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Table 6 Participants’ views on how to improve future policy brief development and policy dialogue on the same policy issue in the future

From: Assessing the usefulness of policy brief and policy dialogue as knowledge translation tools towards contextualizing the accountability framework for routine immunization at a subnational level in Nigeria

Policy brief n = 19

Freq (%)

Policy dialogue n = 20

Freq (%)

1. What should be retained

Taking cognizance of the local context

5 (26.3)

Participatory and interactive engagement which gave room for each participant to make useful contributions

5 (25)

Employment of systematic transparent method in the identification, selection and assessment of synthesized research evidence

4 (21.1)

Fair representation of stakeholders in the various subgroups during the deliberations

4 (20)

The “merit” review process

2 (10.5)

Involvement of all stakeholders

3 (15)

Description of the current situation in the featured policy issue

2 (10.5)

Well-itemized problems and policy recommendations

2 (10)

Outlined implementation strategies

2 (10.5)

Flexibility in dialogue which led to respect of opinions

2 (10)

Description of the policy document from where the policy brief was developed (AFRIN)

2 (10.5)

Systematic and transparent method that is research evidence-based

2 (10)

Description of the issue to be addressed

1 (5.3)

Frank off-the-record deliberations

2 (10)

Inclusion of references

1 (5.3)

  

Policy brief n = 18

 

Policy dialogue n = 11

 

2. What should be changed?

No changes suggested

16 (88.9)

Nothing

4 (36.4)

Should be shorter with fewer pages to make it easier to read

1 (5.6)

Participation by the apex policy-makers in the ministry in policy dialogues should be mandatory

3 (27.3)

More local literature should be highlighted

1 (5.6)

When subgroups for discussions are created, members should not be randomly allocated

1 (9)

  

Adding more details to the description of the context of the problem

1 (9)

  

Participants should be informed earlier about the policy dialogue

1 (9)

  

The language of discussion should be kept simple for easy understanding

1 (9)

Policy brief n = 4

 

Policy dialogue n = 8

 

3. One important action that you personally can do better or differently to address the featured policy issue

Circulate the policy brief much earlier

1 (25.0)

Collect, collate and share complete and relevant data in a timely manner

3 (37.5)

Future policy briefs should make specific recommendations

1 (25.0)

Take ownership of the work one is doing, e.g. through personal commitment, to ensure that recommended strategies are implemented

2 (25)

Getting input from local researchers and consider local applicability of their results

1 (25.0)

Cost-effective methods of maintaining cold chain, e.g. by harnessing community resources

2 (25)

Increase the number of political policy-makers in the “merit” review process to at least three

1 (25.0)

Facilitating the “push” programme of vaccine and commodity distribution from the state straight to health facilities

1 (12.5)