How can we synthesise qualitative and quantitative evidence for policy makers and managers?

Pope, Catherine, Mays, Nicholas and Popay, Jennie (2005) How can we synthesise qualitative and quantitative evidence for policy makers and managers? 6th International Conference on the Scientific Basis of Health Services, Montreal, Canada. 17 - 19 Sep 2005.

Abstract

Objectives: To describe how different types of evidence - qualitative, quantitative and non-research based - can be integrated/synthesised to inform policy decision making.
Study design: Review and critical commentary on methods for synthesis used in health and social science research, undertaken in 2004.
Principle findings: We identify four basic approaches to reviewing and synthesising evidence that have potential to inform policy decision making.: narrative (including traditional ‘literature reviews’ and more methodologically explicit approaches such as narrative synthesis, thematic analysis, ‘realist synthesis’ and ‘meta-narrative mapping’), qualitative (which convert all available evidence into qualitative form using techniques such as ‘meta-ethnography’ and ‘qualitative cross-case analysis’), quantitative (which convert all evidence into quantitative form using techniques such as ‘quantitative case survey’ or ‘content analysis’) and Bayesian meta-analysis and decision analysis (which can convert qualitative evidence such as preferences about different outcomes into quantitative form or ‘weights’ to use in quantitative synthesis).
Conclusion: There is no single, agreed framework for synthesising diverse forms of evidence. Many of the methods that show potential for this have been devised for reviews which include either qualitative or quantitative evidence rather than those that attempt tointegrate/synthesis both types of evidence. Methods for synthesis are evolving – some are less well developed than others. Nonetheless we must learn to synthesise diverse forms of evidence if we are to better meet the needs of policy makers.
Implications: Policy makers have always used a widerange of sources of evidence in making decisions about policy and service organisation but are under pressureto adopt a more systematic approach to the utilisationof this complex evidence base. Synthesis is an attractive solution. The choice of approach is contingent on the policy questions and the nature ofthe evidence. More policy-research dialogue is required to develop synthesis methods.
Primary funding: Canadian HSR Foundation & NHS R&DSDO

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Contributors

Author: Catherine Pope

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