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The interactions between high-speed rail (HSR) and air transportation systems constitute a complex, evolving integral component of our modern transportation landscape. Over recent decades, changes in travel patterns and growing environmental concerns, spurred by advancements in railway technology, have significantly influenced the dynamics of these two transportation modes. While previous reviews on this subject have provided seminal insights, there is a necessity for a novel synthesis of research findings in recent years, given that extant reviews have covered the evolving landscape until the year 2018 only. This review critically evaluates the latest literature to analyze five aspects regarding air/HSR interactions: Modal integration/modal competition, bi-directional impacts, emission aspects, robustness/resilience perspectives, and some other related work. In addition, we propose a set of ten challenging research questions, highlighting the need for concerted research efforts, considerations of more practical decision factors, and evidence-based policy making to foster a sustainable and resilient integration of air/HSR systems in the 21st century. • We review interactions between high-speed rail and air transportation. • Our baseline are four surveys in the extant literature. • Papers published since the year 2018 are focus of our investigation. • We conclude with a discussion of ten unique challenges for future work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Legislation produced under the EU Commission's Better Regulation Agenda sometimes fails to achieve the Treaty obligation to ensure a high level of health protection in all EU policies and activities. Public health advocates have raised the question of whether EU law can be employed to challenge this apparent breach of Treaty obligations at the proposal preparation stage, compelling the Commission to amend prospective EU legislation so that it better protects health. This article will demonstrate that unfortunately this is not possible due to the justiciability of both Article 168 TFEU and the Better Regulation Agenda. However, this awareness can help public health advocates to re-focus their efforts on strategies that will likely have a greater impact in swaying the direction of EU health policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IMPACT: This article investigates the autonomy and control of municipally owned corporations (MOCs) in the context of two centralized states: Turkey and Israel. It identifies the strategic and operational autonomy of MOCs, referring to logics of appropriateness and consequentiality explanations for factual autonomy. The study emphasizes the hybrid nature of most MOCs, subject to both private and public law. It proposes a new typology based on MOCs' legal structures to address limitations of current typologies. The comparative analysis using the new typology provides nuanced understanding of MOC autonomy in centralized states and equips practitioners with insights that can lead to tangible improvements. Results may steer further comparative research to identify broader patterns of control in MOC governance. They also provide practitioners and policy-makers with insights on fostering more efficient and effective MOC governance, and proposing evidence-based policy recommendations that balance the autonomy and control of MOCs. Corporatization of local government is a common practice in centralized states, where municipally owned corporations (MOCs) can increase local autonomy and generate independent municipal revenue. The authors' comparative analysis of MOC autonomy in Turkey and Israel shows that, in traditional service areas, public accountability is prioritized over performance in MOCs. The traditional distinction between MOCs based on public law and private law was found to be inadequate, as most MOCs are hybrid and subject to both public and private law. The findings highlight the importance of central government control as a key driver behind MOC autonomy formation. This research contributes to the agency, local government and MOC literatures by introducing a new MOC typology based on factual autonomy which can be operationalized to study cross-sectional and cross-sectoral patterns for MOC autonomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Home-based chemotherapy (HBC) has emerged as a standard option for treating various types of cancer, primarily to decrease the waiting time for treatment. As HBC gains more recognition, ongoing research is delving into the experiences of patients with cancer who receive chemotherapy in a home setting or chemotherapy closer to home. Understanding these experiences is vital for the use of chemotherapy delivery outside the traditional hospital environments. This review aims to synthesize and critically appraise qualitative studies that investigate the experience and perspectives of patients with cancer who received parenteral chemotherapy administration in home settings. Findings will be used to develop evidence-based policies to support home-based care models. Methods: This review will follow JBI methods for systematic reviews of qualitative evidence. The databases for searching will include MEDLINE (PubMed), CINAHL (EBSCOhost), PsycINFO (EBSCOhost), ProQuest Health and Medical Collection, two Chinese databases, CNKI and Wanfang, and one Thai database, ThaiJO. Studies published in English, Chinese, and Thai will be considered for inclusion. Two reviewers will independently undertake study selection, data extraction, and critical appraisal of the methodological quality of studies. The synthesized findings will be assessed using the ConQual approach. Discussion: The synthesis of qualitative studies on this topic will provide insights into the nuanced and varied experiences of patients receiving chemotherapy within the comfort of their homes. The review will also provide evidence-based recommendations to policymakers and healthcare administrators, to support the implementation of HBC for patients. Systematic review registration: Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42024500476. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to generate novel insights by examining gender dynamics within aquaculture and small-scale fisheries, employing a gendered agrifood systems conceptual framework to comprehensively analyze gender equality and women's empowerment in aquatic food systems. To do this, it evaluates 202 articles using a scoping review methodology. Though additional literature from 19 articles was pulled in to provide the context. The findings are that aquatic foods value chains and food environment are negatively impacted by gender disparities in terms of women's agency, access to and control over resources, gendered social norms, and policies and governance. This hampers the ability of women to engage in and benefit from aquatic food systems. This results in gendered disparities in dietary outcomes, low achievements in relation to gender equality and women's empowerment, and less adaptive capacity in relation to developing resilient livelihoods. The article acknowledges the importance of developing and leveraging women's agency and bargaining power, strengthening their access to and control over key aquatic food systems resources, tackling harmful gender norms, developing gender-sensitive data collection and analysis to inform evidence-based policymaking, and implementing gender-responsive and gender-transformative policies and strategies to create an enabling environment for these interventions to succeed. Investment in multi-level, and multi-layered, gender-responsive and gender-transformative approaches are needed to co-develop - with women and their organizations - positive, gender-equitable norms to strengthen women's agency and decision-making at a variety of levels, ranging from individual to policy level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Systematic reviews (SRs) are time-consuming and labor-intensive to perform. With the growing number of scientific publications, the SR development process becomes even more laborious. This is problematic because timely SR evidence is essential for decision-making in evidence-based healthcare and policymaking. Numerous methods and tools that accelerate SR development have recently emerged. To date, no scoping review has been conducted to provide a comprehensive summary of methods and ready-to-use tools to improve efficiency in SR production. Objective: To present an overview of primary studies that evaluated the use of ready-to-use applications of tools or review methods to improve efficiency in the review process. Methods: We conducted a scoping review. An information specialist performed a systematic literature search in four databases, supplemented with citation-based and grey literature searching. We included studies reporting the performance of methods and ready-to-use tools for improving efficiency when producing or updating a SR in the health field. We performed dual, independent title and abstract screening, full-text selection, and data extraction. The results were analyzed descriptively and presented narratively. Results: We included 103 studies: 51 studies reported on methods, 54 studies on tools, and 2 studies reported on both methods and tools to make SR production more efficient. A total of 72 studies evaluated the validity (n = 69) or usability (n = 3) of one method (n = 33) or tool (n = 39), and 31 studies performed comparative analyses of different methods (n = 15) or tools (n = 16). 20 studies conducted prospective evaluations in real-time workflows. Most studies evaluated methods or tools that aimed at screening titles and abstracts (n = 42) and literature searching (n = 24), while for other steps of the SR process, only a few studies were found. Regarding the outcomes included, most studies reported on validity outcomes (n = 84), while outcomes such as impact on results (n = 23), time-saving (n = 24), usability (n = 13), and cost-saving (n = 3) were less often evaluated. Conclusion: For title and abstract screening and literature searching, various evaluated methods and tools are available that aim at improving the efficiency of SR production. However, only few studies have addressed the influence of these methods and tools in real-world workflows. Few studies exist that evaluate methods or tools supporting the remaining tasks. Additionally, while validity outcomes are frequently reported, there is a lack of evaluation regarding other outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient M&E system in public healthcare is crucial for achieving universal health coverage in low- and middle-income countries, especially when the need for service remains unmet due to the exposure of the population to disaster risks and uncertainties. Current research has conducted exploratory and predictive analyses to estimate the determinants of sustainable M&E solutions for ensuring uninterrupted access during and after disasters. The aim was to estimate the efficiency of reaching a higher M&E production frontier via the Cobb‒Douglas model and stochastic frontier model as the basic theoretical and empirical frameworks. The research followed a deductive approach and used a stratified purposive sampling method to collect data from different layers of health and disaster governance in a flood-prone rural setting in the Malda, South 24 Parganas and Purulia districts in West Bengal, India. The present mixed-method study revealed multiple challenges in healthcare seeking during disasters and how a well-structured M&E system can increase system readiness to combat these challenges. The stochastic frontier model estimated the highest M&E frontier producing the most attainable M&E effectiveness through horizontal convergence between departments, enhanced coordination, the availability of frontline health workers at health centers, the adoption of learned innovation and the outsourcing of the evaluation component to external evaluators to improve M&E process quality. Although the study has several limitations, it shows the potential to increase technical and allocative efficiency through building skills in innovative techniques and applying them in process implementation. In the future, research on strategy improvement followed by real-world evidence-based policy advocacy is needed to increase the impact of M&E on access to healthcare services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information on the effects of changing agricultural management on crop and livestock performance is critical for developing evidence-based policies, investments, and programs. Evidence for Resilient Agriculture (ERA) v1.0.1 presents a dataset that harmonizes and aggregates 112,859 observations from 2,011 agricultural studies taken place in Africa between 1934 and 2018. The dataset includes information on the effect of 364 combinations of management practices and technologies on 87 environmental, social, and economic indicators of outcomes. Observations are geolocated and temporally tagged and thus can be linked to other datasets such as historical weather, soil properties, and road networks. ERA offers a new resource for understanding the impacts of changing farming practices under diverse environmental contexts, providing data to support strategic interventions aimed to enhance productivity, resilience, and sustainability of African agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, food systems are undergoing major transformations to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, there are a lack of comprehensive reviews on this topic in developing countries. This work highlights food systems' transition towards sustainability, focusing on Morocco. It was carried out through searching, selecting, evaluating, and synthesizing existing relevant scholarly and gray literature. In Morocco, a meaningful transition towards sustainability is being guided and carried out on several levels, despite numerous challenges, e.g., inability to cope with the detrimental effects of climate change and escalating water scarcity constitute fundamental problems. However, there are conflicting views on the outcomes of food system transformation. Some studies showed that Morocco has increased its agri-food export and reduced poverty to less than 5% of the population over the past decade; the proportion of wasted and malnourished children has declined from 25 to 15% and 4 to 3%, respectively, and the 2023 Global Hunger Index (GHI) showed a score of 9.0. Other studies showed that North Africa has entered a food security crisis; specifically, food inflation has reached unprecedented levels in Morocco. This paper provides valuable insights for policymakers and planners to design evidence-based policies and strategies to boost sustainable development in Morocco. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluating whether sustainability indicator schemes contribute to better sustainable destination management has proven challenging. We adopt a systems thinking approach to shed light on the elusive impacts of sustainable tourism indicator schemes. We conduct online participatory workshops with 19 experts in sustainable tourism monitoring, to produce a causal loop diagram that illustrates how destination systems behave when indicator schemes are implemented. The results show that until now, these schemes have been expected to follow utopian, evidence-based, policy pathways to change, but we now understand that this linear-thinking approach fails to recognize the complex interplay of factors that occur during implementation. We find that indicator schemes can spark a rich, yet unappreciated, series of conceptual, instrumental, and structural dynamics. We conclude that the hidden power of these schemes lies in their ability to foster dialog, stimulate learning, incentivize network development, challenge stakeholder worldviews, and steer systems change toward sustainable destination management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers reflections about the use of a longitudinal qualitative research design in a project which explored the long term impacts of flooding in two communities in North‐East Scotland. A temporal turn in the social sciences has raised the profile of longitudinal qualitative approaches, research whose diachronic framing allows trajectories and nuanced understandings of change to emerge. With reference to research which utilised a planned prospective longitudinal design, we offer reflections on methodological and project management 'lessons learnt' from undertaking a longitudinal qualitative study. Our experiences highlighted the importance of: (i) participant recruitment processes, including a need to 'oversample' to accommodate anticipated attrition rates; (ii) developing and sustaining a relationship between participants and researchers; (iii) reporting interim findings to participants, the funder and flood risk management stakeholders via a project Steering Group in particular; and (iv) agreeing a regular reporting schedule which allowed the funder and stakeholders access to findings during the lifetime of the project which, in turn, allowed impact to be generated before the final report was presented. In sharing our experiences our intention is twofold: to open a debate in human geography about how longitudinal qualitative research could be used more widely, in natural hazards research, rural community change and other research areas; and to illustrate that longitudinal qualitative research generates insights that can contribute to evidence‐based policy development, implementation and evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to apply an empirically derived effect size distribution to benchmark the practical magnitude of interventions aimed at reducing recidivism at the individual level. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of crime intervention evaluations. To establish a framework for benchmarking the magnitude of these interventions, we generated means, medians, tertiles, and interquartile ranges from these analyses. Results: The results of the overall meta-analytic models revealed that crime intervention programs were associated with statistically significant reductions in recidivism regardless of outcome type (k = 74, n = 293, OR [odds ratio] = 1.42, SE = 0.05, p = 0.0001, 95% CI [1.30, 1.57]). Conclusions: Overall, the results from the current study have several important implications for the crime prevention field. Most importantly, the study provided evidence that the tradition of using generalized guidelines for interpreting effect sizes as small/medium/large should be avoided given that they are devoid of context and ignore important variations in effects across interventions and outcomes. Moreover, this study provided an alternative framework to benchmark the practical magnitude of crime intervention programs aimed at reducing recidivism at the individual level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Recreational cannabis legalization (RCL) is expanding rapidly. RCL's effects on mental health issues are of particular concern because cannabis use is more frequent among people receiving psychiatric care and is associated with several psychiatric disorders. The authors conducted a scoping review to examine the evidence and discern gaps in the literature concerning the effects of RCL on mental health and to assess the factors responsible for an observed heterogeneity in research results. Methods: This scoping literature review followed PRISMA guidelines. Five databases—MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, APA PsycInfo, and Web of Science—were searched for English- or French-language reports published between January 1, 2012, and April 30, 2023. Results: Twenty-eight studies from the United States and Canada were found. The studies were classified by category of the study's data (patients receiving psychiatric care [k=1], death records [k=4], emergency department or hospital records [k=10], and the general population [k=13]) and by the diagnosis (schizophrenia or psychoses, mood disorders, anxiety disorders and symptoms, suicide or suicidal ideation, or other mental health issues) examined. The review findings revealed a paucity of research and indicated mixed and largely inconclusive results of the studies examined. Research gaps were found in the examination of potential changes in cannabis use patterns among people receiving psychiatric care and in the availability of longitudinal studies. Conclusions: Clinicians, researchers, and policy makers need to collaborate to address the research gaps and to develop evidence-based policies that reflect a thorough understanding of the effects associated with RCL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The depletion of health professionals' morale and motivation in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic sparked an interest in understanding what drives workers to choose and remain motivated in the health sector. This study contributes to a better understanding of this phenomenon by specifically analyzing the sociodemographic underpinnings of health professionals' public service motivation (PSM) in Portugal. The rationale is to analyze whether PSM varies among health professionals according to gender, age, education, and managerial position in an unexplored area (health) and context (Portugal). A shorter version of the PSM scale was applied to health professionals (doctors and nurses) (n = 413). The results suggest that there are differences regarding gender and age, specifically with female and older participants presenting higher levels of PSM. The same is true for those who hold a managerial position. Our results align with patterns found in studies conducted within other cultural contexts. Most importantly, however, by exploring higher and lower PSM levels according to different sociodemographics, we provide relevant clues for future qualitative studies and formulate practical measures to tackle these issues, thereby strengthening evidence-based policy formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite growing scholarly consensus on the need for nature-based solutions (NBS) as holistic and sustainable alternatives to traditional engineering solutions, stakeholder acceptance and implementation of NBS remain low. This study investigates stakeholder narratives on implementing nature-based solutions (NBS) for mitigating hydro-meteorological risks across five European river basin sites in Eastern and Central Europe. Utilising the Q-methodology and narrative analysis, we identified three ideal–typical narratives: idealist, reformist, and sceptic—each providing distinct perspectives on evidence-based policy formation and NBS integration. Our results demonstrate that: (1) idealists' optimistic outlook risks overlooking critical engagement with implementation challenges; (2) neglecting sceptic concerns may impede NBS adoption and invite accusations of green-washing, and (3) reformists promote evidence-based approaches and transparent stakeholder engagement to bridge narrative divides. The study underscores the importance of identifying shared values, stakeholder collaboration, and a nuanced understanding of contextual factors in fostering NBS implementation. The study contributes to a practical framework aligning NBS projects with prevailing narratives, offering guidance for navigating the complex landscape of NBS implementation. Future research should prioritize in-depth analysis of agent perspectives, place-specific influences on narratives, and the application of narrative analysis to other emerging technologies and environmental topics (e.g. circular economy), deepening our understanding of the socio-political dynamics shaping the acceptance and implementation of sustainable solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Frequent consumption of Energy Drinks (EDs) is associated with numerous health problems, including overweight and obesity, particularly among children and adolescents. The extensive promotion, wide accessibility, and relatively low cost of EDs have significantly increased their popularity among this age group. This paper examines policies/programs that, directly and indirectly, contribute to reducing ED consumption in children and adolescents and shares global experiences to help policymakers adopt evidence-based policies. Methods: A systematic search was performed using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases from January 2000 to June 2024, along with reputable international organization websites, to find literature on policies aimed at reducing ED consumption among children and adolescents. All sources meeting the inclusion criteria were included without restrictions. Titles and abstracts were initially screened, followed by a full-text review. After evaluating the quality of the selected studies, data were extracted and, along with information from the selected documents, compiled into a table, detailing the country, policy type, and the effectiveness and weaknesses of each policy. Results: Out of 12166 reviewed studies and documents, 84 studies and 70 documents met the inclusion criteria. 73 countries and territories have implemented policies like taxation, sales bans, school bans, labeling, and marketing restrictions on EDs. Most employ fiscal measures, reducing consumption despite enforcement challenges. Labeling, access restrictions, and marketing bans are common but face issues like black markets. Conclusion: This scoping review outlines diverse strategies adopted by countries to reduce ED consumption among children and teenagers, such as taxation, school bans, sales restrictions, and labeling requirements. While heightened awareness of ED harms has reinforced policy efforts, many Asian and African nations lack such measures, some policies remain outdated for over a decade, and existing policies face several challenges. These challenges encompass industry resistance, governmental disagreements, public opposition, economic considerations, and the intricacies of policy design. Considering this, countries should tailor policies to their cultural and social contexts, taking into account each policy's strengths and weaknesses to avoid loopholes. Inter-sectoral cooperation, ongoing policy monitoring, updates, and public education campaigns are essential to raise awareness and ensure effective implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When evidence-based policymaking is so often mired in disagreement and controversy, how can we know if the process is meeting its stated goals? We develop a novel mathematical model to study disagreements about adequate knowledge utilization, like those regarding wild horse culling, shark drumlines and facemask policies during pandemics. We find that, when stakeholders disagree, it is frequently impossible to tell whether any party is at fault. We demonstrate the need for a distinctive kind of transparency in evidence-based policymaking, which we call transparency of reasoning. Such transparency is critical to the success of the evidence-based policy movement, as without it, we will be unable to tell whether in any instance a policy was in fact based on evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To determine Croatian healthcare (HC) professionals’ perspectives on HC management and leadership challenges. Methods This cross-sectional study, conducted between May and June 2021, enrolled 1179 respondents from both the public and private sector, including medical doctors, nurses, pharmacists, economists, and other HC professionals. Their perspective on various facets of HC management, namely governance, ownership, accountability, financing, and potential for improvement, were investigated using an anonymous online survey. Results Most respondents agreed that the system may be allocating resources ineffectively and that political mandates unduly influenced management decisions, impeding accountability. Competencies in organizational and financial experience, along with communication and leadership skills, were deemed fundamental for health care managers. Participants overwhelmingly supported datadriven decision-making, improved education, and the development of leadership skills as key avenues for system enhancement. Conclusions The study underscores the need for better financial management and overall governance, in the Croatian HC, offering insights that can inform evidence-based policy decisions and reforms toward a more efficient and accountable HC system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Pediatric surgical cases pose significant challenges to Indonesia’s healthcare system. Understanding patient profiles, particularly at tertiary levels, is crucial for improving outcomes and guiding targeted interventions. Methods: Using a retrospective cohort design with statistical analysis, this study focused on a single pediatric surgical center in Indonesia. Data were extracted and analyzed from the Big Data Universitas Gadjah Mada Academic Health System, covering pediatric surgical cases admitted between 2017 and 2021. Results: In a five-year analysis involving 1457 pediatric surgical cases, a male-to-female ratio of 3:1 (75.1% and 29.5%) was identified. Patient ages spanned from 0 to 17 years, with a median age of 9.5 years. Hospital stays reached a maximum of 46 days, ICU stays at 22 days, and the mortality rate stood at 0.2%. Diagnoses were categorized into nine major groups, predominantly featuring congenital anomalies. The top five cases included hypospadias (14%), Hirschsprung’s disease (12%), undescended testicle (7%), phimosis and paraphimosis (7%), and inguinal hernia (5%). Trauma cases contributed less to the overall findings. Conclusion: There is a higher burden of congenital anomalies than other diseases in this analysis. The findings are a crucial foundation for evidence-based policies, enhanced clinical decision-making, and further research to optimize pediatric surgical care and ultimately improve patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Droughts continuously threaten human life, livestock, and agriculture across the Horn of Africa (HOA). As climate change exacerbates drought frequency and severity, accurately quantifying spatiotemporal drought patterns is critical to developing evidence-based policies that mitigate impacts and build resilience among vulnerable communities. This study conducted a spatiotemporal analysis of soil moisture drought over the HOA, utilizing high-resolution ERA5 reanalysis data between 1951 and 2020. The Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) was calculated at 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month timescales to identify historical drought events and assess drought duration and intensity changes over 70 years. Spatial analysis revealed decreasing soil moisture levels across HOA, with the most substantial reductions of 45% occurring in Djibouti and Northern Somalia. Comparisons between the baseline period (1951–1985) and the recent period (1986–2020) showed increasingly negative SPEI intensities, indicating a shift towards drier conditions, especially in Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia. The results also pointed to rising frequencies of moderate droughts by around 15% and severe droughts by 5–10% from 1986 to 2020 in the baseline period. The findings can inform policy to improve regional drought monitoring systems and the development of climate-resilient agriculture strategies, water resource management, and disaster risk reduction planning to protect lives and food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study analyzes the impact of government policies and initiatives on enhancing the horticultural supply chain in Himachal Pradesh. The study also examines the influence of government measures on production patterns, distribution routes, and stakeholder viewpoints in the horticulture industry, which plays a crucial role in the state's economy and people's livelihoods. By employing a combination of research methods, including a review of existing literature, analysis of specific cases, and interviews with relevant stakeholders, the study has identified several important findings. Notably, successful models such as Integrated Horticulture Development Project (IHDP) and Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) have been identified. However, the study also reveals various challenges, including limitations in infrastructure, difficulties in accessing markets, and gaps in policies. The study discusses the consequences for policy and practice, highlighting the importance of specific measures to tackle infrastructural shortcomings, improve connections across markets, and foster equitable economic growth. In summary, the study highlights the need to use evidence-based approaches in policymaking and work together to enhance the horticultural supply chain and promote sustainable development in Himachal Pradesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Are state job creation policies evidence-based? The authors present a case study of California's extensive set of job creation policies. The authors identify tax credits, grants, loans, entrepreneur training and assistance, and worker training and assistance policies, and estimate their costs. They synthesize what evidence there is on policy effectiveness. There is good evidence for a small number of state job creation policies, sometimes pointing to success in creating or retaining jobs. But for many state policies there is no evidence on effectiveness, or the evidence does not establish that the policy works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract When evidence-based policymaking is so often mired in disagreement and controversy, how can we know if the process is meeting its stated goals? We develop a novel mathematical model to study disagreements about adequate knowledge utilization, like those regarding wild horse culling, shark drumlines and facemask policies during pandemics. We find that, when stakeholders disagree, it is frequently impossible to tell whether any party is at fault. We demonstrate the need for a distinctive kind of transparency in evidence-based policymaking, which we call transparency of reasoning. Such transparency is critical to the success of the evidence-based policy movement, as without it, we will be unable to tell whether in any instance a policy was in fact based on evidence.

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the vital need for research to inform policy decision-making and save lives. The Wales COVID-19 Evidence Centre (WCEC) was established in March 2021 and funded for two years, to make evidence about the impact of the pandemic and ongoing research priorities for Wales available and actionable to policy decision-makers, service leads and the public. Objectives We describe the approaches we developed and our experiences, challenges and future vision. Program implementation The centre operated with a core team, including a public partnership group, and six experienced research groups as collaborating partners. Our rapid evidence delivery process had five stages: 1. Stakeholder engagement (continued throughout all stages); 2. Research question prioritisation; 3. Bespoke rapid evidence review methodology in a phased approach; 4. Rapid primary research; and 5. Knowledge Mobilisation to ensure the evidence was available for decision-makers. Main achievements Between March 2021–23 we engaged with 44 stakeholder groups, completed 35 Rapid Evidence Reviews, six Rapid Evidence Maps and 10 Rapid Evidence Summaries. We completed four primary research studies, with three published in peer reviewed journals, and seven ongoing. Our evidence informed policy decision-making and was cited in 19 Welsh Government papers. These included pandemic infection control measures, the Action Plan to tackle gender inequalities, and Education Renew and Reform policy. We conducted 24 Welsh Government evidence briefings and three public facing symposia. Policy implications Strong engagement with stakeholder groups, a phased rapid evidence review approach, and primary research to address key gaps in current knowledge enabled high-quality efficient, evidence outputs to be delivered to help inform Welsh policy decision-making during the pandemic. We learn from these processes to continue to deliver evidence from March 2023 as the Health and Care Research Wales Evidence Centre, with a broader remit of health and social care, to help inform policy and practice decisions during the recovery phase and beyond.

This study examines people's habituation to COVID-19-related information over almost three years. Using publicly available data from 47 Japanese prefectures, I analyse how human mobility responded to COVID-19-related information, such as the number of COVID-19-infected cases, the declaration of a state of emergency (DSE), and several doses of vaccine using an interactive effects model, which is a type of panel data regression. The results show that Japanese citizens were generally fearful and cautious during the first wave of the unknown infection. As such, a 1% week-on-week increase in the number of infected cases results in a decrease in human mobility by 1.09-percentage-point (pp) week-on-week. However, they gradually became habituated to similar infection information during the subsequent waves, which is reflected in 0.71 pp and 0.29 pp decreases in human mobility in the second and third waves. Nevertheless, the level of habituation decreased in response to the different types of the infection, such as new variants in the fourth wave, with 0.50 pp decrease. By contrast, regarding the DSE, it is more plausible to consider that human mobility responds to varying requests rather than habituate them. Whereas a rapid vaccination program could alleviate people's concerns. I also find spatial spillovers of infection information on human mobility using a spatial weight matrix included in the regression model. However, there is no evidence of DSE or vaccination spatial spillovers, likely because both are valid only in one's own prefecture. The implementation of flexible human mobility control policies by closely monitoring human mobility can prevent excessive or insufficient mobility control requests. Such a flexible policy can efficiently suppress infection spread and prevent economic activity reduction more than necessary. These implications are useful for evidence-based policymaking during future pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lesotho experienced high rates of maternal (566/100,000 live births) and under-five mortality (72.9/1000 live births). A 2013 national assessment found centralized healthcare management in Ministry of Health led to fragmented, ineffective district health team management. Launched in 2014 through collaboration between the Ministry of Health and Partners In Health, Lesotho's Primary Health Care Reform (LPHCR) aimed to improve service quality and quantity by decentralizing healthcare management to the district level. We conducted a qualitative study to explore health workers' perceptions regarding the effectiveness of LPHCR in enhancing the primary health care system. Methods: We conducted 21 semi-structured key informant interviews (KII) with healthcare workers and Ministry of Health officials purposively sampled from various levels of Lesotho's health system, including the central Ministry of Health, district health management teams, health centers, and community health worker programs in four pilot districts of the LPHCR initiative. The World Health Organization's health systems building blocks framework was used to guide data collection and analysis. Interviews assessed health care workers' perspectives on the impact of the LPHCR initiative on the six-health system building blocks: service delivery, health information systems, access to essential medicines, health workforce, financing, and leadership/governance. Data were analyzed using directed content analysis. Results: Participants described benefits of decentralization, including improved efficiency in service delivery, enhanced accountability and responsiveness, increased community participation, improved data availability, and better resource allocation. Participants highlighted how the reform resulted in more efficient procurement and distribution processes and increased recognition and status in part due to the empowerment of district health management teams. However, participants also identified limited decentralization of financial decision-making and encountered barriers to successful implementation, such as staff shortages, inadequate management of the village health worker program, and a lack of clear communication regarding autonomy in utilizing and mobilizing donor funds. Conclusion: Our study findings indicate that the implementation of decentralized primary health care management in Lesotho was associated a positive impact on health system building blocks related to primary health care. However, it is crucial to address the implementation challenges identified by healthcare workers to optimize the benefits of decentralized healthcare management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Housing is a pervasive determinant of physical and mental health. Studies indicate the importance of social support to the mental and physical health of individuals who are unhoused; however, to date, little is known about this relationship in persons who are housed in unaffordable accommodations. As the demand for subsidized housing continues to increase far beyond sustainable levels in many countries, investigations of the implications of social support on the health and wellbeing of those waiting for access to subsidized accommodations becomes important to generate evidence-based policy responses. Using data from the NB Housing Study, this paper presents an analysis of the relationships between perceived social support, depression, and self-reported physical health in individuals who wait for access to subsidized housing in New Brunswick, Canada (n = 271). Hierarchical linear regression of Oslo Social Support Scale (OSSS-3) scores on Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale 10 (CES-D-10) scores and of OSSS-3 scores on self-reported physical health scores finds increases in social support are associated with decreased depression (F [1, 260] = 26.34, p <.001, R 2 =.32) and greater physical health (F [1, 260] = 7.62, p =.006, R 2 =.15). The findings indicate a need to focus on health interventions that improve mental and physical health alongside social support. Implications for programming, policy, and future research are discussed. Plain language summary: Subsidized Housing, Social Support and Health Housing is a pervasive determinant of health. Studies find that social support impacts the mental and physical health of individuals who are unhoused; however, little is known about this relationship in persons who are housed in unaffordable accommodations. As housing crises persist in many countries, investigations of the implications of social support on the health of those waiting for access to government subsidized accommodations is important to generate evidence-based policy responses. Using data from the NB Housing Study, we analyze the relationships between perceived social support, depression, and self-reported physical health in individuals who wait for access to subsidized housing in New Brunswick, Canada. Our analyses indicate that individuals with higher social support report greater health and decreased depression. This indicates a need to focus on interventions that improve mental and physical health alongside social support, income support, and access to housing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is an introduction to the third issue of the Journal of Public Affairs Education, which focuses on the evolving dynamics in public affairs education. The articles in this issue cover a diverse range of topics, including violence, corruption, higher education policy, technology, and academic freedom. The goal of this issue is to explore and embody the values of public affairs, such as efficiency, effectiveness, economy, equity, empathy, engagement, and ethics. The articles and book reviews in this issue provide deep insights into the challenges facing public affairs education and offer potential solutions. [Extracted from the article]

Public policy education has rapidly spread among universities worldwide and in Turkey in the last few decades. Despite this spread, it is a question mark what competencies this education promises to future public policy analysts in today's complex economic, social, and political environment. This study first investigates the rising expectations from public policy analysts based on the relevant literature. Then it employs a comparative content analysis on "course learning outcomes" representing the promises of 151 public policy courses in Turkey's 72 universities' political science and public administration departments. The prominent findings indicate big gaps in public policy education in the country, and the literature's expectations are not fully met in practice. While the neglect of competencies related to evidence-based public policymaking and the use of information technology is a significant hindrance to the development of modern policy analysts, the need for national regulation comes to the fore as a solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): Systematic reviews are a valuable resource for policy makers, managers and health workers for evidence-based policy making, planning and delivery of health services. However, some systematic reviews are poorly conducted and reported. This study aimed to explain the methodology of systematic review in the health system. Methods: This study was conducted using a scoping review method. Published articles on systematic review methodology in the health system until April 19, 2024 were searched in 3 databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science and Google Scholar search engine. Overall, 109 articles were selected after screening and analysed using narrative analysis method. Results: A systematic review is "an explicit and systematic secondary study to identify, critically appraise, and synthesize primary research evidence to answer a specific research question." Systematic reviews help policymakers, managers, health workers, patients, and the public to apply the best current evidence to practice at a lower cost. Moreover, systematic review is used to develop a new theory or evaluate an existing theory. A simple and comprehensive protocol for conducting a systematic review was proposed. It includes seven steps of formulating research question, searching the literature, screening and selecting studies, appraising the quality of studies, extracting data from included studies, analysing and synthesizing data, and interpreting findings and presenting a conclusion. In addition, the structure of writing a systematic review article was explained and a checklist for evaluating systematic review articles was presented. Conclusion: Methodological limitations of systematic reviews affect the conclusions of these studies. In this study, a suitable model for conducting a systematic review was presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the Chilean Innovation Survey for 2019-2020, this work studies the effects of different knowledge sources on a range of innovation outputs. Findings reveal distinct impacts of sourcing information from competitors, customers, and government agencies on product, process, marketing, organizational, and social innovation outputs. Information from customers has a positive effect on overall innovation. Social innovation is positively influenced by information sourced from government agencies. These findings contribute to the understanding of how different knowledge sources shape innovation outputs on developing countries. They provide valuable insights for firms, policymakers, and researchers seeking to enhance innovation capabilities and inform evidence-based policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inherent biases, barriers to participation and other risks of exclusion thwart the UK cultural heritage sector's capacity to benefit all citizens equally. However, growing evidence bases – from local audits to regional insight reports to national censuses – ostensibly make it possible to identify these biases and risks in increasingly fine-grained ways, and from there to design programmes to engage individuals who might not otherwise participate in the historic environment. In this paper, we assess the efficacy of 'audience mapping' for supporting the inclusion of specific, underrepresented audiences in UK cultural heritage. The audience mapping methodology we applied in the Towards a National Collection project Unpath'd Waters (UNPATH) offers a case study. Sixty datasets (including audience interviews, web analytics, observations, etc.) from 18 organisations catering to maritime heritage were compared to support the project in reaching three audiences: visually impaired people, cross-disciplinary researchers and non-coastal communities. We review our method and its outcomes, then position our learnings against other audience mappings conducted by the Museum of London Archaeology for commercial clients. Like all audience methodologies, mapping has problematic dimensions that can heighten rather than halt inequities. We consider how to adapt approaches (e.g. to surveying, consulting and 'profiling' people) to sensitively respond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of evidence-based policy have found that research often fails to influence policy-making and identify a number of barriers to research utilization. Less is known about what public administrations do to overcome such barriers. The article draws on a content analysis of 1,159 documents and 13 qualitative interviews to compare how and why evidence standards affect research utilization in two Danish ministries with available evidence, policy analytical capacity, and broad political agreement on key policy goals. The article finds support for the proposition that more exclusive evidence standards in ministries will lead to higher levels of research utilization by showing that average levels of research utilization are higher in the Ministry of Employment than in the Ministry of Children and Education in the period 2016?2021. In active employment policy the adoption an evidence hierarchy and the accumulating evidence in a knowledge bank has interacted with stakeholder support and a continued coordination with the Ministry of Finance to provide economic incentives for policy-makers to adopt evidence-based policies thus stimulating research utilization. Evidence for public education policy, by contrast, has been more contested and the Ministry of Children of Education retains inclusive evidence standards in an attempt to integrate evidencebased and practical knowledge from stakeholders, which has led to lower average levels of utilization in the period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientific policy advice in the face of complex real-world problems requires a maximally pluralistic knowledge base. However, integrating different types of knowledge from a variety of sources raises a series of highly challenging epistemic as well as practical problems. We propose an integrated model of pluralistic policy advice emphasizing the appropriate constitution and structure of pluralistic expert panels. Furthermore, we suggest that normative assumptions underlying expert advice should be made explicit to policymakers. The goal should not be to avoid normative biases, but rather to create transparency with respect to the unavoidable value judgements that influence the epistemic preferences of experts and to provide policymakers with evidence-based scenarios that range over a variety of value preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers and practitioners are increasingly embracing systems approaches to deal with the complexity of public service delivery and policy evaluation. However, there is little agreement on what exactly constitutes a systems approach, conceptually or methodologically. We review and critically synthesize systems literature from the fields of health, education, and infrastructure. We argue that the common theoretical core of systems approaches is the idea that multi-dimensional complementarities between a policy and other aspects of the policy context are the first-order problem of policy design and evaluation. We distinguish between macro-systems approaches, which focus on the collective coherence of a set of policies or institutions, and micro-systems approaches, which focus on how a single policy interacts with the context in which it operates. We develop a typology of micro-systems approaches and discuss their relationship to standard impact evaluation methods as well as to work in external validity, implementation science, and complexity theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper centres on expert platforms at the nexus between global climate policies and public health. Policy nexus problems have been associated with fragmentation and unclear authority. At the core, however, seem to be uncertainties about the nature of these problems and even about the nature of the nexus itself. The paper focuses on an especially rich ecosystem of policy expert platforms that have emerged at the climate–health nexus over the past decade. It outlines a typology and presents a comparison of selected policy expert platforms in terms of how they deal with these nexus uncertainties. It is argued that these platforms have developed various ways of interlinking science and policy. Insights on contradictions and controversies resulting from these 'politico‐epistemic logics' are discussed. Mapping the nexus may inspire current research on political and epistemic uncertainty. It may also be a source of practical inspiration for developing forms of expertise beyond the standards of evidence‐based policy. Points for practitioners: The landscape of advisory arrangements at the nexus may be a source of practical inspiration for developing forms of expertise beyond the standards of evidence‐based policy.A commonality across various platforms is the acceptance of uncertainty as a resource that can be used to make knowledge more robust and to keep open multiple pathways.Types of policy expert platforms are associated with specific conflicts and tensions. Being aware of them might be helpful to deal with contradictory expectations and to avoid disappointment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there have been increasing demands for public policy design to be guided by empirical evidence, especially in programmes addressing social inclusion. In this scenario, qualitative approaches are often subordinated to the macro results obtained from quantitative instruments. Based on the results of a mixed-methods RCT research design, this article explores how qualitative research tools might provide qualitative significance – information as valuable as numerical data obtained using standardised scales. This proposal is based on the results of a research project addressing problems associated with barriers to employment and mental health among its participants. The impact of gender-sensitive issues – i.e., the unequal distribution of care responsibilities – or the development of mental health problems such as anxiety are often underestimated in studies based purely on statistical data. Our approach underscores the value of the testimonies and narratives obtained through qualitative tools – e.g., semi-structured interviews and focus groups – and how these can provide first-class evidence for the design and impact assessment of public policies tackling social inclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite widely covered controversies, biodiversity offsetting continues to be introduced in novel places as a solution to counter biodiversity loss. As previous studies have focused on contestation around offsetting, there is a lack of studies analyzing how actors generate consensus while constructing biodiversity offsetting policies. To assess this, we analyze the early phases of policy construction in Finland, a country that until recently did not have policy mechanisms for offsetting in place. Based on document analysis and interviews with experts, we argue that expert stakeholders' widespread support for biodiversity offsetting is explained by the interplay of three framings in the early phase of policy development. First, expert stakeholders share an understanding of biodiversity offsetting as a necessary policy mechanism to which there are no alternative solutions. Second, divergent views on the mechanism are accommodated through maintaining an interpretatively flexible understanding of the policy mechanism. Third, concerns over past policy failures are refurbished as opportunities to learn from in developing an experimental approach to policy implementation. This designates offsetting primarily as an expert issue for technical deliberation and forecloses other policy options, while placing high expectations on the ability of experimental governance to solve problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excess dietary sodium consumption is a leading risk factor for hypertension and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). In Nigeria, where over 27 million people are affected by hypertension, the average daily salt intake exceeds the World Health Organization's recommendation. The Nigeria Sodium Study (NaSS) was established to evaluate the implementation and scale-up of policy actions to reduce salt intake in Nigeria. Preliminary findings from the NaSS suggest that Nigerian adults consume twice the recommended level of daily sodium, with bouillon emerging as a major source. The study also highlights the importance of multi-sectoral engagement and high-quality data for evidence-informed policymaking. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract Background Generally, public health policy-making is hardly a linear process and is characterized by interactions among politicians, institutions, researchers, technocrats and practitioners from diverse fields, as well as brokers, interest groups, financiers and a gamut of other actors. Meanwhile, most public health policies and systems in Africa appear to be built loosely on technical and scientific evidence, but with high political systems and ideologies. While studies on national health policies in Africa are growing, there seems to be inadequate evidence mapping on common themes and concepts across existing literature. Purpose The study seeks to explore the extent and type of evidence that exist on the conflict between politics and scientific evidence in the national health policy-making processes in Africa. Methods A thorough literature search was done in PubMed, Cochrane Library, ScienceDirect, Dimensions, Taylor and Francis, Chicago Journals, Emerald Insight, JSTOR and Google Scholar. In total, 43 peer-reviewed articles were eligible and used for this review. Result We found that the conflicts to evidence usage in policy-making include competing interests and lack of commitment; global policy goals, interest/influence, power imbalance and funding, morals; and evidence-based approaches, self-sufficiency, collaboration among actors, policy priorities and existing structures. Barriers to the health policy process include fragmentation among actors, poor advocacy, lack of clarity on the agenda, inadequate evidence, inadequate consultation and corruption. The impact of the politics–evidence conflict includes policy agenda abrogation, suboptimal policy development success and policy implementation inadequacies. Conclusions We report that political interests in most cases influence policy-makers and other stakeholders to prioritize financial gains over the use of research evidence to policy goals and targets. This situation has the tendency for inadequate health policies with poor implementation gaps. Addressing these issues requires incorporating relevant evidence into health policies, making strong leadership, effective governance and a commitment to public health.

Background: Generally, public health policy-making is hardly a linear process and is characterized by interactions among politicians, institutions, researchers, technocrats and practitioners from diverse fields, as well as brokers, interest groups, financiers and a gamut of other actors. Meanwhile, most public health policies and systems in Africa appear to be built loosely on technical and scientific evidence, but with high political systems and ideologies. While studies on national health policies in Africa are growing, there seems to be inadequate evidence mapping on common themes and concepts across existing literature. Purpose: The study seeks to explore the extent and type of evidence that exist on the conflict between politics and scientific evidence in the national health policy-making processes in Africa. Methods: A thorough literature search was done in PubMed, Cochrane Library, ScienceDirect, Dimensions, Taylor and Francis, Chicago Journals, Emerald Insight, JSTOR and Google Scholar. In total, 43 peer-reviewed articles were eligible and used for this review. Result: We found that the conflicts to evidence usage in policy-making include competing interests and lack of commitment; global policy goals, interest/influence, power imbalance and funding, morals; and evidence-based approaches, self-sufficiency, collaboration among actors, policy priorities and existing structures. Barriers to the health policy process include fragmentation among actors, poor advocacy, lack of clarity on the agenda, inadequate evidence, inadequate consultation and corruption. The impact of the politics–evidence conflict includes policy agenda abrogation, suboptimal policy development success and policy implementation inadequacies. Conclusions: We report that political interests in most cases influence policy-makers and other stakeholders to prioritize financial gains over the use of research evidence to policy goals and targets. This situation has the tendency for inadequate health policies with poor implementation gaps. Addressing these issues requires incorporating relevant evidence into health policies, making strong leadership, effective governance and a commitment to public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agencies involved in generating regulatory policies promote evidence‐based regulatory impact assessments (RIAs) to improve the predictability of regulation and develop informed policy. Here, we analyze the epistemic foundations of RIAs. We frame RIA as reasoning that connects various types of knowledge to inferences about the future. Drawing on Stephen Toulmin's model of argumentation, we situate deductive and inductive reasoning steps within a schema we call the impact argument. This approach helps us identify inherent uncertainties in RIAs, and their location in different types of reasoning. We illustrate the theoretical section with impact assessments of two recent legislative proposals produced by the European Commission. We argue that the concept of "evidence‐based regulatory impact assessment" is misleading and should be based on the notion of "regulatory impact assessment as evidential reasoning," which better recognizes its processual and argumentative nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 'task to come' in anthropological fieldwork is rarely discussed explicitly as a set of underpinning methodological, analytical, conceptual, and theoretical precepts and practices. Drawing on learnings from a study of policymakers in the Australian Public Service – a non-conventional fieldwork location – this paper presents an account of how the anthropologist instituted direction and purpose or 'fruitful ways of looking' as an orientation to policy ethnography and the sense-making journey that follows. This paper progresses three interrelated aims: (1) to argue that, through ethnographic fieldwork, anthropology adds value to understanding the policy setting and its actors as engaged in purposeful and meaningful work underpinned by policy knowledge and expertise; (2) provocate that anthropology should contribute to research agendas outside of critical normative disciplinary interests in power and control; (3) illustrate that preparation is useful to tailor the production of anthropological knowledge to its context. An 'interpretive framework' is described as the culmination of this approach to collecting and interpreting ethnographic field data, demonstrating how this attends to the policy setting as socio-cultural domain with actors engaged in shared practices, routines and rituals, steeped in policy-practitioner skills, knowledge and expertise – or policy 'craft'. Together, this conditioned the anthropological gaze to take in everyday activities involved in policy work and enabled the study of meetings and documents to discern what happens during these structured conversations to better understand how policy staff engage with academic research in meeting their policy responsibilities under the expectations of the evidence-based policy agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholarly efforts to identify core design features for effective teacher professional development have grown rapidly in the last 25 years. Many concise lists of design principles have emerged, most of which converge on a consensus of 5–7 presumably 'effective' features (e.g. collaborative tasks, active learning, focus on content). The proliferation and convergence of reviews create the impression that this consensus is based on strong evidence from large-scale, replicated, and rigorously controlled research studies. We critique the empirical foundation on which conclusions about evidence-based design features for teacher professional development have been based, by the same evidential standards that have been adopted within this field of scholarly work. We conclude that the empirical foundations for these lists are problematic and that claims to methodological rigour are misleading as they are based on flawed inferences. We further argue that the ambition to identify general features of effective professional development is also problematic, and reflect on why, despite its weaknesses and potentially adverse consequences for research and practice, we as a field continue to herald this consensus. We call for greater focus on the development, testing, and refinement of theories about teacher professional learning in order to advance understanding, policy, and practice in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]