Innovative strategies to enhance capacity to apply health policy and systems research evidence in policy-making
Attempting to close the gap between knowledge production and knowledge use in Colombia.
In principle, managing health-related public policy and corresponding resources should be grounded on a careful evaluation of the health situation that identifies, characterizes and prioritizes the problems, groups and interventions, based on valid, reliable and timely knowledge. In Colombia, however, all too often this dynamic doesn’t take shape. The use of evidence in policy-making is limited, and health-related public policies respond more to a decision-making system open to multiple and contradictory influences. Technical and scientific support is weak. There is neither an established culture nor an existing infrastructure to promote the utilization of research results. There is no national policy for health research, all of which contributes to a huge gap between what is known and how that knowledge is used, adapted, and applied; and also between academia, civil society and policy-makers.
Public health policy in Colombia is not consistently or adequately informed by evidence. Communication between researchers, decision-makers and the community is almost non-existent, with high degrees of misunderstanding mong them. The need to find new and innovative ways to create a culture of trust and recognition among thse actors is essential.
This project has the overall aims of developing and strengthening capacities in public, private and civil society organizations to use evidence, to inform decision-making and management in health in recognition of the prevailing political, economic, social and ethical contexts. It seeks to influence informed decision-making in health; to promote the use of evidence in agenda setting, formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation; and to promote exchange mechanisms between decision-makers, health managers, civil society organizations and researchers. Specifically, the project will:
- enhance and develop capacities to identify, collect, analyze and synthesize research evidence necessary for health decision-making;
- link research evidence to daily work and a health problems analysis;
- open and develop dialogue spaces to promote the use of evidence in decision-making;
- reach consensus in relation to the use of evidence in decision-making;
- formulate a project to promote the use of information in an organization’s decisions.
The main project intervention will be an internship for different health sector actors from departmental and municipal health secretariats, departmental legislative bodies, universities, civil society organizations, and several organizations at the national level in charge of overseeing human rights, and government operations. In Cali, Medellín and Rionegro there will be a number of young researchers taking part in the internship and undertaking an institutional practice. This practice and the activity of coaching will be performed in the same organizations represented by the internship’s participants.
Outputs and Outcomes
The project will result in:
- Internships in each one of the four cities involved in the project with at least 12 participants per site.
- Six teaching guides and twenty trainers trained.
- At least four institutional projects to integrate evidence-based research into the organizational context, one in each of the cities where the program will take place.
- A group of young researchers (Masters students) trained and motivated in evidence search, evidence synthesis and knowledge management, knowledge transfer, knowledge translation.
- At least two communities of practice.
Project description
Programme: Innovative strategies to enhance capacity to apply health policy and systems research evidence in policy-making
Research title: Attempting to close the gap between knowledge production and knowledge use in Colombia
Thematic Research Area: Capacity development
Grantee Country: Columbia
Grantee Institution: Asociación Colombiana de la Salud - ASSALUD
Program Coordinator/Principle Investigator:Dr Francisco J. Yepes
Start date: October 2008
Status of grant: Ongoing