Lessons learned from strategies for promotion of evidence-to-policy process in health interventions in the ECOWAS region: A rapid review

Abstract

Context: The West African Health Organization (WAHO) is vigorously supporting evidence-informed policymaking (EIPM) in the countries of West Africa. EIPM is increasingly recognized as one of the key strategies that can contribute to health systems strengthening and the improvement of health outcomes. The purpose of this rapid review is to examine two key examples of evidence-based strategies used to successfully implement health interventions in each of the West African countries and to highlight the lessons learned. Methods: A rapid review technique, defined as a type of knowledge synthesis in which systematic review processes are accelerated and methods are streamlined to complete the review more quickly, was used. A PubMed search was conducted using the combination of the following keywords: Health, policy making, evidence, plus name of each of the 15 countries to identify studies that described the process of use of evidence in policymaking in health interventions. Two examples of the publications that fulfilled the study inclusion criteria were selected. Results: Among the key processes used by the countries to promote EIPM in health interventions include policy cycle mechanism and political prioritization, rapid response services, technical advisory group and steering committees (SCs), policy dialog, capacity-strengthening mechanisms, local context evidence and operational guidelines, multisectoral action and consultative process. Conclusion: Various degrees of success have been achieved in by West African countries in the promotion of EIPM. As the science of EIPM continues to evolve and better understanding of the process is gained among policymakers, more studies on effective strategies to improve the evidence-to-policy process are advocated.

Factors influencing hesitancy towards adult and child COVID-19 vaccines in rural and urban West Africa: a cross-sectional study

“…However, context-specific studies, which investigate factors influencing vaccine hesitancy towards adult and child COVID-19 vaccines in sub-Saharan Africa, are still far and few between 8. In this study, a community-based survey was carried out in five West African countries (Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Senegal and Sierra Leone) in order to: (1) identify and describe similarities and differences in both adult and child COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and (2) to examine sociodemographic, perception-related and behavioural factors influencing vaccine hesitancy across a subregion of Africa, which shares major cultural and geopolitical characteristics12 13…”

Assessing the impact of knowledge communication and dissemination strategies targeted at health policy-makers and managers: an overview of systematic reviews

“…Of the 27 SRs, two only included randomized controlled trials [ 21 , 23 ], six included both experimental and quasi-experimental designs [ 15 , 17 , 19 , 25 , 30 , 32 ], and 19 included both quantitative and qualitative research [ 6 , 16 , 18 , 20 , 22 , 24 , 26 – 40 ]. Thirteen SRs included only policy-makers or managers as the target [ 6 , 18 , 22 , 25 – 27 , 31 – 34 , 37 – 39 ], and the remaining 14 also included healthcare workers, researchers, legislative staff members, the public, patients, students and other stakeholders such as nongovernmental organizations or international organizations.…”

“…Four reviews included only low-income countries [ 22 , 28 , 36 , 37 ], 12 included only high-income countries [ 6 , 20 , 21 , 25 , 26 , 30 – 34 , 39 , 40 ], one did not report [ 15 ], and the remaining 10 included low–medium- and high-income countries.…”

“…Three studies included only a communication strategy [ 15 , 16 , 23 ], eight studies included only dissemination strategies [ 24 , 26 , 29 , 31 , 32 , 35 – 37 ], and the remaining 16 included both. Many reviews included more than one communication or dissemination strategy using different formats (the latter were also called tools) such as electronic or internet-based, to facilitate outreach.…”

Factors influencing COVID-19 vaccines hesitancy in rural and urban West Africa: Implications for vaccination strategies

“…However, context-speci c studies, which investigate factors in uencing vaccine hesitancy in both rural and urban Sub-Saharan Africa are still far and few between (7). In this study, a community-based survey was carried out in ve West African countries (Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Senegal, Sierra Leone) with the objective of identifying similarities and differences in vaccine hesitancy and its determinants in a sub-region of Africa, which shares major cultural and geopolitical characteristics (10), (11).…”