Back to Search
Start Over
Evidence-based practice in local public health service in Ghana.
- Source :
- Critical Public Health; Feb2017, Vol. 27 Issue 1, p125-138, 14p
- Publication Year :
- 2017
-
Abstract
- While the role of evidence-based public health in improving health outcomes is frequently touted, there remains a dearth of research examining the use of evidence in public health service particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Therefore, the aim of this research was to examine the use of evidence in local public health service in Ghana, a lower middle-income country. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with local health managers from 11 District Directorates of Health in Ashanti Region. Three organising themes emerged from the interview transcripts: understanding of evidence-based public health; the process of using evidence; and the value of evidence in public health practice. The study suggests that though evidence-based practice was not new to the local health managers, its application was very low. The process of using evidence commenced with making a decision about the direction of a programme which had been already prioritised and planned by other high-level actors and then various sources of information, including available research evidence, were used to justify the decision. The study has revealed that there is an urgent need for pre-service and in-service training programmes that build and maintain common skill sets and language among local public health practitioners in Ghana to accomplish evidence-based public health goals. Similarly, giving local health managers flexibility to prioritise and make decisions would result in increased uptake of evidence in local public health service. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
- Subjects :
- ATTITUDE (Psychology)
COMMUNITY health services
INTELLECT
INTERVIEWING
MANAGEMENT
RESEARCH methodology
MEDICAL personnel
RESEARCH
RESEARCH evaluation
EVIDENCE-based medicine
QUALITATIVE research
PROFESSIONAL practice
JUDGMENT sampling
EDUCATIONAL attainment
THEMATIC analysis
WORK experience (Employment)
DESCRIPTIVE statistics
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 09581596
- Volume :
- 27
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Critical Public Health
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 119952809
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1080/09581596.2016.1182621