, absence of clear communication strategy and studies’ lack of relevance for decision-making. Many suggestions were proposed such as raising awareness, improving access and research communication and prioritizing interactions with researchers. Respondents agree with the low participation of decision-makers in knowledge transfer activities: more leadership from the senior officials was suggested and greater awareness of the importance of their presence. Conclusions The conclusion presents avenues for reflection and action to increase the potential impact of the knowledge transfer unit planned within the Ministry of Health of Burkina Faso. This innovative initiative will be impactful if the obstacles identified in this study and policy-makers’ preferences and needs are taken into account during its development and implementation.

scholarly journals Overview of systematic reviews - a new type of study: part I: why and for whom?

2012 ◽  
Vol 130 (6) ◽  
pp. 398-404 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valter Silva ◽  
Antonio José Grande ◽  
Ana Luiza Cabrera Martimbianco ◽  
Rachel Riera ◽  
Alan Pedrosa Viegas Carvalho
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Setting Time ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Healthcare Decision ◽  
Level Of Evidence ◽  
Overview Of Systematic Reviews ◽  
New Type ◽  
High Level

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Healthcare decision-making is complex and should involve healthcare professionals, patients and the best level of evidence. The speed of information production creates barriers against keeping up to date. In this light, methodologists have proposed a new type of study: overviews of systematic reviews (OoRs). The aim here was to introduce and demonstrate the role of OoRs in information synthesis for healthcare professionals, managers, researchers and patients. DESIGN AND SETTING: Time-series study conducted at the Brazilian Cochrane Center, jointly with the Postgraduate Program on Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, Discipline of Emergency Medicine and Evidence-Based Medicine, Department of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo. METHODS: To show the growth in the numbers of published papers that provide high-level evidence and thus demonstrate the importance of OoRs for synthesis and integration of information, three filters for study designs were applied to two databases. An equation for predicting the expected number of published papers was developed and applied. RESULTS: Over the present decade, the number of randomized controlled trials in Medline might reach 2,863,203 and the number of systematic reviews might reach 174,262. Nine OoRs and 15 OoRs protocols have been published in the Cochrane Library. CONCLUSIONS: With the exponential growth of published papers, as shown in this study, a new type of study directed especially towards healthcare decision-makers was proposed, named "overview of systematic reviews". This could reduce the uncertainties in decision-making and generate a new hierarchy in the pyramid of evidence.

High-Stakes Systematic Reviews

2016 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Goesling ◽  
Sarah Oberlander ◽  
Lisa Trivits
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Teen Pregnancy ◽  
Federal Funding ◽  
Recent Effort ◽  
High Stakes ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Review Team ◽  
The U.S

Background: Systematic reviews help policy makers and practitioners make sense of research findings in a particular program, policy, or practice area by synthesizing evidence across multiple studies. However, the link between review findings and practical decision-making is rarely one-to-one. Policy makers and practitioners may use systematic review findings to help guide their decisions, but they may also rely on other information sources or personal judgment. Objectives: To describe a recent effort by the U.S. federal government to narrow the gap between review findings and practical decision-making. The Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) Evidence Review was launched by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in 2009 as a systematic review of the TPP literature. HHS has used the review findings to determine eligibility for federal funding for TPP programs, marking one of the first attempts to directly link systematic review findings with federal funding decisions. Conclusions: The high stakes attached to the review findings required special considerations in designing and conducting the review. To provide a sound basis for federal funding decisions, the review had to meet accepted methodological standards. However, the review team also had to account for practical constraints of the funding legislation and needs of the federal agencies responsible for administering the grant programs. The review team also had to develop a transparent process for both releasing the review findings and updating them over time. Prospective review authors and sponsors must recognize both the strengths and limitations of this approach before applying it in other areas.

Non-Vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulants in Pulmonary Embolism: An Overview of Systematic Reviews

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (23) ◽  
pp. 2686-2691 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ioannis Doundoulakis ◽  
Christina Antza ◽  
Haralambos Karvounis ◽  
George Giannakoulas
Keyword(s):  
Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
Vitamin K ◽  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Randomized Clinical Trials ◽  
Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Vitamin K Antagonist ◽  
Language Restriction ◽  
Overview Of Systematic Reviews

Background: Anticoagulation in patients with pulmonary embolism. Objective: To identify how non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants are associated with multiple outcomes in patients with pulmonary embolism. Methods: We performed a systematic search of systematic reviews via multiple electronic databases from inception to August 19th, 2019, without language restriction. Two authors independently extracted data and assessed the methodological quality of the included systematic reviews using the ROBIS tool. Results: We found twelve systematic reviews. Eleven SRs collected their data from randomized clinical trials and one from observational studies. All the included studies were published between 2014 and 2019 in English. The methodological quality of the 12 systematic reviews was low to high. None of the systematic reviews, which are included in our overview of systematic reviews, has evaluated the overall quality of evidence outcome using the Grading of Recommendations Assessments, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Conclusion: This is the first effort to summarize evidence about non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants in an overview of systematic reviews focusing exclusively on patients with pulmonary embolism. The evidence suggests that the non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants seem to be more effective and safer than a dualdrug approach with LMWH- VKA.

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