Governance and Public Health Decision-Making During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Policy
• Epidemiology

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the critical role of governance and decision-making processes.
• Existing literature offers varied empirical characterizations of governance during health crises.
• Identifying research gaps is crucial for enhancing future pandemic preparedness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and synthesize empirical research on governance and decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To identify limitations and gaps in the current body of literature.
• To propose directions for future research in pandemic governance.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted across three electronic databases for empirical studies published between January 1, 2020, and January 31, 2022.
• Two independent reviewers screened records, and data from 24 selected publications were extracted.
• Analysis focused on the characterization of governance at various levels (national, sub-national, community) and its aspects (process, determinants, performance).

Main Results:

• Governance during the COVID-19 pandemic was analyzed across different levels and aspects.
• Four conceptualizations of governance emerged: characteristics/elements, leadership, power application, and governance models/arrangements.
• Diverse methodological approaches were employed in the reviewed studies.

Conclusions:

• There is a need for more empirical research on pandemic governance, utilizing a unified conceptual framework.
• Integrating decision-making processes into governance research is essential for effective pandemic preparedness.
• Future research should promote inclusivity in terms of researchers and geographical contexts.