Perceptions of research and evaluation in health promotion practice and influences on activity

This paper reports on a study undertaken with health promotion specialists working in the National Health Service in England. In-depth interviews were held with 25 people with the aim of investigating the place of research and evaluation in health promotion practice, the contextual factors that influenced such activity, and ideas about the place of research in future practice. Research for the purposes of evaluation was a core activity in specialist practice but research for other purposes was less often undertaken and while there was general interest to do more, it was not seen to be central to current roles. There was general awareness of the importance of evidence-based practice, of the debates surrounding appropriate evidence and methodologies to secure it, and commitment to evidence-based practice. At the same time it was acknowledged that most evaluation activity currently undertaken was insufficiently extensive or methodologically rigorous to have the potential to contribute to development of the evidence base. A variety of factors at the policy, health promotion unit and individual level served either to facilitate or to impede research and evaluation. The development of collaborative links with academic partners was seen to be an appropriate way of developing research in practice. Recommendations were made to build new and imaginative relationships between practice and academic institutions, and to develop collaborative research bids to secure resources which would increase resources available for evaluation. Some actions in response to findings from the project have already been put into place.