Table 1 Characteristics of KT interventions (sample extract of four eligible studies)

Bennett et al. 2012 [103]

Multinational – Ghana, South Africa, Uganda

NR

Integrated efforts

Research reports and publications (indirect)

Verbal briefings

Policy briefs

Conducting policy-relevant research and analysis

Providing policy advice and technical assistance in policy formulation and evaluation

Conducting policy dialogues at national level

Policy-makers, donors, NGOs

Members of research institutes

NR

Delany-Moretlwe et al. 2011 [104]

South Africa

NR

Exchange efforts

Building credibility through linkages – community advisory boards, community consultation workshop, monthly meetings

Multiple means of communication – drama, music, radio and community eventsSMSFace-to-face meetings, telephonically, email (especially with policy-makers)

Interdisciplinary workshops

Researchers

NR

Disease burden, health system organisation, socio-political context of South Africa

Guieu et al. 2016 [72]

Multinational – Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Burkina Faso, Malawi

NR

Exchange efforts

A ‘work package’ of translation activities, including strong involvement of stakeholders through inviting policy-makers to open meetings, key-informant interviews with policy-makers, workshops with policy-makers, fora for policy-maker feedback on research projects, policy advisory boards at each site, stakeholder workshops, policy recommendations in formats adapted to policy-maker needs

Researchers

NR

Importance of context noted, but not described,LMIC settings – resource constrained

Hennink and Stephenson 2005 [105]

Multinational – Malawi, Tanzania

Models of research utilisation –rational, incremental and political models

Push efforts

Workshops

Research report distributed

Academic channels (journals, conference presentations)

Health researchers, policy-makers and practitioners

NR

NR