Translating health information into policy-making: A pragmatic framework

Area of Science:

• Health Policy
• Knowledge Translation
• Health Information Dissemination

Background:

• Knowledge translation (KT) is vital for improving policy-making.
• Understanding the value of health information (HI) within KT is growing.
• Existing tools for translating HI into policy require identification and a framework for application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify existing tools for translating health information into policy-making.
• To develop a framework to facilitate the application of these identified tools.
• To enhance the effective use of health information in policy development.

Main Methods:

• An updated literature search based on a 2017 scoping review for the Health Evidence Network (HEN) commissioned by the WHO Regional Office for Europe.
• Searched PubMed and Scopus databases using the same keywords as the original review.
• Included 17 publications from 2549 screened records that elaborated on tools for using HI in policy-making.

Main Results:

• Identified four categories of tools for translating health information into policy:
• 1. Visualisation and modelling tools
• 2. Information packaging and synthesis tools
• 3. Communication and dissemination tools
• 4. Information linkage and exchange tools.
• The distinctions between these tool types are fluid and can be combined.
• Communication/dissemination and linkage tools are essential for informing policy decisions.

Conclusions:

• A framework is presented to guide the application of identified tools for health information translation.
• Communication/dissemination and linkage tools are critical for effective policy informing.
• This study provides insights and guidance for knowledge translation processes involving health information.