Open Access 01-12-2006 | Review
Improving the use of research evidence in guideline development: 13. Applicability, transferability and adaptation
Published in: Health Research Policy and Systems | Issue 1/2006
Login to get accessAbstract
Background
Objectives
Methods
Key questions and answers
-
Resources for developing high quality recommendations are limited. Internationally developed recommendations can facilitate access to and pooling of resources, reduce unnecessary duplication, and involve international scientists.
-
Priority should be given to international health problems and problems that are important in low and middle-income countries, where these advantages are likely to be greatest.
-
Factors that influence the transferability of recommendations across different settings should be considered systematically and flagged, including modifying factors, important variation in needs, values, costs and the availability of resources.
-
The preparation of systematic reviews and evidence profiles should be coordinated centrally, in collaboration with organizations that produce systematic reviews. Centrally developed evidence profiles should be adaptable to specific local circumstances.
-
Consideration should be given to models that involve central coordination with work being undertaken by centres located throughout the world.
-
While needs, availability of resources, costs, the presence of modifying factors and values need to be assessed locally, support for undertaking these assessments may be needed to make guidelines applicable.
-
WHO should provide local support for adapting and implementing recommendations by developing tools, building capacity, learning from international experience, and through international networks that support evidence-informed health policies, such as the Evidence-informed Policy Network (EVIPNet).
-
WHO should provide detailed guidance for adaptation of international recommendations.
-
Local adaptation processes should be systematic and transparent, they should involve stakeholders, and they should report the key factors that influence decisions, including those flagged in international guidelines, and the reasons for any modifications that are made.