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- Home
- Repositories
  - The Registry of Methods and Tools for Evidence-Informed Decision Making
  - Methods and Tools for Organizational Change
  - Health Evidence™
  - Repository of Public Health Evidence Syntheses
- Training
  - Videos
  - Evidence-Informed Decision-Making Competence Measure
  - Learning Needs Assessment for Evidence-Informed Decision Making
  - Online Learning Modules
  - Webinars
  - Workshops
  - Knowledge Broker Virtual Office Hours
- Tools
  - Evidence-Informed Decision Making in Public Health
  - 6S Search Pyramid
  - Anatomy of a Systematic Review
  - Rapid Review Guidebook
  - EvSyS: The Evidence Synthesis Selection Tool for Decision Makers
  - Algorithm for Classifying the Study Design of Primary Studies
  - Quality Assessment of Community Evidence (QACE) Tools
  - Resource Planning and Assessment (RPA) Tool
  - Assessing Applicability and Transferability of Evidence Tool (A&T Tool)
  - Mental Health Resources for Healthcare Workers
- Rapid Evidence Service
- Impact
  - Evidence-Informed Decision Making Casebook
  - Impact of the Knowledge Broker Mentoring Program
  - Why It Matters
  - NCCMT Publications
  - User Stories
  - Outreach
  - KT Student Awards
- About Us
  - About the NCCMT
  - Our Funder
  - Our Host Institution
  - The National Collaborating Centres
  - Team Members
  - Advisory Board Members
  - Students
  - COVID-19 Evidence Network to support Decision-making (COVID-END)
  - Contact Us

Interpreting Health Statistics for Policymaking: The Story Behind the Headlines

Walker, N., Bryce, J. & Black, R. (2007). Interpreting health statistics for policymaking: The story behind the headlines. The Lancet, 369(9565), 956-963. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(08)61345-8

Journal article

Description

This method offers decision-makers guidance on how to correctly interpret statistics for decision-making purposes. The method outlines tips for appraisal and implementation of statistics in public health.

Steps for Using Method/Tool

The method guides users through five key questions:

What metric is used in the statistic?
Is the statistic a valid measure of population health?
How good are the input data and estimation methods?
Do contextual factors have a role?
How is uncertainty addressed?

These summaries are written by the NCCMT to condense and to provide an overview of the resources listed in the Registry of Methods and Tools and to give suggestions for their use in a public health context. For more information on individual methods and tools included in the review, please consult the authors/developers of the original resources.

We have provided the resources and links as a convenience and for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by McMaster University of any of the products, services or opinions of the external organizations, nor have the external organizations endorsed their resources and links as provided by McMaster University. McMaster University bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external sites.