Table 9 Most frequently mentioned barriers and facilitators to the use of evidence in policymaking and strategies to improve evidence to policy
Barriers to evidence-informed policies (n = 150) | Facilitators to evidence-informed policies (n = 83) | Strategies to improve evidence to policy (n = 119) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
• Lack of funding for health research | 30(20%) | • Communication and networking | 15(18%) | • Communication, networking, and dialogue | 24(20%) |
• Over-riding political forces | 19(13%) | • Availability of funding for health research | 15(18%) | • Increase funding and investments in health research | 16(13%) |
• Lack of political will and corruption | 15(10%) | • Availability of health research on policy priorities | 10(12%) | • Build capacity of policymakers | 9(8%) |
• Lack of communication and insufficient dialogue | 14(9%) | • Political pressure to use research in policymaking in certain fields | 7(8%) | • Train researchers on conducting health systems and policy research and KTE strategies | 7(6%) |
• Lack of appropriately trained policymakers in use of evidence | 13(9%) | • Wide dissemination of research | 5(6%) | • Improve dissemination of research | 7(6%) |
|  |  | • Belief in the importance of evidence-informed policymaking | 4(5%) | • Conduct sensitization and awareness workshops on evidence informed policymaking | 6(5%) |
|  |  | • Public opinion and stakeholders pressures | 4(5%) | • Provide incentives or legislations for policymakers to use evidence in policymaking | 6(5%) |