The use of evidence for policy: evidence-informed decision-making

Objective:
This sub-plenary session will explore from a range of perspectives the challenges of evidence of health promotion effectiveness and how it can impact policy decision-making outcomes.  Research and other forms of evidence are important, but seldom directly relate to the determination or formulation of policy.

The objective is to support a format for the exchange of knowledge, experience and practice about evidence-based decision making.  Participants will be invited to discuss various kinds of evidence and arguments (encompassing a wide realm of reflection) and contribute to a dialogue in an exploratory fashion on the economic arguments and other kinds of evidence and experienced-based decision making which influence the decisions of policy makers.
The aim is to get a sense of what is the fundamental climate necessary for implementation effectiveness and to better understand why or why not policy makers use good economic (or other forms) of evidence when it is available. 

Key messages / key questions:
The sub-plenary will thoroughly address the evidence and effectiveness debate, in terms of how to frame it for agenda setting and with a special consideration for  use of evidence for policy including low & middle income countries.  Key questions include:

• What kind of economic evidence actually matters to policy and decision makers?
• What actually gets picked up for decision-making?
• What then happens in terms of implementation?
• Once policy is adopted, what happens to the evidence?  Does it get lost or remain embedded?
• What are the types of cultural issues and influences that affect these processes?
  

A suggested framework for reflection and probing exchange

(1)  What are the best arguments to convince decision-makers?	(2)  Sharpening our tools and methods
a)  What are the economic arguments? b)  What kind of evidence is most persuasive? c)  What are the best arguments for investing in health promotion? d)  How can the right reasons be distinguished from right mechanisms? e)  How can health promotion contribute to pro-health governance?	a)  Sensitivity to culture (defined broadly to include political, professional and decision-making cultures) b)  Systematic reviews as a tool c)  State of art in economic analysis d)  Use of evaluation to shape policy e)  Shifting language from upstream to downstream f)  Packaging evidence g)  Bringing economists and policy analysts into the work h)  Social rights-based approaches
(3) Levels of analysis : national, international, global

 
Proposed format:
Debate and dialogue

When health promoters have solid evidence of the effectiveness of health promotion, how can they best convey the message and package it in a meaningful way to support the development and recommendations of health promotion policies.  By bringing economists, policy analysts researchers and health promoters together, to what degree can these three groups influence each other in order that a broader concept of health gains can be more predominantly considered and visible in policy decision making? 

The debate and dialogue format will engage this diverse group of experts in economics, policy-making and health promotion in a discussion about ways to influence decision-making behaviour of policy-makers.

Links to conference theme(s):
The focus around "the evidence of effectiveness of health promotion in addressing global health challenges" has a direct link to the conference theme in exploring the best use of evidence to shape policy that affects health, equity and sustainable development.

Chair:

• Prof. David McQueen, President International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE), Atlanta, USA

Moderator:

• Prof. David McQueen, President International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE), Atlanta, USA

Speakers:

• Dr. Eliya Msiyaphazi Zulu, Director, African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP), Associate Director for Development Policy, Venture Strategies for Health and Development (VSHD), President of the Union for African Population Studies (UAPS), Nairobi, Kenya
• Prof. Ian Anderson, Director Onemda VicHealth Koori Health Unit, Melbourne School of Population Health, The University of Melbourne, Australia
• Dr. Fiona Adshead, Director General (on secondment), Department of Health, London, UK
• Dr. Helen Kersley, Researcher, nef Valuing What Matters, London, UK