title: External factors affecting decision-making and use of evidence in an Australian public health policy environment.
abstract: This study examined external factors affecting policy and program decision-making in a specific public health policy context: injury prevention and rehabilitation compensation in the Australian state of Victoria. The aim was twofold: identify external factors that affect policy and program decision-making in this specific context; use this evidence to inform targeting of interventions aimed at increasing research use in this context. Qualitative interviews were undertaken from June 2011 to January 2012 with 33 employees from two state government agencies. Key factors identified were stakeholder feedback and action, government and ministerial input, legal feedback and action, injured persons and the media. The identified external factors were able to significantly influence policy and program decision-making processes: acting as both barriers and facilitators, depending on the particular issue at hand. The factors with the most influence were the Minister and government, lawyers, and agency stakeholders, particularly health providers, trade unions and employer groups. This research revealed that interventions aimed at increasing use of research in this context must target and harness the influence of these groups. This research provides critical insights for researchers seeking to design interventions to increase use of research in policy environments and influence decision-making in Victorian injury prevention and rehabilitation compensation.
authors.affiliation: Monash University, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Australia; Institute for Safety, Compensation and Recovery Research, Australia. Electronic address: pauline.zardo@monash.edu.
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zardo
authors.affiliation: Monash University, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Australia; Institute for Safety, Compensation and Recovery Research, Australia.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Collie
authors.affiliation: Monash University, Department of Health Social Sciences, Australia.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Livingstone
mesh_terms: D035881:Compensation and Redress; D003657:Decision Making; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D006077:Government Agencies / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D011050:Policy Making; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000191:economics; D013219:State Government; D014739:Victoria; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control
keywords: Australia; Decision-making; Policy; Public health; Research; Translation; Use