Learning from games: stakeholders' experiences involved in local health policy

Knowledge management tools and mechanisms for evidence-informed decision-making in the WHO European Region: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

Knowledge management (KM) emerged as a strategy to promote evidence-informed decision-making. This scoping review aims to map existing KM tools and mechanisms used to promote evidence-informed health decision-making in the WHO European Region and identify knowledge gaps.

METHODS

Following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidance for conducting scoping reviews, we searched Medline, PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane library, and Open Grey. We conducted a descriptive analysis of the general characteristics of the included papers and conducted narrative analysis of the included studies and categorized studies according to KM type and phase.

RESULTS

Out of 9541 citations identified, we included 141 studies. The KM tools mostly assessed are evidence networks, surveillance tools, observatories, data platforms and registries, with most examining KM tools in high-income countries of the WHO European region. Findings suggest that KM tools can identify health problems, inform health planning and resource allocation, increase the use of evidence by policymakers and stimulate policy discussion.

CONCLUSION

Policymakers and funding agencies are called to support capacity-building activities, and future studies to strengthen KM in the WHO European region particularly in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. An updated over-arching strategy to coordinate KM activities in the WHO European region will be useful in these efforts.

Theory-based capacity building intervention for intersectoral action for health at local governments: An exploratory pilot study

Aim

To design, implement and evaluate a nurse‐led capacity building intervention (PromoGOB) for intersectoral action for health at local governments.

Design

The programme was based on theories of the policy process and organizational change and facilitated by a nurse developing a health broker role. A complex intervention perspective was adopted in carrying out the study. The intervention was evaluated using a mixed method embedded design.

Methods

Quantitative component relied on a specific questionnaire. This tool, designed and piloted ad hoc, measured the capacity in terms of knowledge, awareness, resources, skills, and commitment, both at sectoral and government levels. For the qualitative component, semi‐structured interviews were conducted. These explored the perceived capacity and feasibility and acceptability issues. The programme was initiated at the end of October 2019, and it lasted a total of 5 weeks. Nineteen individuals representing various sectors at a local government in northern Spain participated in the study. The data analysis was concluded by the end of March 2020.

Findings

PromoGOB positively influenced participants' capacity for addressing health promotion. Awareness component, intersectoral work and the nurse as health broker were essential in the programme. The necessity of political participation was identified as an issue to be prioritized in future studies.

Conclusion

This study highlights the relevance of capacity building at local governments and the role that nurses can play in it. Further work should be undertaken to continue developing Health in All Policies approach at local level.

Impact

This study offers a starting point for nurses to get involved in the policy process of health promotion, performing a specific role as health brokers, building capacity at local governments for addressing social determinants of health, and delving into theories and concepts of the Health in All Policies field.

The use of future scenario thinking for child public health in a local authority

BACKGROUND

Socioeconomic, cultural, technological, environment and ecological changes are rapidly transforming how children and young people (CYP) grow up, yet their impacts on CYP are difficult to predict. The traditional ways that Public Health practitioners work may not capture such complex and dynamic change. To address this, Lambeth Council used future scenario thinking.

METHODS

A literature review looked at political, socioeconomic and other 'transitions' in the borough. Interviews, focus groups and workshops were held with CYP, parents, carers, local statutory and non-statutory stakeholders about the future for Lambeth CYP in the decade ahead. Themes were analysed to identify which had the potential for the biggest impact or the most uncertainty.

RESULTS

The main transitions were described, 100 stakeholders interviewed, and five 'drivers' of the future were identified: protracted austerity, technological explosion, demographic shift, 'democratic shake-up' and planetary health. From all these data, four future scenarios were developed: 'communities care for themselves', 'collaborating to care for all', 'nobody cares' and 'who cares?'

CONCLUSIONS

New insights were gained about promoting more responsibility for, and active participation of CYP. This led to Lambeth's CYP Plan and the 'Made in Lambeth' campaign aiming to enlist the community and business in creating a child-friendly borough.