Abstract

Evidence syntheses use multidisciplinary and intersectoral sources of evidence to support policy-making. The Health Evidence Network (HEN) has supported and strengthened the use of evidence in health policy-making in the WHO European Region since 2003. The HEN synthesis report series responds to public health questions by summarizing the best available global and local findings from peer-reviewed and grey literature, as well as policy options, and proposes general directions, strategies and actions for consideration. This resource has been developed to outline key approaches, methods and considerations for a HEN evidence synthesis to support the systematic and routine use of the best available evidence for decision-making relevant to the needs of public health decision-makers. It proposes approaches that hold both scientific rigour and practical applicability for individuals and institutions that perform, commission, review and/or publish evidence syntheses.

Contents

• ABBREVIATIONS
• CONTRIBUTORS
• SUMMARY
• 1. INTRODUCTION
  • 1.1. Background
  • 1.2. Evidence
  • 1.3. Well-informed policy-making
  • 1.4. Evidence synthesis
  • 1.5. Evidence syntheses in support of policy-making
• 2. EVIDENCE SYNTHESES IN SUPPORT OF POLICY-MAKING: STEPS
  • 2.1. Formulating a synthesis question
  • 2.2. Defining the scope
  • 2.3. Review methods
  • 2.4. A dissemination and communication strategy
  • 2.5. Searching and data extraction
  • 2.6. Appraising and synthesizing data
  • 2.7. Proposing policy options
  • 2.8. Writing and presenting findings in a HEN synthesis report
  • 2.9. Characteristics of policy-friendly synthesis
  • 2.10. Quality control
• 3. SKILLS, CAPACITY AND RESOURCES REQUIRED TO UNDERTAKE A SYNTHESIS
  • 3.1. Composition of the review team
  • 3.2. Conflict of interest
• 4. CONCLUSIONS
• REFERENCES
• ANNEX 1. A FORMAT FOR A HEN SYNTHESIS REPORT
• ANNEX 2. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MAIN REVIEW TYPES RELEVANT TO HEN SYNTHESIS REPORTS
• ANNEX 3. A SELECTION OF USEFUL DATABASES
• ANNEX 4. SELECTION OF TOOLS FOR APPRAISING EVIDENCE
• ANNEX 5. EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENT GRADING SYSTEMS FOR EVIDENCE

Suggested citation:

Eklund Karlsson L, Takahashi R. A resource for developing an evidence synthesis report for policy-making. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe; 2017 (Health Evidence Network (HEN) synthesis report 50).

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 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 5266 5

© World Health Organization 2017

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