Promoting Researchers and Policy-Makers Collaboration in Evidence-Informed Policy-Making in Nigeria: Outcome of a Two-Way Secondment Model between University and Health Ministry

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 African Institute for Health Policy & Health Systems, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria

2 Department of Medical Microbiology/Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria

3 Department of Accountancy & Banking/Finance, Faculty of Management Sciences, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria

4 National Obstetrics Fistula Centre, Abakaliki, Nigeria

5 Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria

6 Ebonyi State Ministry of Health, Abakaliki, Nigeria

Abstract

Background
There is need to strengthen institutions and mechanisms that can more systematically promote interactions between researchers, policy-makers and other stakeholders who can influence the uptake of research findings. In this article, we report the outcome of a two-way secondment model between Ebonyi State University (EBSU) and Ebonyi State Ministry of Health (ESMoH) in Nigeria as an innovative collaborative strategy to promote capacity enhancement for evidence-to-policy-to-action.

 
Methods
This study was an exploratory design with a quantitative cross-sectional survey technique. A secondment memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between heads of EBSU and ESMoH. The secondment program lasted six months with ten researchers and ten policy-makers spending up to two days per week in each other’s organization. The secondee researchers got engaged in policy-making and implementation activities in ESMoH, while the policy-maker secondees got involved in research activities in EBSU. Secondees evidence-to-policy capacity enhancement meetings were held and questionnaires designed in 5-point Likert scale were used to assess their impact.

 
Results
The secondee policy-makers and researchers admitted having considerable knowledge of secondment with mean ratings (MNRs) of 3.40 and 3.74 respectively on the 5 points scale. Secondment appeared to be more common in the policy-makers’ organization (MNRs: 2.80-3.07) than in the researchers’ institution (MNRs: 2.58-2.84). The secondee policy-makers participated in some academic and research activities including serving in research ethics committee in EBSU and provided policy-making perspective to the activities. The secondee researchers supported the policymaking process in ESMoH through policy advisory roles, and provided capacity enhancement for staff of the ministry on the use of research evidence in policy-making. There was a noteworthy increase on knowledge of policy analysis and contextualization among the secondees ranging from 20.7% to 50.4% and 31.3% to 42.8% respectively following a training session. A Society for Health Policy Research and Knowledge Translation was established by mutual agreement of secondees as a platform to permanently institutionalize the collaboration.

 
Conclusion
The outcome of this study clearly suggests that secondment has great potential in promoting evidence informed policy-making and merits further consideration.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

  1. Choi BC, Pang T, Lin V, et al. Can scientists and policy makers work together? J Epidemiol Community Health. 2005;59(8):632-637. doi:10.1136/jech.2004.031765
  2. Haines A, Kuruvilla S, Borchert M. Bridging the implementation gap between knowledge and action for health. Bull World Health Organ. 2004;82(10):724-731.
  3. Peters DH, Tran NT, Adam T. Implementation research in health: a practical guide. Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization. 2013.
  4. World Health Organization. Implementation research for the control of infectious diseases of poverty: strengthening the evidence base for the access and delivery of new and improved tools, strategies and interventions. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2011.
  5. Rathgeber EM. Research partnerships in international health capitalizing on opportunity. Ottawa, Carleton University: University of Ottawa; 2009.
  6. Oliver K, Innvar S, Lorenc T, Woodman J, Thomas J. A systematic review of barriers to and facilitators of the use of evidence by policymakers. BMC Health Serv Res. 2014;14:2. doi:10.1186/1472-6963-14-2
  7. Orton L, Lloyd-Williams F, Taylor-Robinson D, O’Flaherty M, Capewell S. The use of research evidence in public health decision making processes: systematic review. PLoS One. 2011;6(7):e21704. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0021704
  8. Andermann A, Pang T, Newton JN, Davis A, Panisset U. Evidence for Health II: Overcoming barriers to using evidence in policy and practice. Health Res Policy Syst. 2016;14:17. doi:10.1186/s12961-016-0086-3
  9. Costello A, Zumla A. Moving to research partnerships in developing countries. BMJ. 2000;321(7264):827-829.
  10. Fife Council Human Resources Section- Secondment Guidelines: Issue Number 3.0. https://www.scribd.com/document/343185114/c64-TE12-Secondment-Guidelines. Accessed April 23, 2017. Published 2008.
  11. Hyde C, Fletcher M, Roberts T. Understanding Secondments in MHW. 2013. http://docs.healthandsafetyhub.co.uk/MWH/Training_materials/understanding-secondments.pdf.  Accessed April 23, 2017.
  12. Grignon JS, Ledikwe JH, Makati D, Nyangah R, Sento BW, Semo BW. Maximizing the benefit of health workforce secondment in Botswana: an approach for strengthening health systems in resource-limited settings. Risk Manag Healthc Policy. 2014;7:91-98. doi:10.2147/rmhp.s61473
  13. Uneke CJ, Ezeoha AE, Ndukwe CD, et al. Individual and organisational capacity for evidence use in policy making in Nigeria: an exploratory study of the perceptions of Nigeria health policymakers. Evid Policy. 2011;7(3):251-276(26). doi:10.1332/174426411x591744
  14. Routio P. Models in the research process: Exploratory research. http://www.uiah.fi/projekti/metodi/177.htm.  Accessed April 23, 2017. Published 2007.
  15. Asadoorian J, Hearson B, Satyanarayana S, Ursel J. Evidence-based practice in healthcare: an exploratory cross-discipline comparison of enhancers and barriers. J Healthc Qual. 2010;32(3):15-22. doi:10.1111/j.1945-1474.2010.00081.x
  16. Fisher AD, Bandini E, Ricca V, et al. Dimensional profiles of male to female gender identity disorder: an exploratory research. J Sex Med. 2010;7(7):2487-2498. doi:10.1111/j.1743-6109.2009.01687.x
  17. Chaname E, Cunningham J, Brands B, Strike C, Wright Mda G. Perceived norms among nursing students about their peers and drug use in Lima, Peru. Rev Lat Am Enfermagem. 2009;17:865-870.
  18. James C, Mackenzie L. Health professional’s perceptions and practices in relation to functional capacity evaluations: results of a quantitative survey. J Occup Rehabil. 2009;19(2):203-211. doi:10.1007/s10926-009-9174-3
  19. Fassier T, Darmon M, Laplace C, et al. One-day quantitative cross-sectional study of family information time in 90 intensive care units in France. Crit Care Med. 2007;35(1):177-183. doi:10.1097/01.ccm.0000249834.26847.be
  20. British Academy. Punching our weight: the humanities and social sciences in public policy making. http://www.britac.ac.uk/sites/default/files/wilson.pdf.  Accessed April 23, 2017. Published 2008.
  21. WMA Declaration of Helsinki. Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects. https://www.wma.net/policies-post/wma-declaration-of-helsinki-ethical-principles-for-medical-research-involving-human-subjects/.  Accessed April 23, 2017. Published 2017.
  22. Johnson NA, Lavis JN. Procedures Manual for the “Evaluating Knowledge-Translation Platforms in Low- and Middle-Income Countries” Study. Hamilton, Canada: McMaster University Program in Policy Decision-Making; 2009.
  23. Federal Republic of Nigeria. Public Administration Country Profile. Division for Public Administration and Development Management (DPADM) Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) United Nations; 2004. http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/un/unpan023282.pdf.  Accessed April 23, 2017.
  24. Adeshina T, Akande A, Aiyepola O. Labour and employment law in Nigeria. GCOM Newsletter. 2017. http://www.jacksonettiandedu.com/lawfirm/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/LABOUR-AND-EMPLOYMENT-LAW-IN-NIGERIA.pdf.  Accessed April 23, 2017.
  25. Oyebisi TO, Ilori MO, Nassar ML. Industry-academic relations: An assessment of the linkages between a university and some enterprises in Nigeria. Technovation. 1996;16(4):203-215. doi:10.1016/0166-4972(95)00049-6
  26. O’Donoughue Jenkins L, Anstey KJ. The use of secondments as a tool to increase knowledge translation. Public Health Res Pract. 2017;27(1). doi:10.17061/phrp2711708
  27. Gerrish K, Piercy H. Capacity development for knowledge translation: evaluation of an experiential approach through secondment opportunities. Worldviews Evid Based Nurs. 2014;11(3):209-216. doi:10.1111/wvn.12038
  28. Dryden H, Rice AM. Using guidelines to support secondment: a personal experience. J Nurs Manag. 2008;16(1):65-71. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2934.2007.00794.x
  29. Ward V, Smith S, Foy R, House A, Hamer S. Planning for knowledge translation: a researcher’s guide. Evid Policy. 2010;6(4):527-541. doi:10.1332/174426410X535882
  30. Bullock A, Morris ZS, Atwell C. Exchanging knowledge through healthcare manager placements in research teams. The Service Industries Journal. 2013;33(13-14):1363-1380. doi:10.1080/02642069.2013.815739
  31. Graham ID, Logan J, Harrison MB, et al. Lost in knowledge translation: time for a map? J Contin Educ Health Prof. 2006;26(1):13-24. doi:10.1002/chp.47
  32. Lavis JN, Robertson D, Woodside JM, McLeod CB, Abelson J. How can research organizations more effectively transfer research knowledge to decision makers? Milbank Q. 2003;81(2):221-248.
  33. Sutton R. The Policy Process: An Overview. London: Chameleon Press; 1999.
  34. Walt G, Gilson L. Reforming the health sector in developing countries: the central role of policy analysis. Health Policy Plan. 1994;9(4):353-370.
  35. Khan MM. Health policy analysis: the case of Pakistan s.n. http://www.rug.nl/research/portal/files/2845678/c1.pdf.  Accessed April 23, 2017. Published 2006.
  36. Uneke CJ, Ndukwe CD, Ezeoha AA, Uro-Chukwu HC, Ezeonu CT. Implementation of a health policy advisory committee as a knowledge translation platform: the Nigeria experience. Int J Health Policy Manag. 2015;4(3):161-168. doi:10.15171/ijhpm.2015.21
  37. Uneke CJ, Ebeh Ezeoha A, Uro-Chukwu H, et al. Promoting Evidence to policy link on the control of infectious diseases of poverty in Nigeria: outcome of a multi-stakeholders policy dialogue. Health Promot Perspect. 2015;5(2):104-115. doi:10.15171/hpp.2015.013
  38. Uneke CJ, Ezeoha AE, Uro-Chukwu H, et al. Enhancing the Capacity of Policy-Makers to Develop Evidence-Informed Policy Brief on Infectious Diseases of Poverty in Nigeria. Int J Health Policy Manag. 2015;4(9):599-610. doi:10.15171/ijhpm.2015.100
  39. Lavis JN, Boyko JA, Oxman AD, Lewin S, Fretheim A. SUPPORT Tools for evidence-informed health Policymaking (STP) 14: Organising and using policy dialogues to support evidence-informed policymaking. Health Res Policy Syst. 2009;7 Suppl 1:S14. doi:10.1186/1478-4505-7-s1-s14
  40. Lomas J, Culyer T, McCutcheon C, McAuley L, Law S. Conceptualizing and Combining Evidence for Health System Guidance. Ottawa, Canada: Canadian Health Services Research Foundation; 2005. http://www.cfhi-fcass.ca/migrated/pdf/insightAction/evidence_e.pdf.  Accessed April 23, 2017.
  41. Uneke CJ, Aulakh BK, Ezeoha AE, Ndukwe CD, Onwe F. Bridging the divide between research and policy in Nigeria: the role of a health policy advisory committee. J Public Health Policy. 2012;33(4):423-429. doi:10.1057/jphp.2012.30
  42. Deans F, Ademokun A. Investigating capacity to use evidence. International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP).  http://www.inasp.info/uploads/filer_public/2013/07/04/investigating_capacity_to_use_evidence.pdf.  Accessed April 23, 2017. Published 2013.
  43. Hendrix-Jenkins A, Yinger N, Sethi H, et al. Seconding as a capacity development tool for global health: lessons from the field. Health Policy Project. https://www.healthpolicyproject.com/pubs/485_SecondingbriefFINAL.pdf.  Accessed April 23, 2017. Published 2015.

Files

History

  • Received Date: 04 May 2017
  • Revised Date: 26 July 2017
  • Accepted Date: 07 October 2017
  • First Published Date: 01 June 2018

Share

How to cite

Statistics