GESI-SPARK-K2P workshop: making systematic reviews impactful and responsive to stakeholders’ needs through knowledge translation strategies and tools

Article type
Authors
Fadlallah R1, Bou-Karroum L2, Lotfi T3, Akl E4
1American University of Beirut
2American University of Beirut
3Global Evidence Synthesis Initiative (GESI), American University of Beirut (AUB)
4Center for Systematic Reviews on Health Policy & Systems Research (SPARK), American University of Beirut
Abstract
Background:
The Global Evidence Synthesis Initiative (GESI), which was launched to enhance capacity to undertake evidence syntheses and support their use in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), established the GESI Network of 37 centres from 24 LMICs. The GESI Network needs assessment, conducted by the GESI Secretariat, identified that one of the needs of this Network was capacity building in Knowledge Translation and engagement with policymakers.
This workshop is being run in collaboration with the Center for Systematic Reviews on Health Policy and Systems Research (SPARK) and the Knowledge to Policy (K2P) Center at the American University of Beirut. SPARK specializes in the production of policy-relevant systematic reviews that address health policy and systems priorities. The K2P Center is a World Health Organization collaborating center for evidence-informed policy and practice.

Objectives:
- To understand the role of systematic reviews in evidence-informed policymaking
- To familiarize participants with commonly used Knowledge Translation (KT) strategies and tools to package research evidence and support its use in policy decision-making
- To understand how to apply different KT products to promote evidence-informed policymaking
- To reflect on the engagement of a range of stakeholders including policymakers, researchers, civil society organizations, patients and citizens in different stages, from priority setting to knowledge translation to achieve policy impact

Description:
- Short interactive presentation on policymaking and role of policy-relevant systematic reviews (10 minutes)
- Short interactive presentation on existing KT approaches, tools and platforms to promote use of evidence in policymaking (10 minutes)
- Hands-on exercise on selected KT products; Evidence Briefs for Policy, Support Summaries, Rapid Response Products , and Media Bites (60 minutes)
- Identifying the characteristics of selected KT products, how they differ from systematic reviews and from each other, and their applicability
- Reflections and group discussions (10 minutes)