Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38745326›Full record

ArticleHealth research policy and systems2024

Research outcomes informing the selection of public health interventions and strategies to implement them: A cross-sectional survey of Australian policy-maker and practitioner preferences.

Luke Wolfenden, Alix Hall, Adrian Bauman, Andrew Milat, Rebecca Hodder, Emily Webb, Kaitlin Mooney, Serene Yoong, Rachel Sutherland, Sam McCrabb

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Health research policy and systems, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Supporting Decision Making in Early Years Initiatives: Co-Designing a Child Health Evidence Dashboard.Health promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals · 2026
    Article
  4. Review
  5. Review
  6. Article
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Luke WolfendenFaculty of Health and Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, 2318, Australia. Luke.Wolfenden@health.nsw.gov.au.
Alix HallFaculty of Health and Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, 2318, Australia.
Adrian BaumanFaculty of Health and Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, 2318, Australia.
Andrew MilatSchool of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Rebecca HodderFaculty of Health and Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, 2318, Australia.
Emily WebbFaculty of Health and Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, 2318, Australia.
Kaitlin MooneyFaculty of Health and Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, 2318, Australia.
Serene YoongFaculty of Health and Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, 2318, Australia.
Rachel SutherlandFaculty of Health and Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, 2318, Australia.
Sam McCrabbFaculty of Health and Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, 2318, Australia.

Funding

Cancer Council New South Wales (NSW) G1500708National Health and Medical Research Council APP1153479
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundA key role of public health policy-makers and practitioners is to ensure beneficial interventions are implemented effectively enough to yield improvements in public health. The use of evidence to guide public health decision-making to achieve this is recommended. However, few studies have examined the relative value, as reported by policy-makers and practitioners, of different broad research outcomes (that is, measures of cost, acceptability, and effectiveness). To guide the conduct of research and better inform public health policy and practice, this study aimed at describing the research outcomes that Australian policy-makers and practitioners consider important for their decision-making when selecting: (a) public health interventions; (b) strategies to support their implementation; and (c) to assess the differences in research outcome preferences between policy-makers and practitioners.

methodAn online value-weighting survey was conducted with Australian public health policy-makers and practitioners working in the field of non-communicable disease prevention. Participants were presented with a list of research outcomes and were asked to select up to five they considered most critical to their decision-making. They then allocated 100 points across these - allocating more points to outcomes perceived as more important. Outcome lists were derived from a review and consolidation of evaluation and outcome frameworks in the fields of public health knowledge translation and implementation. We used descriptive statistics to report relative preferences overall and for policy-makers and practitioners separately.

resultsOf the 186 participants; 90 primarily identified as policy-makers and 96 as public health prevention practitioners. Overall, research outcomes of effectiveness, equity, feasibility, and sustainability were identified as the four most important outcomes when considering either interventions or strategies to implement them. Scores were similar for most outcomes between policy-makers and practitioners.

conclusionFor Australian policy-makers and practitioners working in the field of non-communicable disease prevention, outcomes related to effectiveness, equity, feasibility, and sustainability appear particularly important to their decisions about the interventions they select and the strategies they employ to implement them. The findings suggest researchers should seek to meet these information needs and prioritize the inclusion of such outcomes in their research and dissemination activities. The extent to which these outcomes are critical to informing the decision of policy-makers and practitioners working in other jurisdictions or contexts warrants further investigation.

Indexed as

Administrative PersonnelHealth PolicyPolicy MakingPublic HealthAustraliaCross-Sectional StudiesDecision MakingFemaleHumansMaleNoncommunicable DiseasesSurveys and Questionnaires

Identifiers

PMID38745326
PMCPMC11095011

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.