A post-conference session at the Canadian Public Health Association Centenary Conference Public Health in Canada: Shaping the Future Together, June 16, 2010

1. Using health-evidence.ca:
A Canadian resource for
facilitating evidence-informed
public health decision making
Maureen Dobbins, RN, PhD
Kara DeCorby, MSc
Heather Husson, Hon BA

2. Purpose
Show how to use health-
evidence.ca to search for and
incorporate review evidence
into decision making

3. Agenda
1. What is evidence-informed
decision-making?
2. Types of evidence
3. Evidence sources
4. Searching

4. What is EIDM?
• EIDM involves integrating the best
available research evidence into decision –
making
define
question
search &
appraise
context
apply
Evidence-informed decision

5. Value of EIDM in Public Health
• Create effective and appropriate
policies, programs and activities for our
communities and target populations
• Do what works and don’t do what does
not work!

6. Need for EIDM in Public Health
• Acute and Primary Care
– Consistent evidence of failure to
translate research findings into
practice
• Ontario Public Health Standards
– Research and knowledge exchange

7. Model of EIDM in Public Health
Research
Evidence
National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools
Haynes B, DiCenso, A., Ciliska D., & Guyatt, G. 2005

8. EIDM Process
Decision
Assess
applicability
Interpret
Appraise
the quality
Search
for
evidence
Define
the
question

9. Define the Research Question
Define the question
Population (or situation)
Intervention (or exposure)
Comparison (or group)
Outcome(s)
Time (when or how quickly)

10. Search for Research Evidence
Search for evidence
DiCenso, Bayley, & Haynes, 2009

11. Systematic Review
• A synthesis or summary of single studies
• A formalized scientific process
• Multiple reviewers involved

12. Example Scenario
You are are on the school health team in a public
health unit and the lead contact with a local school
board. A board program to require school-based daily
physical activity is being implemented and the board
has asked you to help make the case for daily physical
activity to support their presentation to principals,
teachers and parents. You are aware that obesity
among children is a health issue in your jurisdiction.
You would like to find out and advise the board about
whether the new physical activity levels will be more
effective in preventing/ decreasing obesity compared
to physical activity currently implemented in schools.

13. Research Question Example 1
• Population – school children 8-14 yrs
• Intervention – school-based physical activity
• Comparison – no physical activity
• Outcome – obesity
Q: Is 30 minutes of daily school-based
physical activity effective in decreasing
obesity in children aged 8 – 14 yrs. compared
to existing physical activity levels?

14. Small Group Task
30 minutes:
• Generate a scenario from your own work
• Using PICO framework, develop a research
question

16. Next Steps in Evidence-Informed
Public Health
National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools

17. Additional Resources
National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools
www.nccmt.ca

18. Contact information
Health Evidence questions
info@health-evidence.ca
Maureen Dobbins
dobbinsm@mcmaster.ca
Kara DeCorby
kdecorby@health-evidence.ca
Heather Husson
hhusson@health-evidence.ca