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Fact Sheets

A Model for Evidence-Informed Decision-Making in Public Health

Evidence-informed public health involves integrating the best available research evidence into the decision-making process. Additional factors – community health issues and local context; community and political preferences and actions; and public health resources – create the environment in which that research evidence is interpreted and applied.

Paper: English Version [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 401Kb]   Version française [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 408Kb]

Methods: Series (A Summary of Findings)
Synthesis:1   Rapid Reviews: Methods and Implications (2009)

What is lost when stages of the traditional systematic review process are shortened? This fact sheet discusses various methods used to create rapid reviews, outlines the strengths and limitations of rapid reviews, and makes recommendations for their future application.

Paper: English Version [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 333Kb]   Version française [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 315Kb]

Synthesis:2   Methods for the Synthesis of Studies Without Control Groups (2009)

Randomized controlled trials provide rigorous results for effectiveness questions, yet may not be the best or even a possible study design for all questions. This resource discusses the implications of considering the best available evidence, including evidence from studies without control groups.

Paper: English Version [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 363Kb]   Version française [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 345Kb]

Five-year Strategic Plan: 2010-2015 — National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools (2010)

The NCCMT Strategic Plan for 2010-2015 describes the background to the creation of the Centre and its achievements over the initial two and one-half years (2007-2009). Looking ahead to the next five years, the plan outlines the revised vision, mission, principles, goals, target audiences and core capabilities of the NCCMT.

Paper: English Version [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 650Kb]   Version française [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 700Kb]

The Methods for the Synthesis of Studies without Control Groups (2009)

This paper examines synthesis methods, critical appraisal tools and studies that deal with appraising and synthesizing quantitative studies without control groups. This paper also outlines precautions to be aware of when including non-controlled studies as evidence, and recommends effective tools to use to analyse the results from these types of studies.

Paper: English Version [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 500Kb]   Version française [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 500Kb]
Fact Sheet: English Version [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 363Kb]   Version française [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 345Kb]

Environmental Scan 2009: National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools (2009)

The NCCMT has undertaken this environmental scan to inform its strategic planning activities for the next five years (2010–2015). At this point, the NCCMT is interested in refreshing its perspective on the public health environment and expects this environmental scan will highlight and summarize new and emerging developments, pressures and potential opportunities in the broad health care landscape.

Paper: English Version [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 500Kb]   Version française [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 500Kb]

DialoguePH: Results of a National Online Survey (2009)

To ensure that DialoguePH is meaningful and relevant we administered a survey to the network membership. The findings from this survey will be used to shape the design, format and content of the tools that will support the network, such as the NCCMT website, discussion forums and technological options for linking the membership.

Paper: English Version [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 664Kb]    Version française [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 695Kb]

Networking in Public Health: Exploring the Value of Networks to the National Collaborating Centres for Public Health (2009)

This paper explores the potential of networks to further the goals of the NCCPH program, in particular, the promotion of evidence-informed decision-making and knowledge management. The paper includes extensive links to Canadian and international networking resources.

Paper: English Version [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 542Kb]   Version française [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 585Kb]

Knowledge Management Project

NCCMT organized a knowledge management project consisting of three main components: a background paper, a conference, and an invitational forum. These documents are associated with that project:

Knowledge Management: Background Paper for the Development of a Knowledge Management Strategy for Public Health of Canada (2008)

This overview of knowledge management (KM) identifies pertinent issues, questions and implications surrounding the potential development of a solid, systemic and strategic approach to KM for public health in Canada.

Background paper: English Version [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 1MB]   Version française [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 800Kb]

Conference Proceedings

The conference brought together leading experts from around the world to share their experiences with over 240 registrants. You will find here the highlights of the 14 sessions that were organized around the four core concepts related to knowledge management: culture, content, process and technology.

Paper: English Version [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 3.3MB]   Version française [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 2.9MB]

Knowledge Management Strategy Forum Summary Report: a synopsis of the November 5th, 2008, discussion (2009)

This report describes the purpose and process of the invitational Knowledge Management Strategy Forum hosted by the NCCMT in Hamilton, Ontario. Participants explored what a Knowledge Management Strategy for public health in Canada might or should look like, what the necessary elements of it would be, what it would look like, and what it would take to get there.

Paper: English Version [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 368Kb]   Version française [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 404Kb]

Introduction to Evidence-Informed Public Health and a Compendium of Critical Appraisal Tools for Public Health Practice (2008)

A definition and summary the concept of evidence-informed public health. The paper also includes a compendium of critical appraisal tools to help you incorporate the best research evidence into public health practice and policy development.

Background paper: English Version [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 398Kb]   Version française [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 417Kb]
Compendium: English Version [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 301Kb]   Version française [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 306Kb]

Can I use this evidence in my program decision? Assessing Applicability and Transferability of Evidence (2007)

A summary of the current literature, including a process to help you evaluate the feasibility and generalizability of evidence to your public health practice. The associated tool (available separately) helps you make decisions about program priorities in your own community.

Paper: English Version [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 100Kb]   Version française [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 100Kb]
Tool: English Version [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 100Kb]   Version française [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 100Kb]

Public Health Knowledge Gaps and Research Priorities: A synthesis of next steps (2007)

The purpose of this document is to identify priorities for public health research in Canada.

Paper: English Version [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 340Kb]   Version française [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 340Kb]

Environmental Scan (2006)

Conducted in 2006 with public health practitioners, managers, policy-makers and researchers, this scan laid the foundation for the creation of the NCCMT and helped us to identify and prioritize the activities and goals that continue to guide our work.

To read the entire Environmental Scan, click here. [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 405Kb]
Executive Summary, click here. [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 405Kb]
Summary, conclusions and recommendations, click here. [This file is an adobe acrobat PDF filePDF, 405Kb]

Services

Online Health Program Planner

A practical, online tool to help you make program planning decisions and policy choices based on a sound process using the best available evidence. This tool takes advantage of recent advances in information technology and greater access to multiple sources of information online to help practitioners plan more effectively.

Development of the tool was executed by The Health Communication Unit (THCU), supported by the NCCMT, and jointly promoted by THCU, NCCMT and the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Canadian Best Practices Initiative.

DialoguePH

A network designed to help you and your colleagues share methods and tools that will facilitate knowledge synthesis, translation and exchange within and across public health departments in Canada.

Public Health+

An online database of current academic articles designed especially for public health decision-makers and managers who are too busy to sift through all the available evidence. Every article from over 140 medical and allied health academic journals is critically appraised. Only those articles deemed by clinicians to be methodologically sound, relevant and newsworthy are posted.

Articles are updated weekly and a searchable archive is kept on the NCCMT website. The service comes to NCCMT via the McMaster Health Knowledge Refinery.

Evidence-Informed Public Health

An interactive, step-by-step online guide to help you implement the best available evidence into your public health program and policy decisions.

Evidence Related to Chronic Disease Programming in Public Health

A web-based collection of systematic reviews focused on the effectiveness of interventions to prevent chronic disease. The reviews are categorized and readily searchable by disease, audience, setting or intervention strategy. This resource was created in collaboration with health-evidence.ca. (By opening this resource, you are entering the Health Evidence website. Health Evidence is a registry of review level evidence relevant to public health.)

NCCMT Newsletter

Please Note:

All NCCMT products are available in both French and English. Some papers and services may include links to sites that are available in one language only.

© 2010 National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools