Table 2 Details on data collection, analysis and synthesis
Data collection phase | Timeline | Type of stakeholders involved | Questions answered | Data analysis method | Overall synthesis method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Launch event | 21 April, 2015 | High-level EIP stakeholders (top and mid-level policy-makers in office at the time, influential health policy researchers) | Based on a short guidance that were presented to four groups (for details on guidance see Additional file 7) | Qualitative synthesis of the output of each group (see Additional files 5 and 6) | Analysed data were grouped according to the draft SA’s 4 major areas (national context, health policy-making context, health research system, research-policy interface) and a narrative synthesis was produced |
Focus group discussions | 23 June, 2015 26 June, 2015 29 June, 2015 | Mid-level policy-makers, ex top-level policy-makers, influential researchers, representatives of interest groups | Based on a focus group guide (for details see Additional file 2) | Free coding using transcripts, followed by thematic analysis | |
Semi-structured interviews | June–August, 2015 | Top-level policy-makers in office at the time, leaders of interest groups, influential health policy experts | Based on an interview guide (for details see Additional file 3) | Qualitative synthesis based on interview notes | |
Online questionnaires | August–September, 2015 | Representatives of divisions of the ministry, government agencies and university departments dealing with health policy research | Based on questionnaires (for details see Additional file 1) | Quantitative questions were summarised in charts and tables, qualitative, free text-based answers were synthetised qualitatively | |
Document analysis | August–September, 2015 | Not applicable | Based on guiding questions (for details see Additional file 4) | Extraction of relevant information from documents | |
Validation meeting | 5 November, 2015 | Mid-level policy-makers, influential researchers, representative of an NGO | Participants had to reinforce or reject the soundness of main findings in the preliminary report | Qualitative synthesis based on notes | Corrections were made to the preliminary report where necessary |