TY - JOUR
T1 - Rethinking the path from evidence to decision-making
AU - Rasooly, Alon
AU - Ben-Sheleg, Eliana
AU - Davidovitch, Nadav
AU - Ellen, Moriah
N1 - Funding Information:
Looking forward, IS-PEC plans to collaborate with government agencies and lead projects in the evidence-informed policy field, both in Israel and in collaboration with international partners. This includes the formation of a steering committee dedicated to improving evidence-support in government ministries, a rapid jurisdictional assessment of existing evidence-support systems throughout the Israeli government and with external partners, and conducting symposia on knowledge transfer and exchange for chief scientists and their staffs. IS-PEC benefits from the expertise of international scholars and practitioners of evidence-informed policy and the support of parallel centers worldwide. Due to its interdisciplinary expertise, the long and diverse experiences of its members, being trusted and well-situated within the Israeli context, and commitment to improving the uptake of evidence-informed policy-making, IS-PEC is uniquely positioned to advance the field in Israel and abroad with the international EIP community. Acknowledgements
Funding Information:
In May 2022, IS-PEC held a two-day workshop funded by the Bat-Sheva de Rothschild Foundation titled “Rethinking the Path from Evidence to Decision-Making.” The workshop included presentations, discussions, and expert panels led by world-renowned international experts in the field of evidence-informed policymaking (Additional file ). The workshop’s intended outcomes were threefold:
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, The Author(s).
PY - 2023/12/1
Y1 - 2023/12/1
N2 - Evidence-informed decision-making is increasingly recognized as a standard for policymaking in many fields, including public health. However, many challenges exist in identifying the appropriate evidence, disseminating it to different stakeholders, and implementing it in various settings. The Israel Implementation Science and Policy Engagement Centre (IS-PEC) was established at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev to “bridge the gap” between scientific research and policy. As an illustrative case study, IS-PEC is conducting a scoping review on strategies to engage senior citizens in Israel when developing health policy. In May 2022, IS-PEC brought together international experts and Israeli stakeholders to increase knowledge in the field of evidence-informed policy, develop a research agenda, strengthen international collaborations, and create a community for sharing experience, research, and best practices. Panelists presented the importance of communicating clear, accurate bottom-line messages with the media. Also, they highlighted the once-in-a-generation opportunity to promote the uptake of evidence in public health due to the increased public interest in evidence-informed policymaking post-COVID-19 pandemic and the need to build systems and centers to support the systematic use of evidence. Group discussions focused on various aspects of communication, including challenges and strategies when communicating to policymakers, understanding the nuances of communication between scientists, journalists, and the public, and some ethical issues surrounding data visualization and infographics. Panelists participated in a passionate debate regarding whether and how values play a role when conducting, analyzing, and communicating evidence. Takeaway lessons from the workshop included that going forward, Israel must create lasting systems and a sustainable environment for evidence-informed policy. Novel and interdisciplinary academic programs must be developed to train future policymakers in various fields, including public health, public policy, ethics, communication, social marketing, and infographics. Sustainable professional relationships between journalists, scientists, and policymakers must be fostered and strengthened based on mutual respect and a shared commitment to creating, synthesizing, implementing, and communicating high-quality evidence to serve the public and individual wellbeing.
AB - Evidence-informed decision-making is increasingly recognized as a standard for policymaking in many fields, including public health. However, many challenges exist in identifying the appropriate evidence, disseminating it to different stakeholders, and implementing it in various settings. The Israel Implementation Science and Policy Engagement Centre (IS-PEC) was established at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev to “bridge the gap” between scientific research and policy. As an illustrative case study, IS-PEC is conducting a scoping review on strategies to engage senior citizens in Israel when developing health policy. In May 2022, IS-PEC brought together international experts and Israeli stakeholders to increase knowledge in the field of evidence-informed policy, develop a research agenda, strengthen international collaborations, and create a community for sharing experience, research, and best practices. Panelists presented the importance of communicating clear, accurate bottom-line messages with the media. Also, they highlighted the once-in-a-generation opportunity to promote the uptake of evidence in public health due to the increased public interest in evidence-informed policymaking post-COVID-19 pandemic and the need to build systems and centers to support the systematic use of evidence. Group discussions focused on various aspects of communication, including challenges and strategies when communicating to policymakers, understanding the nuances of communication between scientists, journalists, and the public, and some ethical issues surrounding data visualization and infographics. Panelists participated in a passionate debate regarding whether and how values play a role when conducting, analyzing, and communicating evidence. Takeaway lessons from the workshop included that going forward, Israel must create lasting systems and a sustainable environment for evidence-informed policy. Novel and interdisciplinary academic programs must be developed to train future policymakers in various fields, including public health, public policy, ethics, communication, social marketing, and infographics. Sustainable professional relationships between journalists, scientists, and policymakers must be fostered and strengthened based on mutual respect and a shared commitment to creating, synthesizing, implementing, and communicating high-quality evidence to serve the public and individual wellbeing.
KW - Evidence-informed policy
KW - Health policy
KW - Implementation science
KW - International workshop
KW - Knowledge transfer and exchange
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85150995989&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s13584-023-00559-8
DO - 10.1186/s13584-023-00559-8
M3 - Article
C2 - 36973831
AN - SCOPUS:85150995989
SN - 2045-4015
VL - 12
JO - Israel Journal of Health Policy Research
JF - Israel Journal of Health Policy Research
IS - 1
M1 - 10
ER -