Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #109078

Maureen Jennifer Dobbins, PhD¹, Kara L. DeCorby, MSc², Shawna L. Mercer, PhD³, Donna Ciliska, RN, PhD¹, Stephen R. Manske, EdD⁴, Steven Hanna, PhD⁵, Roy Cameron, PhD⁴, Linda O'Mara, RN, PhD¹, Helen Thomas, MSc⁶, and Christina Mills, MD, FRCPC⁷. (1) Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, 1200 Main Street West, 3H46D, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada, 905 525-9140 ext 22481, dobbinsm@mcmaster.ca, (2) City of Hamilton Public Health & Community Services, 2 King Street West, 3rd Floor, Dundas, ON L9H 6Z1, Canada, (3) Office of the Chief of Science, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway N.E., MS K56, Atlanta, GA 30341, (4) Centre for Behavioural Research & Program Evaluation, University of Waterloo, Lyle Hallman Institute, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada, (5) Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, 1200 Main Street West, Institute for Applied Health Sciences-Rm 408, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada, (6) School of Nursing, McMaster University, Hamilton Public Health and Community Services, PHRED program, 1200 Main St W, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada, (7) Canadian Cancer Society, 11 Huron Ave. North, Ottawa, ON K1Y 0W1, Canada

Objective: Research has determined that factors such as key stakeholders; organizational culture; individual decision-making style; the research evidence itself and the importance of the decision to the goals of the organization, significantly influence the use of research evidence. This paper will chronicle activities underway in Canada to assist public health decision makers to become aware of, accept and incorporate research evidence into policy and program decisions.

Approach: A program of research among public health decision makers has been ongoing since 1995. The studies have sought to a) identify barriers to research utilization among decision makers; b) identify factors that facilitate the use of research evidence for program decision making; c) understand decision makers' information needs and preferences; and d) evaluate the effectiveness of knowledge transfer strategies.

Findings: The findings highlight the importance of factors of the organization, environment, individual and the innovation (research evidence), to the use of research evidence in decision making. Culture and decision making style were found to be particularly important, along with perceived skill to critically appraise research evidence and social environments supportive of research evidence. Decision makers clearly articulated their information needs with respect to content, format and method of delivery.

Conclusions: The findings have been instrumental in the development of a national public health knowledge transfer strategy. The investigators contend that consultation with potential users of research evidence is crucial to ensure the conduct of relevant and timely research as well as the development of an effective knowledge transfer strategy.

Learning Objectives:

• To explore theoretical models of knowledge transfer and uptake
• To summarize findings from recent studies in the field
• To discuss an innovative knowledge transfer strategy being implemented on a national level in Canada

Keywords: Community-Based Public Health, Evidence Based Practice

Related Web page: www.health-evidence.ca

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.