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Health Research Policy and Systems
Published in: Health Research Policy and Systems 1/2015

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Research

Role and use of evidence in policymaking: an analysis of case studies from the health sector in Nigeria

Authors: Obinna Onwujekwe, Nkoli Uguru, Giuliano Russo, Enyi Etiaba, Chinyere Mbachu, Tolib Mirzoev, Benjamin Uzochukwu

Published in: Health Research Policy and Systems | Issue 1/2015

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Abstract

Background

Health policymaking is a complex process and analysing the role of evidence is still an evolving area in many low- and middle-income countries. Where evidence is used, it is greatly affected by cognitive and institutional features of the policy process. This paper examines the role of different types of evidence in health policy development in Nigeria.

Methods

The role of evidence was compared between three case studies representing different health policies, namely the (1) integrated maternal neonatal and child health strategy (IMNCH); (2) oral health (OH) policy; and (3) human resource for health (HRH) policy. The data was collected using document reviews and 31 in-depth interviews with key policy actors. Framework Approach was used to analyse the data, aided by NVivo 10 software.

Results

Most respondents perceived evidence to be factual and concrete to support a decision. Evidence was used more if it was perceived to be context-specific, accessible and timely. Low-cost high-impact evidence, such as the Lancet series, was reported to have been used in drafting the IMNCH policy. In the OH and HRH policies, informal evidence such as experts’ experiences and opinions, were reported to have been useful in the policy drafting stage. Both formal and informal evidence were mentioned in the HRH and OH policies, while the development of the IMNCH was revealed to have been informed mainly by more formal evidence. Overall, respondents suggested that formal evidence, such as survey reports and research publications, were most useful in the agenda-setting stage to identify the need for the policy and thus initiating the policy development process. International and local evidence were used to establish the need for a policy and develop policy, and less to develop policy implementation options.

Conclusion

Recognition of the value of different evidence types, combined with structures for generating and using evidence, are likely to enhance evidence-informed health policy development in Nigeria and other similar contexts.
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Metadata
Title
Role and use of evidence in policymaking: an analysis of case studies from the health sector in Nigeria
Authors
Obinna Onwujekwe
Nkoli Uguru
Giuliano Russo
Enyi Etiaba
Chinyere Mbachu
Tolib Mirzoev
Benjamin Uzochukwu
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Health Research Policy and Systems / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 1478-4505
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-015-0049-0

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