Increasing Evidence Informed Practice

Practitioners and decision-makers have a significant role in facilitating the use of data and research evidence to inform practice and services. The effectiveness of investments to promote health and prevent disease may be limited if implementation is not evidence-informed, and if rigorous evaluation is not conducted to verify impacts. Varying degrees of support are available to build capacity for evidence-informed decision-making among the public health workforce.

One of the knowledge translation and exchange strategies delivered by Public Health Insight involves capacity building, also known as ‘user-pull’. Training courses aim to build capacity among public health professionals to find, access, interpret, and use systematic reviews and other types of evidence in decision-making.

Out team have developed and delivered training courses since 2005. Courses are often delivered in collaboration with local partners such as local governments, health agencies and non-government organisations, and with international partners such as the International Union of Health Promotion and Education and the World Health Organisation.

The overall aim of the EIDM training is to build awareness and understanding of types and breadth of evidence and increased skills in defining, accessing, appraising and applying evidence to decision-making. Training is based on the EIDM process and comprises five key domains:

1. Ask an answerable question (define)
2. Find the evidence to answer the question (search)
3. Assess the trustworthiness of the evidence (appraise)
4. Integrate the evidence with your expertise and values of the population and evaluation (adapt, apply)
5. Evaluate practice and generate evidence to contribute back to the EIDM process (evaluate).

This process is modeled on evidence-based practice teaching frameworks, the systematic review process, and has been purposefully adapted over time in response to stakeholder needs and policy and decision-making contexts.

Recent testimony

We recently delivered the Evidence Informed Public Health short course to Mildura Rural City council. Jodie Arnold, Early Years Coordinator, said:

Mildura Rural City Council had Public Health Insight come to our organisation and provide the Evidence Informed Decision Making course over 2 days.  The course was really helpful as it provided us with tools for finding relevant evidence relating to our services but we also learnt how to assess whether the evidence is trustworthy.  We were given a framework for assessing the evidence as to whether it is relevant, applicable and transferable for local practice or policy.  Overall, it was fantastic course that could be applied across many services in Council, it was really worthwhile.

If you would like Public Health Insight to deliver tailored training for your organisation, please get in touch.

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