Increasing the Chances of Success Communicating Research Findings to Policymakers Suneeta Sharma, PhD; MHA October 2012 Satellite Session: Strengthening Research on Policy Implementation and Why it Matters to Health Outcomes
Increasing the Chances of Success
Communicating Research Findings to Policymakers
Suneeta Sharma, PhD; MHA October 2012
Satellite Session: Strengthening
Research on Policy
Implementation and Why it
Matters to Health Outcomes
Conduct problem-oriented and policy relevant research
Engage policymakers in priority setting and research
Know Your Audience: who has the power to take action
Focus the Message: concise and actionable
Choose the Appropriate Level of Communication: delivering the message and triggering the action
Effective Communication Maximizing the Impact of Research on Policies
Policy Research Provides solid and t imely
empirical data
Identif ies trends
Anticipates potential challenges
Improves measurement capabil i t ies
Evaluates policy effectiveness
Policy Communication Simplify, translate, and
communicate effectively Keep it short and to the point Use colors and visuals in
materials Create trust and credibi l i ty Be honest about underlying
assumptions
Use sensitivity analyses to show a range of potential strategies and outcomes
Make sure that data source is credible
Transfer knowledge: two-way communication
Communicating with Policymakers
Concise evidence-based briefs that respond to policymakers’ data needs
Engaging visuals that are easy to understand and allow data to have impact
Videos and personal stories and testimonials that inspire action
Appropriate Communication Methods
Moving Policy to Action
Policy Dialogue
& Advocacy
Addressing Barriers
Action Planning
Implementation of Strategies
Scale Up & Sustainability
M&E and Accountability
Data Analysis and Use
Policy & Strategy
Development
Leadership & Governance
Resource Mobilization
Require policy attention
Understand issues and goals
Gravity: size, trend, consequences
Distribution: geographic, rural/urban, Socio-Economic Status
Importance and urgency of taking action
Benefits of taking action
Consequence of inaction
Problem Identif ication
Problem Identification
Below Poverty LineAbove Poverty Line
54 Million Live in Poverty in UP
65.3
94.2
135.4
35.2 51.3
61.8
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
NeonatalMortality
Infant Mortality Under-5 Mortality
Neonatal, Infant, and Under-5 Mortality among the Poorest and Wealthiest
Quintiles in UP
Poorest Quintile Wealthiest Quintile
Source: Planning Commission. 2011. Press Note on Poverty Estimates for 2004-05, GOI; NFHS-3, Uttar Pradesh, 2005-06
13 24 28 44 38 62 55 58 81
97 104
148 178
269 318
390
64.4 61.1
65.1 63.3 63.2
57.8 58.1
48.6
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65
70
050
100150200250300350400450500
CPR
- %
MM
R a
nd IM
R
IMR, 2010 MMR, 2009 CPR, 2008-09
Family Planning Saves Lives As Contraceptive Use Rises Maternal and Infant Deaths Decl ine
Sources: CPR from DLHS – 3, IMR and MMR from SRS
Achieving the MDGs will be easier if investments are made in FP in Madagascar
US$26 million
US$76 million
Primary education: Savings with slower population growth in Kenya
Cumulative Savings US$772 Million
Exp
endi
ture
s ($
US
Mill
ions
)
High Fertility
Low Fertility
Identify several feasible policy and program options that could address the problem
Describe positive and negative effects of the options
Describe the key elements, cost-effectiveness, and experiences with different options
Identify implementation considerations
Describe the effects of appropriately targeted implementation studies
Policy Formulation
Photo by Steven w Belcher.
Goal Setting: Uttarakhand’s Health and Population Policy
Characteristics Fast Medium (Proposed) Slow
Year 2005-06 –CPR* –Prop of 3+ births –TFR
Year 2012 –CPR* –Prop of 3+ births –TFR
Year 2017 –CPR* –Prop of 3+ births –TFR
Year 2020 –CPR* –Prop of 3+ births –TFR
55.5 39.0 2.55
67.7 33.3 2.10
70.6 25.3 1.97
73.0 22.8 1.90
55.5 39.0 2.55
57.9 36.3 2.35
67.7 32.8 2.10
72.6 23.5 1.94
55.5 39.0 2.55
57.7 37.5 2.42
60.5 34.6 2.26
67.7 32.6 2.10
Assess the extent and nature of policy implementation
Identify facil itators for and barriers to policy implementation
Increase access and delivery of new and improved tools, strategies and interventions
Inspire dialogue and renewed commitment on the way forward
Policy Implementation
Service Delivery
Health Workforce
Information
Medical Products, Vaccines, Technologies
Financing
Leadership & Governance
Cost implications of WHO ART guideline changes
Number of people eligible for treatment in Cameroon
Ghana faces a resource gap for HIV and AIDS
Prioritization for Partnership Framework and NSP in Lesotho
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
Needs Prevention Priority
Treatment Priority Cost Effective Priority
Mill
ions
of U
S$
SupportMitigationTreatmentPrevention
-51% -51% +30% -51% New Infections
90% 61% 90% 65% ART coverage
Outline systems to track service delivery and health outcomes
Regularly evaluate performance to assess how implementation is going
Inform mid-course corrections
Ensure that stakeholders are accountable for achieving policy goals
Measure impact and inform scale up
Policy Monitoring
Pho
to b
y D
ietm
ar T
emps
Service Uptake among Currently Married Women under Voucher System
26.7
34.8 30.8
53.3
38.5 36
43
54
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Use of moderncontraceptive use
Institutional delivery
Perc
enta
ge
Agra (rural) Baseline, 2006 Agra (rural) Endline, 2009Kanpur Nagar (slum) Baseline, 2006 Kanpur Nagar (slum) Endline, 2011
Source: IFPS Technical Assistance Project (ITAP). 2012. Sambhav: Vouchers Make High-Quality Reproductive Health Services Possible for India’s Poor. Gurgaon, Haryana: Futures Group, ITAP.
The right information in the right format in the right hands at the right t ime and place
www.healthpolicyproject.com
Thank You
The Health Policy Project is a five-year cooperative agreement funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) under Cooperative Agreement No. AID-OAA-A-10-00067, beginning September 30, 2010. It is implemented by Futures Group, the Centre for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA), Futures Institute, Partners in Population and Development Africa Regional Office (PPD ARO), Population Reference Bureau (PRB), Research Triangle Institute (RTI) International, and the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood (WRA).