Abstract
Concerns about the limited influence of research on decision-making have prompted the development of tools intended to mediate evidence for policy audiences. This article focuses on three examples, prominent in public health: impact assessments; systematic reviews; and economic decision-making tools (cost-benefit analysis and scenario modelling). Each has been promoted as a means of synthesising evidence for policymakers but little is known about policy actors’ experiences of them. Employing a literature review and 69 interviews, we offer a critical analysis of their role in policy debates, arguing that their utility lies primarily in their symbolic value as markers of ‘good’ decision-making.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 415-437 |
Number of pages | 23 |
Journal | Evidence and Policy |
Volume | 11 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 21 Aug 2015 |
Keywords
- impact assessments
- systematic review
- cost-benefit analysis (CBA)
- modelling
- evidence-based policy (EBP)
- advocacy
- decision-making tools
- public health