Scientific Evidence in Public Health Decision-Making: A Systematic Literature Review of the Past 50 Years

Scientific evidence plays a critical role in informing public health decision-making processes. However, the extent, nature, and effectiveness of its use remain uneven across contexts. Despite the increasing volume of literature on the subject, previous syntheses have often suffered from narrow thematic, temporal, or geographic scopes.

This study undertook a comprehensive systematic literature review spanning 50 years to (i) synthesise current knowledge on the use of scientific evidence in public health decisions, (ii) identify key determinants, barriers, and enablers, (iii) evaluate implementation patterns, and (iv) propose future directions for research and practice.

We adopted the PRISMA model (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses). Moreover, we researched three large databases (Web of Science, Embase, and PubMed), and this study focused on articles published in the English and French languages between January 1974 and December 2024. Studies were analysed thematically and descriptively to identify trends, patterns, and knowledge gaps.

This review reveals a growing corpus of scholarship with a predominance of qualitative studies mainly published in public health journals. Evidence use is most frequently analysed at the national policy level. Analyses of the evolution of scientific production over time revealed significant shifts beginning as early as 2005. Critical impediments included limited access to reliable and timely data, a lack of institutional capacity, and insufficient training among policy-makers. In contrast, enablers encompass cross-sector collaboration, data transparency, and alignment between researchers and decision-makers.

Addressing persistent gaps necessitates a more nuanced appreciation of interdisciplinary and contextual factors. Our findings call for proactive policies aimed at promoting the use of scientific evidence by improving the accessibility of health data (addressing the absence or lack of data, as well as its reliability, timeliness, and accessibility), and by training decision-makers in the use of scientific evidence for decision making. Furthermore, our findings advocate for better alignment between the agendas of healthcare professionals (e.g., data collection), researchers (e.g., the selection of research topics), and decision-makers (e.g., expectations and needs) in order to develop and implement public health policies that are grounded in and informed by scientific evidence.