Translating clinical practice into health policy: an example from China.
Understanding a health problem and even having the technological capability to solve it are often not enough to lead to changes in health policy. To help accomplish such policy changes, we propose a five-step approach that involves (1) specifying the disciplines; (2) developing multidisciplinary hypotheses; (3) investigating the hypotheses; (4) developing a policy 'story'; and (5) advocating these solutions to policy makers. We use the example of neonatal hypothermia in Eastern China to illustrate this approach. We found that the approach both better informed policy and better motivated policy change. Using the approach extended our involvement from the hospital to a wider population; in addition our initial solutions expanded from clinical interventions to broader public health approaches that proved to be quite different from our original recommendations.
Peabody
J W
JW
Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90073, USA.
Hesketh
T M
TM
Steinberg
P S
PS
D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000628:therapy; D007224:Infant Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D009359:Neonatology / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards; D011050:Policy Making; D011635:Public Health Administration / Q000592:standards*; D013696:Temperature; D014481:United States; D014837:Voluntary Health Agencies