In this position paper, a theoretical framework is proposed to formulate engaged, evidence-based health policy based on the priorities of constituents. An initial literature review was conducted to gain insight on the gaps in knowledge. Three emergent domains were identified: advocacy, research, and policymaking. The inputs and intermediates to the final output (equitable, evidence-based health policy outcomes) were identified and further elaborated upon in each corresponding section of the paper. Additionally, the main objective of each domain based on the literature review and the implications of each step were noted. Researchers have been identified as crucial to the education of policymakers to ultimately produce informed, evidence-based policy. Community advocates and researchers must attempt to advocate for policy issues as the ultimate role of policymakers in this process necessitates effective engagement to promote political will in the policymaking process. To do so, community advocates must scale-up from the individual to coalitions with strong leadership. In conjunction with a policy champion, these efforts by constituents (community advocates and researchers) would result in the most effective modes of policy development and implementation. The Constituent-driven Policy Advocacy Model (CPAM) introduced in this paper creates the potential for a new precedent in policymaking, in which advocacy, community engagement, evidence synthesis and evaluation, as well as science communication are common practices, leading to more sensitive, targeted, and equitable policy outcomes.
Keywords: Advocacy; Constituents; Health policy; Policymaking; Research.
This paper proposes a new lens to conceptualize health policymaking. The proposed model depicts the policy process in a collaborative nature, in which the voices of constituents are incorporated into the process to ensure that the resulting policy outcomes are informed by and are sensitive to constituents’ needs. Three main stakeholder groups in this process were identified: policymakers, researchers/scientists, and community advocates. The article goes into further detail related to the actionable items for individuals in these groups. The role of researchers in this process is to inform policymaking using scientific evidence through individual and collaborative efforts with community advocates. The role of community advocates in this process is to build the capacity to assess needs, form collaborations and coalitions with strong leadership, as well as identify a policy champion invested in a shared health policy priority area. Through joint efforts between policymakers, researchers, and community advocates, accountability, evaluation, and political will can be promoted, which in turn influences policy outcomes in a more equitable and evidence-based fashion. The Constituent-driven Policy Advocacy Model (CPAM) creates the potential for a new precedent in health policymaking, in which advocacy, community engagement, evidence synthesis and evaluation, as well as science communication are common practices, leading to more sensitive, targeted, and equitable policy actions.
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