Organisational and Resources Barriers of Research Findings Utilisation in Health Systems Policy Making: A Scoping Review

Sarah Nurain Mohd Noh, Awatef Amer Nordin, Jabrullah Ab Hamid, Suhana Jawahir, Iqbal Ab Rahim, Adilius Manual, Nur Elina Abdul Mutalib: Organisational and Resources Barriers of Research Findings Utilisation in Health Systems Policy Making: A Scoping Review. published online at https://apcph.cphm.my, 2022, (Type: POSTER PRESENTATION; Organisation: Centre for Health Equity Research, Institute for Health Systems Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia).

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Evidence-based policy making has highlighted the importance of translating research evidence into policy and practice. However, the gap between research and practice points to the existence of significant barriers for research utilisation. An approach to increase research use in health systems policy making is to identify barriers to change, and then tailor interventions to overcome the identified barriers. This study aims to identify the barriers to the utilisation of research findings by policy makers in health systems policy making, from organisational and resources viewpoints.
METHODS: A scoping review on research findings utilisation was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist. Searches were performed through electronic databases (PubMed, Health Systems Evidence and Google Scholar). The keywords searched were ""research utilisation"", ""policy making"", ""health system"", and its variations. Studies from 2011 to 2021 that identified barriers of research findings utilisation by the policy makers were included. These barriers were categorised into several themes; where barriers of research use related to ""organisational and resources"" factors were identified as one of the themes and are focused on this abstract.
RESULTS: Out of 51 reviewed articles on research findings utilisation, 44 articles mentioned barriers of research findings utilisation, which have been categorised into five main themes (organisational and resources, contact and collaboration, research and researchers characteristics, policymakers characteristics, and policy characteristics). A large majority of the mentioned barriers fall under the ""Organisational and resources"" theme. Under this theme, twelve sub-themes were identified. From those twelve, the top five sub-themes with most commonly mentioned barriers were ""Lack of availability and access to research findings"", such as limited data availability as data were collected manually as well as limited access to subscribed journals; availability of critical reviews and full text articles as well as access to reliable research or evidence; ""Limited costs and other budget-related barriers"" such as insufficient funding resources and budget constraints; ""Lack of vested interest or personal preference of administrators"" such as conflicting interest or incompatibility with administrators ' objective; ""Time constraints"" such as insufficient time to locate, interpret, critically appraise, and apply research findings into practice; and ""Employment continuity issues"" such as frequent staff turnover. DISCUSSION: Understanding the barriers of research findings utilisation from an organisational and resources viewpoint is important to bridge the gap between research and practice or policy. More importantly, these barriers are potentially modifiable, and strategies to address them can begin from within an organisation. The dynamic public health world of today eludes that interaction between researchers and policy makers could target the factors identified in this review, where persistent approaches of overcoming the barriers faced can push forward evidence use in policy making.

BibTeX (Download)

@proceedings{APCPH2022-P-78,
title = {Organisational and Resources Barriers of Research Findings Utilisation in Health Systems Policy Making: A Scoping Review},
author = {Sarah Nurain Mohd Noh and Awatef Amer Nordin and Jabrullah Ab Hamid and Suhana Jawahir and Iqbal Ab Rahim and Adilius Manual and Nur Elina Abdul Mutalib},
url = {https://apcph.cphm.my/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/APCPH2022-P-78.pdf 
 
https://apcph.cphm.my/wp-content/uploads/wpforms/1176-1e04940bb5d885bf8711ed19095a89ed/poster-30-apcph_SN-1fec0783e1f92aaff84a677c9a0539f1.pdf},
year  = {2022},
date = {2022-08-02},
urldate = {2022-08-02},
issue = {7},
abstract = {INTRODUCTION: Evidence-based policy making has highlighted the importance of translating research evidence into policy and practice. However, the gap between research and practice points to the existence of significant barriers for research utilisation. An approach to increase research use in health systems policy making is to identify barriers to change, and then tailor interventions to overcome the identified barriers. This study aims to identify the barriers to the utilisation of research findings by policy makers in health systems policy making, from organisational and resources viewpoints. 
METHODS: A scoping review on research findings utilisation was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist. Searches were performed through electronic databases (PubMed, Health Systems Evidence and Google Scholar). The keywords searched were ""research utilisation"", ""policy making"", ""health system"", and its variations. Studies from 2011 to 2021 that identified barriers of research findings utilisation by the policy makers were included. These barriers were categorised into several themes; where barriers of research use related to ""organisational and resources"" factors were identified as one of the themes and are focused on this abstract. 
RESULTS: Out of 51 reviewed articles on research findings utilisation, 44 articles mentioned barriers of research findings utilisation, which have been categorised into five main themes (organisational and resources, contact and collaboration, research and researchers characteristics, policymakers characteristics, and policy characteristics). A large majority of the mentioned barriers fall under the ""Organisational and resources"" theme. Under this theme, twelve sub-themes were identified. From those twelve, the top five sub-themes with most commonly mentioned barriers were ""Lack of availability and access to research findings"", such as limited data availability as data were collected manually as well as limited access to subscribed journals; availability of critical reviews and full text articles as well as access to reliable research or evidence; ""Limited costs and other budget-related barriers"" such as insufficient funding resources and budget constraints; ""Lack of vested interest or personal preference of administrators"" such as conflicting interest or incompatibility with administrators ' objective; ""Time constraints"" such as insufficient time to locate, interpret, critically appraise, and apply research findings into practice; and ""Employment continuity issues"" such as frequent staff turnover. DISCUSSION: Understanding the barriers of research findings utilisation from an organisational and resources viewpoint is important to bridge the gap between research and practice or policy. More importantly, these barriers are potentially modifiable, and strategies to address them can begin from within an organisation. The dynamic public health world of today eludes that interaction between researchers and policy makers could target the factors identified in this review, where persistent approaches of overcoming the barriers faced can push forward evidence use in policy making.},
howpublished = {published online at https://apcph.cphm.my},
note = {Type: POSTER PRESENTATION; Organisation: Centre for Health Equity Research, Institute for Health Systems Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {proceedings}
}