New Findings from University of Southern Denmark Describe Advances in Environmental Research and Public Health (Policymakers’ Research Capacities, Engagement, and Use of Research in Public Health Policymaking): Environmental Health – Environmental Research and Public Health

2021 NOV 29 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Research findings on environmental research and public health are discussed in a new report. According to news reporting originating from Esbjerg, Denmark, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “The use of research in public health policymaking is one of the prerequisites for successfully implemented health policies which have better population health as an outcome.”

Our news editors obtained a quote from the research from University of Southern Denmark: “This policy process is influenced by the actors involved under the policy umbrella, with inter-related contextual factors and specific structural and institutional circumstances. Our study investigates how policymakers’ research capacities influence the use of research in the health policy process and identify areas where capacity-building interventions give the most meaning and impact. Furthermore, we investigate policymakers’ research engagement and use this to inform public health policy in the public sector in Denmark. We collect and report data using Seeking, Engaging with, and Evaluation Research (SEER) methodology. Policymakers are reported to have research capacity, but it is questionable how those competences have actually been used in policymaking. Decision-makers were often not aware or did not know about the existing organizational tools and systems for research engagement and use and two third of respondents had not been part of any research activities or had any collaboration with researchers.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “Overall, research use in public health policymaking and evaluation was limited. As a conclusion, we propose that capacity-building interventions for increasing research use and collaboration in EIPM should be context-oriented, measurable, and sustainable in developing individual and organizational competences.”

For more information on this research see: Policymakers’ Research Capacities, Engagement, and Use of Research in Public Health Policymaking. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021,18(11014):11014. (International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health - http://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph). The publisher for International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is MDPI AG.

A free version of this journal article is available at https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182111014.

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Natasa Loncarevic, Unit for Health Promotion Research, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Degnevej 14, 6700 Esbjerg, Denmark. Additional authors for this research include Pernille Tanggaard Andersen, Anja Leppin, Maja Bertram.

(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)