title: Determinants of evidence use in public health policy making: Results from a study across six EU countries.
abstract: The knowledge-practice gap in public health is widely known. The importance of using different types of evidence for the development of effective health promotion has also been emphasized. Nevertheless, in practice, intervention decisions are often based on perceived short-term opportunities, lacking the most effective approaches, thus limiting the impact of health promotion strategies. This article focuses on facilitators and barriers in the use of evidence in developing health enhancing physical activity policies. Data was collected in 2012 by interviewing 86 key stakeholders from six EU countries (FI, DK, UK, NL, IT, RO) using a common topic guide. Content analysis and concept mapping was used to construct a map of facilitators and barriers. Barriers and facilitators experienced by most stakeholders and policy context in each country are analysed. A lack of locally useful and concrete evidence, evidence on costs, and a lack of joint understanding were specific hindrances. Also users' characteristics and the role media play were identified as factors of influence. Attention for individual and social factors within the policy context might provide the key to enhance more sustainable evidence use. Developing and evaluating tailored approaches impacting on networking, personal relationships, collaboration and evidence coproduction is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Tranzo, Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands. Electronic address: L.vandegoor@uvt.nl.
authors.forename: Ien
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: van de Goor
authors.affiliation: Welfare: Equality and Inclusion, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland. Electronic address: Riitta-maija.hamalainen@thl.fi.
authors.forename: Riitta-Maija
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Hämäläinen
authors.affiliation: Specialised Services, NHS England, London, UK. Electronic address: Ahmed.sy3d@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Syed
authors.affiliation: Prevention and Health Promotion, Research Centre for Prevention and Health, Capital Region of Denmark, Glostrup, Denmark. Electronic address: Cathrine.juel.lau@regionh.dk.
authors.forename: Cathrine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Juel Lau
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Policy and Public Health, Department of Public Health, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Electronic address: Petru.sandu@publichealth.ro.
authors.forename: Petru
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sandu
authors.affiliation: Tranzo, Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands. Electronic address: H.p.e.m.spitters@uvt.nl.
authors.forename: Hilde
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Spitters
authors.affiliation: Unit for Health Promotion, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Esbjerg, Denmark. Electronic address: Leklund@health.sdu.dk.
authors.forename: Leena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Eklund Karlsson
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Policy and Public Health, Department of Public Health, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Electronic address: Diana.dulf@publichealth.ro.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dulf
authors.affiliation: Institute of Researches on Population and Social Policies, National Research Council, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: Adriana.valente@cnr.it.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valente
authors.affiliation: Institute of Researches on Population and Social Policies, National Research Council, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: T.castellani@irpps.it.
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Castellani
authors.affiliation: Unit for Health Promotion, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Esbjerg, Denmark. Electronic address: Araro@health.sdu.dk.
authors.forename: Arja R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Aro
mesh_terms: D005062:European Union; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D006291:Health Policy; D006293:Health Promotion; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D011050:Policy Making; D011634:Public Health
keywords: Barriers and facilitators; Evidence-informed policy; Individual and social factors; Policy context; Policy development process; Public health policy; Semi-structured interviews; Structural collaboration between researchers and policy makers