Table 1 Within-sector insights and their implications for conceptualising quality of research evidence use.

Health

• Key frameworks illustrated the complexity of evidence use across all stages of the process.

• The process involves a dynamic, adaptive interplay of practitioner expertise, evidence, and context, for improved health outcomes.

• There are a number of factors related to individual and organisational capacity to support and improve research use over time.

Need to:

• identify the scope of evidence use (i.e., what is and is not included);

• take account of the interplay of practitioner expertise, evidence, and context; and

• identify and understand the individual and system-wide capacity to support and improve evidence use over time.

Social care

• Several frameworks indicated the need to balance evidence with practitioner expertise, contextual factors, and client needs.

• There was no consistency regarding what constitutes effective evidence use and the practitioner capabilities needed to enact it.

Need to:

• take account of the interplay of the evidence with practitioner expertise, context, and client/case needs; and

• understand what is considered to be effective evidence use and the practitioner capabilities needed.

Education

• The term ‘evidence-informed practice’ was thought to better acknowledge the role of practitioner knowledge and expertise in context.

• There are enablers of evidence use at the practitioner and organisational level.

Need to:

• take account of the nature and role of practitioner knowledge and expertise in context; and

• understand enablers at the practitioner and organisational level.

Policy

• Strong recognition of the need for nuanced approaches to balance the best available evidence, the policy situation, the issues and the views of stakeholders.

• Quality use was thought to be more linked to policy processes (i.e., how decisions are made and implemented) than to policy outcomes.

Need to:

• recognise the need for balancing the evidence with the broader policy context and support of diverse stakeholders; and

• consider whether to focus on evidence use processes and/or outcomes.