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Evidence-Informed Decision Making

Evidence-informed public health is “the process of distilling and disseminating the best available evidence from research, practice, and experience and using that evidence to inform and improve public health policy and practice. Put simply, it means finding, using and sharing what works in public health.”   1

There are many published resources detailing the implementation of an evidence-informed approach to public health practice. The National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools at McMaster University provides a Model for Evidence-Informed Decision Making in Public Health that is widely accepted by public health professionals.

1 National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools. (2011, May 31). Evidence-informed public health. Retrieved from http://www.nccmt.ca/eiph/index-eng.html

7 STEPS

4. SYNTHESIZE

5. ADAPT

Adapt the evidence and recommendations to the local context based on community needs,
political will, economic/staff resources, and professional/community preferences.

Sample Resources:
— Equity and specific populations (Cochrane)
— Evidence-informed public health: adapt (NCCMT)

7. EVALUATE