Program in Policy Decision-Making
McMaster University
29 October 2009
Policy Briefs Workshop:
Preparing Policy Briefs
EVIPNet Policy Briefs Workshop
Santiago, Chile
John N. Lavis, MD, PhD
Professor and Canada Research Chair in Knowledge Transfer and Exchange
McMaster University
Objectives for This Session
To become familiarized a list of questions to consider
when preparing a policy brief
2
Policy Briefs
•
Policy briefs are a new approach to packaging
research evidence for policymakers and stakeholders
•
A policy issue is taken as the starting point rather
than the research evidence that has been produced
or identified
•
Once an issue is prioritized, the focus then turns to
finding and distilling the full range of research
evidence relevant to the various features of the issue
•
Drawing on available systematic reviews makes the
process feasible
3
Questions
1. Does the policy brief address a high-priority issue and describe
the context in which the issue is being (or will be) addressed?
2. Does the policy brief describe the problem, costs and
consequences of options to address the problem, as well as
key implementation considerations?
3. Does the policy brief employ systematic and transparent
methods to identify, select, and assess synthesised research
evidence?
4. Does the policy brief take quality, local applicability, and equity
considerations into account when discussing the synthesised
research evidence?
5. Does the policy brief employ a graded-entry format?
6. Was the policy brief reviewed for both scientific quality and
system relevance?
4
Q1: Priority and Context
Does the policy brief address a high-priority issue and
describe the context in which the issue is being (or will
be) addressed?
•
Issue has to be on the governmental agenda and be
widely perceived by many, if not all, stakeholders as a
priority
•
Context has to be described
o Relevant legislation, strategic plans, etc.
o Relevant features of the health system
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Q2: Problem, Options, and
Implementation
Does the policy brief describe the problem, costs and
consequences of options to address the problem, as
well as key implementation considerations?
•
Problem has to be described, drawing on
o Indicators, comparators and alternative framings
o Analysis of the problem’s causes and its impacts
on particular groups
o Local data
o Research evidence from (a search of MedLine for)
community surveys, administrative data analyses,
and qualitative studies about stakeholders’ views
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and experiences
Q2: Problem, Options, and
Implementation (2)
Does the policy brief describe the problem, costs and
consequences of options to address the problem, as well
as key implementation considerations? (2)
•
Two or more options have to be described, drawing on
o
Framework for the specific domain (if possible)
o
Benefits of each option (or each element within an option)  (Reviews
of) Effectiveness studies
o
Harms of each option  (Reviews of) Effectiveness or observational
studies
o
Costs / cost-effectiveness of each option  Local costs and, if
possible, local cost-effectiveness analyses
o
How and why the option works  (Reviews of) Process evaluations
(qualitative studies)
o
Stakeholders’ views and experiences (Reviews of) Qualitative
studies
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Q2: Problem, Options, and
Implementation (3)
Does the policy brief describe the problem, costs and
consequences of options to address the problem, as well
as key implementation considerations? (3)
•
Implementation considerations have to be described,
drawing on
o Analysis of the barriers to implementing each option
o Identification of strategies to address these barriers
o Benefits, harms and costs of each strategy 
(Reviews of) Effectiveness studies
• Policy brief does not conclude with recommendations
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Q3: Methods
Does the policy brief employ systematic and transparent
methods to identify, select, and assess synthesised
research evidence?
•
Methods have to be described, either in a ‘box’ or in
an appendix, including
o Details of databases searched
o Reference to quality, local applicability, and other
‘checklists’ used to assess
 Systematic reviews
 Local data
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Q4: Quality, Local Applicability and
Equity
Does the policy brief take quality, local applicability, and
equity considerations into account when discussing the
synthesised research evidence?
• Reviews have to be described, including
o Key messages
o Quality, local applicability, and equity assessments
• Local data have to be described, including
o Key messages
o Quality, local applicability, and equity assessments
• Gaps in research evidence that could be filled with
monitoring and evaluation
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Q5: Graded-Entry Format
Does the policy brief employ a graded-entry format?
•
Policy brief has to have one of
o Two-level format (e.g., 1:12, which means 1 page
of key messages and a 12-page report)
o Three-level format (e.g., 1:3:25, which means 1
page of key messages, a 3-page executive
summary, and a 25-page report)
•
Policy brief has to have a reference list for those who
want to read more (possibly using a common format,
which could be described in an EVIPNet Americas
Publication Policy)
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Q6: Review Process
Was the policy brief reviewed for both scientific quality
and system relevance?
•
Internal review
o At least one local policymaker
o At least one local stakeholder
o At least one local researcher
•
•
External review
o
At least one policymaker from another EVIPNet country
o
At least one researcher from outside the country (typically
a member of the EVIPNet Americas resource group)
Policy brief has to meet a minimum standard before being
finalized and posted on the EVIPNet portal
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Other Considerations
Engaging title for the policy brief
Statement about the brief’s target audience (e.g., policymakers
and stakeholders at the national level)
Acknowledgments
•
Authors and their affiliations
•
Steering Committee members and their affiliations (if
applicable)
•
Funders
•
Reviewers (unless they elect to be anonymous)
Formative evaluation
•
•
Survey needs to be adapted so that the questions match the
design features of each policy brief
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Core team will check in with you periodically to assist with this