NCCMT
 
McMaster

Evidence-Informed Decision Making in Public Health

What is Evidence-Informed Decision Making in Public Health?

The process of distilling and disseminating the best available evidence from research, context and experience, and using that evidence to inform and improve public health practice and policy.

Put simply, it means finding, using and sharing what works in public health.

STEPS in Evidence-Informed Decision Making in Public Health

Click on the diagram below for more information and helpful links to help you understand how to complete each step of the process. Find links to recommended methods and tools from our Registry that are applicable to each step.

Colorful wheel showing the seven steps in evidence-informed decision-making: define, search, appraise, synthesize, adapt, implement, and evaluate. -DEFINE: Colorful wheel for evidence-informed decision making. Step one of seven, Define, is raised. This is the red section of the wheel. -SEARCH: 6S Pyramid describing six levels of evidence. The higher levels of the pyramid represent more synthesized evidence. From top to bottom: systems, summaries, synopses of syntheses, syntheses, synopses of single studies, studies. Colorful wheel for evidence-informed decision-making. Step two of seven, Search, is raised. This is the orange section of the wheel. -APPRAISE: Colorful wheel for evidence-informed decision-making. Step three of seven, Appraise, is raised. This is the yellow section of the wheel. -SYNTHESIZE: Colorful wheel for evidence-informed decision-making. Step four of seven, Synthesize, is raised. This is the green section of the wheel. -ADAPT: Colorful wheel for evidence-informed decision-making. Step five of seven, Adapt, is raised. This is the blue section of the wheel. -IMPLEMENT: Colorful wheel for evidence-informed decision-making. Step six of seven, Implement, is raised. This is the dark blue section of the wheel. -EVALUATE: Colorful wheel for evidence-informed decision-making. Step seven of seven, Evaluate, is raised. This is the purple section of the wheel. EIPH Wheel

Clearly define the question or problem.

Define Search Appraise Synthesize Adapt Implement Evaluate

A model for evidence-informed decision making in public health

A model for evidence-informed decision making in public health

Evidence-informed decision making in public health considers the valuable evidence from a variety of sources:

  • community health issues and local context
  • existing public health resources
  • community and political climate
  • the best available research findings

Decision makers must rely on their public health expertise to integrate all relevant factors into any conclusions or recommendations.

For more information about evidence-informed decision making refer to our factsheet.

Click here to read more about how the NCCMT can help you to use evidence-informed decision making in public health in practice, featuring the Why it Matters video series exploring the importance of evidence-informed decision making in public health from the perspectives of four public health experts.

Check out the Learning Centre for our suite of online modules and other resources to support your evidence-informed decision making in public health skills.

Resources

Fact Sheet

A Model for Evidence-Informed Decision-Making in Public Health
[PDF, 348Kb]

Online Learning Module

Introduction to Evidence-Informed Decision Making

Backgrounder

An Introduction to Evidence-Informed Public Health and A Compendium of Critical Appraisal Tools for Public Health Practice (Ciliska, et al)
[PDF, 613Kb]