Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Research Protocols
Date Submitted: Apr 13, 2019
Date Accepted: May 10, 2019
Optimizing the Impact of Public-Academic Partnerships in Fostering Policymakers’ Use of Research Evidence: Proposal to Test a Conceptual Framework
ABSTRACT
Background:
Previous research has reported that public-academic partnerships (PAPs) can effectively promote PAP leaders’ use of research evidence in improving youth outcomes. However, the existing literature has not yet informed whether and how PAP leaders’ use of research evidence evolves along the PAP life cycle and whether PAP partners’ concordant perceptions of usefulness of their PAP has an impact on PAP leaders’ use of research evidence. Developing a conceptual framework that recognizes the PAP life cycle, and empirically identifying contexts and mechanisms of PAPs that promote PAP leaders’ use of research evidence from the PAP life cycle perspective is imperative to guide researchers and policymakers to successfully lead PAPs and foster policymakers’ use of research evidence in improving youth outcomes.
Objective:
Utilizing an integrated framework of organizational life cycle perspective, a social partnerships perspective and realist evaluation, this study examines the extent to which PAP development and PAP leaders’ use of research evidence can be characterized into life cycle stages, and identify PAP contexts and mechanisms that explain the progress of PAPs and PAP leaders’ use of research evidence through life cycle stages.
Methods:
Recruiting PAPs across the U.S. that aim to improve mental health and/or promote well-being of youth aged 12-25 years, the study conducts document analysis and an online survey of PAPs to inform policymakers and academic researchers regarding the contexts and mechanisms to increase ultimate PAP sustainability and promote policymakers’ use of research evidence in improving youth outcomes.
Results:
Sixty PAPs that meet the recruitment criteria have been identified and document review of PAPs and participant recruitment for the online survey of PAP experience have been conducted.
Conclusions:
Policymakers and researchers should gain deeper knowledge of contexts and mechanisms to occur for each PAP life cycle stage to optimize PAP leaders’ use of research evidence in achieving positive public health outcomes.
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