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Table 2 Summary of research agenda top priorities and research questions

From: Using an integrated knowledge translation approach to build a public health research agenda

Priority

Research Questions/sub-themes

Public

1. How do we develop a conceptual model for the development of indicators?

Health

2. What are the impacts of quality improvement systems on PH system performance?

Performance

3. How do we ensure relevance and feasibility of performance management systems (including data collection) to practitioners? What are various quality improvement initiatives that exist and which are relevant for PH? How do we differentiate workforce performance and outcome of services, &/or outcomes of partnerships? What are various quality improvement initiatives that exist and which are relevant for PH?

 

4. How can we track inequities in populations as well as the incorporation of equity into policy and practice?

5. How cost-effective and cost-efficient is the PH system in ON?

6. How do you do contribution analysis in PH? What exactly is the attribution/value add/impact of PH?

Evidence-based Practice

7. Who uses evidence? How is evidence used at PHUs and what are the contributing factors (enablers/barriers to using evidence)?

8. What evidence is used and what is the quality of the data/evidence being used? What exactly are the most effective evidence-based practices?

9. How do Health Units successfully incorporate evidence informed decision making throughout the health unit? At all levels of the organization?

Public Health Organization & Structure

10. What is the relationship between the way PH is organized (structure, budget, authority, decision-making capacity, mandate) and PH performance (i.e. effective PH practice)?

11. Are there international “best practice” governance models that result in better PH performance? How to we make inter-jurisdictional comparisons, within ON, between ON and other jurisdictions, and internationally?

12. Are there preferred organizational models that allow for intersectoral collaboration?

Public Health Human Resources

13. Are the core competencies being used? Where and to what effect? What core competencies are required in the workforce to take action on the social determinants of health? What common skills to do we all need? Do PH practitioners have the necessary competencies to implement the OPHS effectively? How do the competencies of existing PH workforce map onto the national competencies? What core competencies should be integrated into university undergraduate (i.e. nursing, health sciences, inspectors, social work, dental, nutrition, medicine) and masters programs to ensure an adequately prepared workforce?

14. Is there surge capacity in PH?

15. What are the types, numbers and distribution of (various) PH professionals across ON, including workforce-to-population ratios (which may be adjusted for population health status, geography, diversity and other factors)? What are the best models of forecasting the PH workforce needs - and what factors would be integrated in to this model?

Public Health Infrastructure

16. What is the population size, geography required to achieve ‘critical mass’ (consider adaptability)? Is there an ideal population size for each PH unit (matching the PH infrastructure to the population)?

17. How can access to and use of information, data and evidence informed practice improve practice?

18. How does access to a full range (local and otherwise) of data about health and its determinants impact practice?

19. What components (e.g., skill mix of the workforce, finances) of the PH infrastructure are most influential? And how do they influence each other? How do they vary across the province?

Partnerships & Linkages

20. How do we assess the meaning, value and outcome of our partnerships from multiple perspectives - including our partners (for example in PH policy, programs and practice)? What are the best indicators - how do we know/measure effective partnerships and partnership processes?

21. What are the factors enabling/hindering effective partnerships at different levels (e.g. institution, community, etc.)? What are the processes to enable multi-level partnerships, and outcomes associated with these?

22. Building partnerships across different entities: How do we build partnerships between service, policy and research? What is the most effective/appropriate way to partner with industry? Should PH partner with industry? How does PH partner with the LHINs? What are the linkages? How much time, financial resources, etc should be invested (from all parties) in creating and maintaining partnerships? Are we engaging the right partners for intersectoral action? How do we create and mobilize partnership across PHUs? Where should PH partner with private sector?

23. What is the role of PH as a convener and steward of partnerships across community organizations with health and among other sectors? What are the infrastructure requirements to enable this to occur?

23. How can we use partnerships effectively to reach equitable service delivery and ultimately health equity?