Abstract

The World Health Assembly in 2005 urged Member States to establish or strengthen knowledge transfer mechanisms to support evidence-informed health policies and health care delivery. The European Health Information Initiative was set up to strengthen the use of evidence, information and research for policy-making in the WHO European Region. While good-quality health information is a key component for decision-making, it needs to be packaged and communicated in an effective way to policy-makers, the end-users. This report describes tools and mechanisms that can help to increase the use of health information in policy development. Packaging tools include synthesis methods, such as policy briefs, and visualization methods. Application tools include surveillance data and modelling/simulation to explore the behaviour and performance of processes and interventions. Dissemination and communication tools include health information-sharing platforms, newsletters and person-to-person communications. Finally, linkage and exchange tools such as knowledge networks facilitate the dissemination and refining of health information, thus increasing the chance of its translation into policy.

Contents

• ABBREVIATIONS
• CONTRIBUTORS
• SUMMARY
• 1. INTRODUCTION
  • 1.1. Background
  • 1.2. Methodology
• 2. RESULTS
  • 2.1. Health information packaging tools
  • 2.2. Application tools
  • 2.3. Dissemination and communication tools
  • 2.4. Linkage and exchange tools
  • 2.5. Linking tools to intended outcomes
• 3. DISCUSSION
  • 3.1. Strengths and limitations of the review
  • 3.2. Additional considerations: health information quality
  • 3.3. Tools and mechanisms to support the use of health information
  • 3.4. Policy options and implications
• 4. CONCLUSIONS
• REFERENCES
• ANNEX 1. SEARCH STRATEGY

Suggested citation:

Blessing V, Davé A, Varnai P. Evidence on mechanisms and tools for use of health information for decision-making. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe; 2017 (Health Evidence Network (HEN) synthesis report 54).

The Health Evidence Network

HEN – the Health Evidence Network – is an information service for public health decision-makers in the WHO European Region, in action since 2003 and initiated and coordinated by the WHO Regional Office for Europe under the umbrella of the European Health Information Initiative (a multipartner network coordinating all health information activities in the WHO European Region).

HEN supports public health decision-makers to use the best available evidence in their own decision-making and aims to ensure links between evidence, health policies and improvements in public health. The HEN synthesis report series provides summaries of what is known about the policy issue, the gaps in the evidence and the areas of debate. Based on the synthesized evidence, HEN proposes policy options, not recommendations, for further consideration of policy-makers to formulate their own recommendations and policies within their national context.

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ISSN 2227-4316

ISBN 978 92 890 5275 7

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