Article type
Abstract
Background: The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a global agenda to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure peace and prosperity. With only 6 years left, many countries face challenges in achieving some of the targets. In this context, there is a need for more relevant evidence to inform policy and practice decisions. To facilitate the use of evidence for achieving the SDGs, researchers need to identify the most appropriate methods to answer the questions of decision makers. This presentation will introduce the Matching Policy and Practice Questions to Methodological approaches (Matching Q-M) tool, a novel effort to help researchers and decision makers identify the right questions behind decision-making needs and matching them to the most suitable methodological approaches.
Objectives: The presentation aims to demonstrate how the tool works, how it was developed, and how it can be applied in different contexts, particularly to facilitate the uses of research in achieving the SDGs by 2030.
Methods: The Matching Q-M tool was developed in 2 parts. First, a global cross-sectional survey was conducted to collect all the questions that evidence-support centers have addressed. Second, a Delphi study was conducted to select the most suitable matches of study design for each type of question.
Results: Twenty-nine different centers participated in creating a list of more than 200 questions. A taxonomy of 40 different types of question was structured across the 4 stages of the decision-making cycle. A group of 30 methodological experts were included in the Delphi study to provide insights on the type of study design that better match each type of question to create specific pools of study designs per type of question.
Conclusion: This presentation will show a novel tool that facilitates the connection between decision making needs and evidence production. The Matching Q-M tool can help researchers and decision-makers to prioritize questions, as well as selecting the most appropriate methodological approaches to answer questions.
Relevance and importance to the public: The presentation will be of interest to policymakers, citizens, researchers, and stakeholders who want to strengthen the connections between evidence and decision-making to achieve the SDGs.
Objectives: The presentation aims to demonstrate how the tool works, how it was developed, and how it can be applied in different contexts, particularly to facilitate the uses of research in achieving the SDGs by 2030.
Methods: The Matching Q-M tool was developed in 2 parts. First, a global cross-sectional survey was conducted to collect all the questions that evidence-support centers have addressed. Second, a Delphi study was conducted to select the most suitable matches of study design for each type of question.
Results: Twenty-nine different centers participated in creating a list of more than 200 questions. A taxonomy of 40 different types of question was structured across the 4 stages of the decision-making cycle. A group of 30 methodological experts were included in the Delphi study to provide insights on the type of study design that better match each type of question to create specific pools of study designs per type of question.
Conclusion: This presentation will show a novel tool that facilitates the connection between decision making needs and evidence production. The Matching Q-M tool can help researchers and decision-makers to prioritize questions, as well as selecting the most appropriate methodological approaches to answer questions.
Relevance and importance to the public: The presentation will be of interest to policymakers, citizens, researchers, and stakeholders who want to strengthen the connections between evidence and decision-making to achieve the SDGs.