A review of the process of knowledge transfer and use of evidence in reproductive and child health in Ghana

  • Health Research Policy and Systems, Volume 16, No. 1, Year 2018

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Study Justification:
– The study aims to examine the production, dissemination, and utilization of reproductive and child health-related evidence to inform policy formulation in Ghana’s health sector.
– The findings of the study can provide insights into the strengths, opportunities, and challenges of the health sector in Ghana in terms of knowledge transfer and research utilization.
– The study can help identify areas for improvement and provide recommendations to enhance the use of evidence in policy-making.
Study Highlights:
– The health sector in Ghana has strong knowledge production capacity and a positive environment for evidence-informed policy.
– Major opportunities include access to donors for funding research and collaboration with local and international networks.
– Challenges include the absence of a robust mechanism for collating research needs, communicating research findings to policy-makers, and incorporating research funding into the health sector’s budget.
Study Recommendations:
– The Ministry of Health and its agencies should leverage existing strengths and opportunities to address the identified challenges.
– Establish a robust institutional-wide mechanism for collating research needs and communicating them to researchers.
– Improve the communication of research findings in forms that are friendlier to policy-makers.
– Incorporate funding for research into the budget of the health sector.
Key Role Players:
– Ministry of Health
– Ghana Health Service
– Navrongo Health Research Centre
– Kintampo Health Research Centre
– Dodowa Health Research Centre
– Local and international NGOs in the health sector
– Donors
– Academia
Cost Items for Planning Recommendations:
– Development and implementation of a robust institutional-wide mechanism for research needs collation and communication.
– Training and capacity building for researchers and policy-makers on effective communication of research findings.
– Integration of research funding into the health sector’s budget.
– Collaboration and networking activities with local and international partners.
– Monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of recommendations.

The strength of evidence for this abstract is 7 out of 10.
The evidence in the abstract is based on a qualitative research method and includes data gathered through interviews, discussions, and a review of relevant literature and websites. The study used a conceptual model to collect data and presented findings that highlight the strengths, opportunities, and challenges in the knowledge transfer and use of evidence in reproductive and child health in Ghana. The abstract provides a clear overview of the methods and results of the study. However, to improve the strength of the evidence, the abstract could include more specific details about the sample size, selection criteria, and data analysis methods used in the study.

Background: The paper carries out a situational analysis to examine the production, dissemination and utilisation of reproductive and child health-related evidence to inform policy formulation in Ghana’s health sector. Methods: The study used Wald’s model of knowledge production, transfer and utilisation as a conceptual model to collect relevant data via interviews and administration of questionnaire to a network of persons who either previously or currently hold policy-relevant positions in Ghana’s health sector. Additional data was also gathered through a scoping review of the knowledge transfer and research utilisation literature, existing reproductive and child health policies, protocols and guidelines and information available on the websites of relevant institutions in Ghana’s health sector. Results: The findings of the study suggest that the health sector in Ghana has major strengths (strong knowledge production capacity, a positive environment for the promotion of evidence-informed policy) and opportunities (access to major donors who have the resources to fund good quality research and access to both local and international networks for collaborative research). What remains a challenge, however, is the absence of a robust institutional-wide mechanism for collating research needs and communicating these to researchers, communicating research findings in forms that are friendlier to policy-makers and the inability to incorporate funding for research into the budget of the health sector. Conclusion: The study concludes, admonishing the Ministry of Health and its agencies to leverage on the existing strengths and opportunities to address the identified challenges.

Using a qualitative research method, the paper conducts a situational analysis of the process of knowledge transfer and utilisation of research evidence to inform RCH policy in Ghana. Data for the paper was gathered through a two-stage process. The first stage focused on collecting initial data for analysis. The first step of the first stage reviewed grey literature (i.e. policies, protocols and practice guidelines; Tables 1 and 2) that could potentially provide information on the use of evidence to inform policy. This was followed with interviews and discussions with persons who either previously held or currently hold a senior level position (Director, Deputy Director, Programme Officer, etc.) in the GHS or Ministry of Health (MOH). The discussions and interviews focused on understanding the capacity of the health sector to produce, disseminate and use research evidence to inform RCH policy. Profile and characteristics of policy documents on reproductive and child health in Ghana Profile and characteristic protocols and practice guidelines on reproductive and child health in Ghana Additional data was also acquired through the review of information provided on the website of MOH and its agencies, specifically, GHS and related departments. These include the Navrongo Health Research Centre (NHRC), the Kintampo Health Research Centre (KHRC) and the Dodowa Health Research Centre (DHRC). The website review focused on gathering information on the capacity of the research centres to produce evidence and convert the evidence to a form that can easily be used by policy-makers. In addition, the websites of the GHS research centres (https://mamaye.org/welcome-e4a-mamaye), a popular website with informative content on RCH issues in Ghana and other West African countries was also reviewed. Additionally, RCH-related literature on Ghana was reviewed to gather evidence on the capacity of Ghana’s health sector to generate scientific evidence to support policy-making in RCH. This was done via a search through recognised public health-related databases and publishers (BMC, Elsevier, Oxford, PubMed, African Journals Online and Global Health Archives) and Google Scholar using the following search topics: (1) knowledge transfer and health policy; (2) evidence-informed health policy; (3) evidence and maternal health policy in Ghana; (4) evidence and child health policy in Ghana; (5) evidence and newborn health policy in Ghana; and (6) reproductive and child health intervention scale-up in Ghana. Based on the above search criteria, peer-reviewed journal articles on RCH published in English since 2000, were retrieved. Overall, 77 out of a total of 534 articles retrieved were selected and reviewed. The 77 were selected on the basis of relevance and are made up of (1) 39 articles on RCH-related evidence in Ghana with at least one author being a staff member of MOH/GHS (Table 3); (2) 28 articles on RCH-related evidence in Ghana authored by researchers outside of MOH/GHS (Table 4); and (3) 10 articles on scaling-up of RCH-related projects in Ghana (Table 5). Profile and characteristics of scientific contributions of staff from the Ghana Ministry of Health/Ghana Health Service and related agencies Profile and characteristics of available evidence outside of Ghana Ministry of Health/Ghana Health Service that can be used to inform reproductive and child health policy in Ghana Profile and characteristics of papers on scaling up of reproductive and child health interventions in Ghana In the second stage, a draft report based on data collected in the first stage was presented to a meeting of 36 participants drawn from Ghana’s health sector (i.e. mainly policy-makers/managers/senior officials within the MOH and related agencies, local and international NGOs in the health sector, donors and academia) and working in RCH for comments. The comments provided were used to amend the draft report. In addition to the comments, a questionnaire was administered to participants of the stakeholder meeting, to captured respondent data in relation to official designation attributes; knowledge and application of information communication technology; knowledge of the policy-making process; capacity to use evidence; knowledge of policy and policy-making processes related to MNCH; acquisition of research evidence relevant to MNCH; assessment of the validity, quality and application of research evidence relevant to MNCH; ability to adapt formats of research results to provide information useful to decision-makers in MNCH; and application of evidence in decision-making relevant to MNCH. A total of 15 participants (GHS n = 7, MOH n = 1, NGOs n = 4, Donors and Academia n = 4) responded to the questionnaire. Besides the questionnaire, we solicited and incorporated the views of the 36 participants on what they believe promotes the use of evidence in their workplace through group discussions. Specifically, participants deliberated on issues related to aptitudes, skills, institutional environment, platforms/mechanisms, sources of evidence, nature of evidence, opportunity for the use of evidence and support needed to use evidence for policy formulation. Although participants in the group discussion and respondents to the questionnaire were in the stakeholder meeting as representatives of their respective organisations, their participation was based on their consent and not on compulsion. Data from the questionnaire and group discussions was analysed and reflected in the draft report. It is important to emphasise that data collected was analysed and presented along the themes/components of knowledge transfer and research utilisation framework presented in Fig. 1.

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Based on the information provided, it appears that the paper focuses on the process of knowledge transfer and use of evidence in reproductive and child health (RCH) in Ghana. The study identifies strengths and opportunities in the health sector, as well as challenges that need to be addressed. However, the paper does not explicitly state specific innovations or recommendations to improve access to maternal health.
AI Innovations Description
The paper you described is a situational analysis of the process of knowledge transfer and utilization of research evidence to inform reproductive and child health (RCH) policy in Ghana. The study identifies strengths and opportunities in the health sector in Ghana, such as strong knowledge production capacity and access to major donors and collaborative research networks. However, it also highlights challenges, including the absence of a robust mechanism for communicating research needs to researchers, presenting research findings in a policy-friendly manner, and incorporating funding for research into the health sector’s budget.

Based on the findings, the study recommends that the Ministry of Health and its agencies leverage the existing strengths and opportunities to address the identified challenges. Here are some specific recommendations that can be developed into innovations to improve access to maternal health:

1. Establish an institutional-wide mechanism for collating research needs: Develop a system that allows policymakers and stakeholders in the health sector to identify and communicate their research needs effectively. This can be done through a centralized platform or database where research priorities can be documented and shared with researchers.

2. Improve communication of research findings to policymakers: Develop strategies to present research findings in a format that is easily understandable and applicable to policymakers. This can include the use of infographics, policy briefs, and other user-friendly formats that summarize key findings and recommendations.

3. Strengthen funding for research in the health sector: Advocate for the inclusion of funding for research activities in the budget of the health sector. This can help ensure sustained support for research initiatives and promote evidence-informed policy-making.

4. Enhance collaboration between researchers and policymakers: Facilitate collaboration and knowledge exchange between researchers and policymakers. This can be achieved through regular forums, workshops, and conferences where researchers and policymakers can interact, share knowledge, and discuss research findings.

5. Promote the use of evidence in decision-making: Develop capacity-building programs to enhance policymakers’ skills in accessing, appraising, and applying research evidence in decision-making processes. This can include training workshops, online courses, and mentorship programs.

By implementing these recommendations, Ghana’s health sector can improve access to maternal health by ensuring that research evidence is effectively utilized to inform policy formulation and decision-making processes.
AI Innovations Methodology
The paper you provided describes a qualitative research methodology used to conduct a situational analysis of the process of knowledge transfer and utilization of research evidence to inform reproductive and child health (RCH) policy in Ghana. The methodology involved collecting data through a two-stage process.

In the first stage, the researchers reviewed grey literature such as policies, protocols, and practice guidelines related to RCH in Ghana. They also conducted interviews and discussions with individuals who held or currently hold senior-level positions in the Ghana Health Service (GHS) or Ministry of Health (MOH). These interviews aimed to understand the capacity of the health sector to produce, disseminate, and use research evidence for policy-making. Additionally, the researchers reviewed information available on the websites of the MOH, GHS, and research centers such as the Navrongo Health Research Centre, Kintampo Health Research Centre, and Dodowa Health Research Centre. This website review focused on gathering information about the research centers’ capacity to produce evidence and convert it into a form usable by policy-makers. The researchers also reviewed RCH-related literature on Ghana by searching recognized public health-related databases, publishers, and Google Scholar.

In the second stage, a draft report based on the data collected in the first stage was presented to a meeting of 36 participants from Ghana’s health sector, including policy-makers, managers, senior officials, NGOs, donors, and academia. The participants provided comments on the draft report, and a questionnaire was administered to capture respondent data related to various aspects of knowledge transfer and research utilization. The questionnaire covered topics such as knowledge of information communication technology, policy-making processes, capacity to use evidence, acquisition and assessment of research evidence, and application of evidence in decision-making. The participants’ views on what promotes the use of evidence in their workplace were also solicited through group discussions.

The data collected from the questionnaire and group discussions was analyzed and reflected in the draft report, following the themes/components of the knowledge transfer and research utilization framework presented in the paper.

To simulate the impact of recommendations on improving access to maternal health, a methodology could involve the following steps:

1. Identify the recommendations: Based on the findings of the situational analysis and the challenges identified, specific recommendations can be formulated to improve access to maternal health. These recommendations could include strategies to enhance knowledge transfer, improve communication of research findings to policy-makers, and incorporate funding for research into the health sector’s budget.

2. Define indicators: Determine the indicators that will be used to measure the impact of the recommendations on improving access to maternal health. These indicators could include metrics such as the number of research needs collated and communicated to researchers, the number of research findings communicated in policy-friendly formats, and the amount of funding allocated to research in the health sector’s budget.

3. Collect baseline data: Collect data on the current status of the identified indicators before implementing the recommendations. This will serve as a baseline against which the impact of the recommendations can be measured.

4. Implement the recommendations: Put the recommendations into action, ensuring that the necessary resources and support are provided.

5. Monitor and evaluate: Continuously monitor the implementation of the recommendations and collect data on the identified indicators. Evaluate the progress and impact of the recommendations on improving access to maternal health.

6. Analyze the data: Analyze the collected data to assess the impact of the recommendations. Compare the post-implementation data with the baseline data to determine the extent of improvement in access to maternal health.

7. Report and disseminate findings: Summarize the findings of the impact assessment and communicate them to relevant stakeholders, including policy-makers, researchers, and healthcare providers. This will help inform future decision-making and improve the effectiveness of interventions aimed at improving access to maternal health.

By following this methodology, it will be possible to simulate the impact of recommendations on improving access to maternal health and provide evidence-based insights for policy formulation and decision-making.


Statistics:
Citations: 10
Identifiers:
DOI: 10.1186/s12961-018-0350-9
Research Areas:
Community Interventions, Health System and Policy, Maternal and Child Health, Quality of Care, Sexual and Reproductive Health, Technology and Innovations
Study Countries:
Ghana
Study Design:
randomised-control-trial
Study Approach:
Mixed-methods, Qualitative, Systematic Review
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