Measuring Research Use in Policymaking
Author Information
Author(s): Jennifer A Boyko, John N Lavis, Maureen Dobbins, Nathan M Souza
Primary Institution: McMaster University
Hypothesis
A tool that measures the intention to use research evidence in policymaking could assist researchers in evaluating the effectiveness of knowledge translation strategies.
Conclusion
The study provides preliminary evidence for the reliability of a tool that can measure theory of planned behavior constructs related to research use in policymaking.
Supporting Evidence
- The internal consistency of the tool's constructs was good, with alpha coefficients ranging from 0.68 to 0.89.
- Test-retest reliability coefficients ranged from 0.26 to 0.77 for the constructs.
- The tool should be administered on more than one occasion to ensure reliable data collection.
Takeaway
Researchers created a questionnaire to help understand how policymakers plan to use research in their decisions, and they found it works pretty well.
Methodology
The study assessed the tool's internal consistency and test-retest reliability using Cronbach's alpha and generalizability coefficients.
Limitations
The small sample size limited the assessment of construct validity, and the tool was only tested in one type of KTE intervention.
Participant Demographics
Participants included policymakers and stakeholders from various sectors, with an average of 8.4 years in their current positions.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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