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Knowledge exchange is pivotal to the work of PHO. Our goal is to use research evidence to influence attitudes and knowledge in order to change behaviours, practices, or positions and policies. Simply put, we intend to “provide the right information to the right people in the right format at the right time.”
Integral to achieving this goal is partnering with knowledge exchange organizations and end users of evidence to identify what evidence is needed by whom; how audiences want to receive evidence; and how this information can be delivered most effectively. The foundation is two-way communication with our partners: we seek to provide information, and we gather information to shape our strategies and continuously evaluate our efforts.
Knowledge exchange research has identified the challenges of why evidence is not used systematically in informing programs, practices and policies. They include:
- Poor access to evidence
- Evidence not at one’s fingertips when needed
- Evidence not formatted or packaged effectively
Recognizing the number of initiatives in place across the province and the country, PHO’s unique contribution to the knowledge exchange field will optimize investments in public health research and inform our efforts to shape an improved public health system. Our overall approach is based on the following practices:
- Identifying gaps in accessing knowledge and creating ways to address those gaps
- Using the latest technology, where appropriate, to disseminate knowledge
- Ensuring equity in accessing evidence through such strategies as distance learning
- Promoting effective public health messaging
- Providing increased opportunities for students to be engaged in public health initiatives
- Partnering provincially, nationally and internationally to advance knowledge exchange activities
- Assisting public health units to foster a culture of evidence-based information production, usage and promotion
- Building capacity in public health workforce through educational and training events
Current initiatives include:
- Developing an efficient provincial knowledge management and retrieval system
- Building a rapid response system to create policy briefs or guidelines as well as a “in the news” rapid knowledge dissemination using state-of-the-art tools
- Developing knowledge exchange strategies for PHO priorities
- Participating in knowledge exchange grants
- Building a strong foundation and robust offering of programs for the Sheela Basrur Centre
- Facilitating the creation, dissemination and use of public health systematic reviews
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