Encouraging and supporting Australian policy makers to use Cochrane reviews: what have we learnt so far?

Tags: Oral
Misso M, Brennan S, Green S

Background: The Policy Liaison Initiative is a collaboration between the Australasian Cochrane Centre and the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing (DHA) to encourage and support evidence-based approaches to policy making. Funded by DHA, the initiative aims to address barriers to using research evidence, particularly Cochrane reviews. Strategies include:

- establishment of an Evidence-Based Policy Network (EBPN) at DHA with a dedicated website to disseminate regular bulletins and project outputs;

- web-based summaries of Cochrane reviews in National Health Priority Areas to allow rapid identification of research gaps and effective, ineffective and harmful interventions;

- seminars, workshops and a helpdesk to increase skills and confidence in finding and using Cochrane reviews and other evidence.

Objective: To evaluate the Policy Liaison Initiative and inform the design of future strategies used to encourage and support use of Cochrane reviews in health policy.

Methods: A baseline survey was conducted in October 2003 on knowledge, attitudes and current use of evidence by policy makers in DHA. Barriers to the use of evidence were assessed and this informed the support and resources provided. The survey was repeated in December 2004 and additional questions were included to evaluate the support and resources.

Results: Twenty-nine policy makers completed the baseline survey and 31 of the 166 EBPN members (19%) completed the survey in December 2004. There was strong support for evidence-based practice and its role in health policy decision making. Interactive workshops, seminars and bulletins were considered relevant and valuable. Eight respondents reported having developed a policy proposal using a Cochrane review; seven of these had been implemented. Most respondents felt that the initiative should continue. Constructive suggestions were received on how to increase use of Cochrane summaries. Difficulties with obtaining a representative sample in this setting have limited our ability to draw firm conclusions. However, respondents in the December survey were more confident using and applying EBP skills and reported higher use of Cochrane reviews, a finding that warrants further investigation.

Conclusions: The Policy Liaison Initiative has the potential to increase the use of Cochrane reviews to inform health policy and an evidence-based research agenda.