Essential nexus: how to use research to inform and evaluate public policy.

摘要

Scientific research often is not relevant to public policy. In the evolving field of active living, there are two primary reasons why: (1) a broad range of research may be necessary to advance science, and many research topics are not that relevant to policy; and (2) even with policy-relevant research, there is no guarantee that the research results will have clear policy implications or be conveyed in a way that highlights the policy relevance. This does not mean that all research should be designed to be relevant to policy applications. Rather, we need to acknowledge that policy-relevant research is facilitated by closer collaboration between researchers and policymakers in selecting appropriate topics and devising effective communication strategies to disseminate the results.