Table 2 Synthesis capacity development framework that informed intervention design

Increase supply of policy-relevant research

Support development of policy briefs, systematic reviews

Provide policy briefs, systematic reviews in an ‘easy-to-access’ online databases

Promote joint research priority-setting exercises

Build health research capacity in, or close to policy organisations

(establish health systems research units in health ministries or in organisations with links to ministries)

Enhance capacity of policy-makers to source and use research

Provide training or mentoring in use of research evidence, commissioning of research studies and briefs

Create stronger incentives for evidence use (e.g. through performance assessments, staff appraisals and leadership programmes)

Secure funding or raise government revenues to support development of policy analysis units, or perhaps research units within government bodies

Improve access to research resources through improved Internet access, development of low-cost databases of research evidence (such as Hinari)

Enhance leadership for demand and use of evidence

Develop and support knowledge broker capacity (establish knowledge broker organisations and networks)

Increase networking among policy-makers and researchers

Conduct special events or meetings that bring key actors together

Require policy-maker participation in research (i.e. co-production of research)^a

Establish institutional mechanisms that promote exchange between research and policy worlds

Establish norms and regulations for research use (e.g. support legislation that requires publication of evidence base for new policies, integrate operational research and evaluation into existing processes and programmes)

Encourage mechanisms that bring technical expertise into government