Pathways to "Evidence-Informed" Policy and Practice

In this article, the authors provide a three stage framework for understanding
the diffusion of health policy ideas from the innovation stage through to implementation.
They argue that "an 'evidence-informed policy and practice pathway' can help both researchers and
policy actors navigate the use of evidence" in public health policymaking and practice.



The three stages described by this framework are:

1. Sourcing the evidence,
2. Using the evidence, and
3. Implementing the evidence.

Sourcing the evidence.

Evidence used in policy-making includes, according to the authors, more than just research. Other forms
of evidence that impact this process include knowledge and information, ideas and interests, politics,
and economics. The authors state that the "ways in which the evidence is used in the policy process are largely determined
by the beliefs and values of policymakers, as well as by considerations of
timing, economic costs, and politics." They suggest that these additional contextual factors are often not recognised, and
recommend attention to several factors that influence the decision-making
process, including: usefulness of the innovation, the influence of the
individual, and the influence of the organisation.



Using the evidence.

The authors argue that a review of the literature indicates that there are "at least three key stages of knowledge
utilisation: introduction, interpretation,
and application." They draw from a variety of sources to present a combination
of models
they believe best describes the way in which research evidence passes through the utilisation phase.


Implementing the evidence.

The authors suggest that assessment of capacity to implement a policy is often neglected due to
the difficulty in defining and measuring such capacity. They suggest a series of capacities required for
implementation at the individual, organisational and system levels. Capacity
theory, they argue "offers something practical and operational, and calls
for capacity to 'adopt, adapt, and act' on the evidence in informing policy
issues, otherwise policy remains idle."



The authors list several advantages offered by this framework:

• The framework encourages research and planning in the area of how to
  "adopt, adapt, and act " on the evidence and in capacity for implementation
  as part of the evidence-informed policy development process.
• The visual presentation and descriptive mapping of the stages and features
  offers opportunity for deepening our understanding of the connectedness (or
  non-connectedness) between these factors.
• The framework emphasises the policy context and its influence on each stage of
  interaction between research, other forms of evidence, and the policy process.
• Defining different types of evidence helps to both value and guide the sourcing
  of a broad range of information for policymaking.