title: The use of tacit and explicit knowledge in public health: a qualitative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Planning a public health initiative is both a science and an art. Public health practitioners work in a complex, often time-constrained environment, where formal research literature can be unavailable or uncertain. Consequently, public health practitioners often draw upon other forms of knowledge.
  
  
  METHODS
  Through use of one-on-one interviews and focus groups, we aimed to gain a better understanding of how tacit knowledge is used to inform program initiatives in public health. This study was designed as a narrative inquiry, which is based on the assumption that we make sense of the world by telling stories. Four public health units were purposively selected for maximum variation, based on geography and academic affiliation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis revealed different ways in which tacit knowledge was used to plan the public health program or initiative, including discovering the opportunity, bringing a team together, and working out program details (such as partnering, funding).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this study demonstrate that tacit knowledge is drawn upon, and embedded within, various stages of the process of program planning in public health. The results will be useful in guiding the development of future knowledge translation strategies for public health organizations and decision makers.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada. akothari@uwo.ca
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kothari
authors.forename: Debbie
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rudman
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dobbins
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rouse
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sibbald
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Edwards
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D033262:Narration; D016730:Program Development / Q000379:methods*; D011634:Public Health / Q000379:methods