Skating on thin evidence: Implications for public policy

Skating on thin ice: pragmatic prescribing for medication refractory schizophrenia

BACKGROUND Clozapine is the treatment of choice for medication refractory psychosis, but it does not benefit half of those put on it. There are numerous studies of potential post-clozapine strategies, but little data to guide the order of such treatment in this common clinical challenge. We describe a naturalistic observational study in 153 patients treated by a specialist psychosis service to ...

EVIDENCE BASED PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY AND PRACTICE Evidence for public health policy on inequalities: 2: Assembling the evidence jigsaw

Study objective: To garner research leaders’ perceptions and experiences of the types of evidence that influence policy on health inequalities, and their reflections on how the flow of such research evidence could be increased. Design, setting, and participants: Qualitative two day residential workshop with senior research leaders, most of whom were currently involved in evaluations of the heal...

AIDS public policy: implications for families.

Waterpipe tobacco smoking impact on public health: implications for policy

BACKGROUND Given the increasing evidence of its negative health effects, including contributions to both infectious and chronic diseases, waterpipe tobacco smoking raises public health concerns beyond even those presented by traditional smoking. METHODS Identification of Clean Indoor Air Acts (CIAAs) from each of the 50 United States and District of Columbia were retrieved and examined for in...

EVIDENCE BASED PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY AND PRACTICE Evidence for public health policy on inequalities: 1: The reality according to policymakers

Objective: To explore with UK and international policy advisors how research evidence influences public health policy making, and how its relevance and utility could be improved, with specific reference to the evidence on the production and reduction of health inequalities. Design, setting, and participants: Qualitative residential workshop involving senior policy advisors with a substantive ro...