THE PUBLIC MESSAGING OF SCIENCE: WHAT THE EVIDENCE TELLS US ABOUT GETTING IT RIGHT

摘要

Although it is often stated that the production of new knowledge is an intrinsically valuable objective, health science research is duty bound to show the public value of its work. However, a common criticism of empirical science is its failure of translation into society-useful outcomes. For example a common perception is that science is expert driven rather than society led, with little interaction between the two in the translation process. No more is this more important than in brain health, in which the public understanding is parsimonious. Within this context we review the key elements of research-based societal change and will present new models of knowledge transfer and impact, including the WHO knowledge transfer model for ageing and health, its application in real life settings and the example of the Global Council for Brain Health whose remit is the presentation of reliable public messages derived from expert evidence.