Exchanging and using research evidence in health policy networks: a statistical network analysis
نویسندگان
چکیده
BACKGROUND Evidence-informed health policymaking is a goal of equitable and effective health systems but occurs infrequently in reality. Past research points to the facilitating role of interpersonal relationships between policy-makers and researchers, imploring the adoption of a social network lens. This study aims to identify network-level factors associated with the exchange and use of research evidence in policymaking. METHODS Data on social networks and research use were collected from seventy policy actors across three health policy cases in Burkina Faso (child health, malaria, and HIV). Networks were graphed for actors' interactions, their provision of, and request for research evidence. Exponential random graph models estimated the probability of evidence provision and request between actors, controlling for network- and individual-level covariates. Logistic regression models estimated actors' use of research evidence to inform policy. RESULTS Network structure explained more than half of the evidence exchanges (ties) observed in these networks. Across all cases, a pair of actors was more likely to form a provision tie if they already had a request tie between them and visa versa (θ=6.16, p<0.05; θ=2.87, p<0.05; θ=2.31, p<0.05). The child health network displayed clustering tendencies, meaning that actors were more likely to form ties if they shared an acquaintance (θ=2.36, p<0.05). Actors' use of research evidence was positively associated with their centrality (i.e., connectedness). CONCLUSIONS The exchange and use of research evidence in policymaking can be partly explained by the structure of actors' networks of relationships. Efforts to support knowledge translation and evidence-informed policymaking should consider network factors.
منابع مشابه
Analysis of the Relationship between the Social Networks of the Elderly and the Health Status and Utilization of Medical Services in Bijar in 1398
Introduction: Population ageing has turned its health impact into a critical problem. Iran will soon encounter such a crisis, but the capacity of social networks can be helpful in controlling this crisis. The present study was conducted to analyze the relationship of the social networks of the aged with health impact from the health and health services Utilization points of view. Method: In a s...
متن کاملState Support: A Prerequisite for Global Health Network Effectiveness; Comment on “Four Challenges that Global Health Networks Face”
Shiffman recently summarized lessons for network effectiveness from an impressive collection of case-studies. However, in common with most global health governance analysis in recent years, Shiffman underplays the important role of states in these global networks. As the body which decides and signs international agreements, often provides the resourcing, and is responsible for implementing ini...
متن کاملUsing Complexity and Network Concepts to Inform Healthcare Knowledge Translation
Many representations of the movement of healthcare knowledge through society exist, and multiple models for the translation of evidence into policy and practice have been articulated. Most are linear or cyclical and very few come close to reflecting the dense and intricate relationships, systems and politics of organizations and the processes required to enact sustainable improvements. We illus...
متن کاملThe Magic Pudding; Comment on “Four Challenges That Global Health Networks Face”
This commentary reflects on the contribution of this editorial and its “Three Challenges That Global Health Networks Face” to the totality of the framework developed over the past decade by Shiffman and his collaborators. It reviews the earlier works to demonstrate that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts in providing a package of tools for analysis of network effectiveness. Additi...
متن کاملAgency, Structure and the Power of Global Health Networks
Global health networks—webs of individuals and organizations linked by a shared concern for a particular condition—have proliferated over the past quarter century. In a recent editorial in this journal, I presented evidence that their effectiveness in addressing four challenges—problem definition, positioning, coalitionbuilding and governance—shapes their ability to influence policy. The editor...
متن کامل