Advisory Report Research Articles

The Discursive Boundary Work of Recontextualizing Science for Policy: Opening the Black Box of an Organization’s Genre System and Intermediary Genre Sets

Governments the world over require scientific knowledge to inform policy makers’ decision-making processes. The recontextualization of this information for nonscientific audiences has received much attention, though it has primarily focused on publicly available texts. Little is known about the discursive nature of how science is transformed and repurposed and the confidential writing performed by boundary organizations that are working between science and policy. This ethnographic study explores the collaborative discursive activity involved in efforts by a boundary organization—the Council of Canadian Academies—to recontextualize science for policy makers. The analysis opens the discursive black box of the genre system and intermediary genre sets involved in one project, which led to the publication and distribution of the boundary object of an advisory report, Older Canadians on the Move. I claim that the discursive boundary work involves a complex genre system containing several sequential genred activities through which science is transformed and a boundary object created.

Cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome: A step toward multidisciplinary and inclusive care

In a recent Presidential Advisory report, the American Heart Association (AHA) defined cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome as a spectrum of pathology associated with dysfunctional or excess adiposity and leading to adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Implementing the guidelines set forth by the AHA has the potential to improve population-wide CKM health.

On the Importance and Intrinsic Difficulties of Incorporating Health Insurance Benefits in Absolute Poverty Trends.

US government poverty measures do not include health insurance in the threshold or health insurance benefits in resources. Yet the 2019 Economic Report of the President presented long-term trends using the full-income poverty measure (FPM), which includes health insurance benefits as resources. A 2021 technical advisory report recommended statistical agencies produce absolute poverty trends with and without health insurance. The authors analyzed the conceptual validity and relevance of long-term absolute poverty trends incorporating health insurance benefits. They estimated the extent to which the FPM credits health insurance benefits with meeting nonhealth needs. In FPM estimates, health insurance benefits alone remove many households from poverty. Long-term absolute poverty trends incorporating health insurance benefits have intrinsic difficulties, because health insurance benefits are in-kind, mostly nonfungible, and large, and because health care undergoes substantial technological change-features that interact to undermine validity. Valid poverty measures with health insurance benefits require resources and thresholds consistent at each point in time, while absolute poverty measures require thresholds constant in real terms over time. These goals conflict. Statistical agencies should not produce absolute poverty trends incorporating health insurance benefits. Instead, they should focus on less-absolute poverty measures with health insurance benefits.

Forced Organ Harvesting

Forced Organ Harvesting

Best practices for exposure model peer review – A SciPinion advisory panel report

The extent and rigor of peer review that a model undergoes during and after development influences the confidence of users and managers in model predictions. A process for determining the breadth and depth of peer review of exposure models was developed with input from a panel of exposure-modeling experts. This included consideration of the tiers and types of models (e.g., screening, deterministic, probabilistic, etc.). The experts recommended specific criteria be considered when evaluating the degree to which a model has been peer reviewed, including quality of documentation and the model peer review process (e.g., internal review with a regulatory agency by subject matter experts, expert review reports, formal Scientific Advisory Panels, and journal peer review). In addition, because the determination of the confidence level for an exposure model's predictions is related to the degree of evaluation the model has undergone, irrespective of peer review, the experts recommended the approach include judging the degree of model rigor using a set of specific criteria: (1) nature and quality of input data, (2) model verification, (3) model corroboration, and (4) model evaluation. Other key areas considered by the experts included recommendations for addressing model uncertainty and sensitivity, defining the model domain of applicability, and flags for when a model is used outside its domain of applicability. The findings of this expert engagement will help developers as well as users of exposure models have greater confidence in their application and yield greater transparency in the evaluation and peer review of exposure models.

Safeguards Assessments Policy—External Expert Panel's Advisory Report

Safeguards Assessments Policy—External Expert Panel's Advisory Report

Improving quality of early care and education to support children's mental health

The United States is currently experiencing a youth mental health crisis. An already vulnerable, and from some perspectives, fundamentally flawed mental healthcare system has shown to be severely inadequate in supporting the increasing mental health needs of children and teens throughout the COVID‐19 pandemic. Indeed, a 2021 advisory report released by the Office of the Surgeon General named the youth mental health crisis as an “urgent public health issue” and called for a coordinated response by the country's child‐serving institutions.

Smoking cessation strategy in the national cervical cancer screening program (SUCCESS): study protocol for a pragmatic cluster randomised trial and process evaluation in Dutch general practice

IntroductionCervical cancer screening in general practice could be a routine moment to provide female smokers with stop smoking advice and support. The aim of this study is to assess the...

From ‘merchants and ministers’ to ‘neutral brokers’? Water diplomacy aspirations by the Netherlands – a discourse analysis of the 2011 commissioned advisory report

ABSTRACT Water diplomacy agents typically manage tensions between promoting peace and securing self-interest. This paper conducts a discourse analysis of a commissioned policy report by a leading Netherlands think-tank that helped inform Dutch policy on water diplomacy. We first establish the importance of the report. We then identify its focus on the theme of ‘neutral broker’ and apply vocabulary analysis, argumentation analysis and metaphor analysis, together leading up to frame analysis. From this report and the larger water diplomacy literature, we propose that water diplomacy must be viewed in connection with discursive politics and trade promotion. We illustrate relevant methods for future enquiry.

Models of Public Debt Management in the World and Lessons for Vietnam

Vietnam embarked on fundamentally building a public debt management system since 2009 as the Law of Public Debt Management was designed and promulgated. From then Vietnam has been following the typical model of public debt management used by developing countries, the market – based model which encompasses gradual building and completion of domestic market for government bond. However, because of several limitations in the national system of public debt management, the current model needs to be improved in alignment with the development level of Vietnam’s economy. Especially, economic shocks such as the 2009 financial crisis or Covid 19 which has increased dramatically the scope of public debt also urge a more technical and effective model. The paper focuses on analyzing the practical models of public debt management in the world and subsequently the current situation of Vietnam’s model. On that basis, the author figures out the limitations of the model and proposes a number of solutions to upgrade the model in accordance with the international practice regarding model of public debt management suitable with development level of economy. 
 Keywords
 Public debt, sustainable public debt, public debt management, risk management, model of public debt management.
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Advisory report concerning the health risks of bamboo cups

Advisory report concerning the health risks of bamboo cups

Spilling Ink and Cleaning Oil

Spilling Ink and Cleaning Oil

Why Was Keynes Not Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize After Writing ‘The Economic Consequences of the Peace’?

John Maynard Keynes became world famous with the publication of The Economic Consequences of the Peace in 1919, a harsh critique of the Versailles peace treaty. As a consequence, Keynes was nominated by German professors in economics for the Nobel Peace Prize three years in a row, 1922, 1923 and 1924. Because Keynes was put on the shortlist of candidates, he was evaluated in an advisory report in 1923, followed by one in 1924, prepared for the Nobel Committee of the Norwegian parliament. This paper summarizes the two reports on Keynes. The appraisals were highly appreciative of Keynes’s book as well as of his subsequent newspaper and journal articles on the peace treaty, raising the question: why did Keynes not receive the Peace Prize? The appraiser of Keynes even informed Keynes that he was “one of the foremost candidates proposed for the Nobel Peace Prize.” However, the Peace Prize was not awarded in 1923 and 1924 although Keynes was declared a worthy laureate. There are no protocols that shed light on this issue. Still, the events surrounding the evaluation process, in particular the public clash between two advisors of the Prize Committee on Keynes’s account of the negotiations at Versailles, encourage a speculative answer.

Evolution of Healthcare-Associated Infections and Antibiotic Resistance Programs in US Health Departments, 2009–2018

Background: Domestically, the integration of public health into healthcare-associated infection (HAI) and antibiotic resistance (AR) prevention activities represents a major development. We describe CDC Funding: of public health HAI/AR programs through the Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) cooperative agreement to improve local capacity to prevent HAIs and detect and contain the spread of AR threats. Methods: We reviewed ELC budget reports and program documents to summarize the evolution of funded activities and programs from 2009 to 2018. Results: In 2009, 51 programs (49 states, 2 cities and territories) received US$35.8 million through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for an initial 28-month period. These funds supported each jurisdiction to establish an HAI coordinator and a multidisciplinary HAI advisory group, coordinate and report HAI prevention efforts, conduct surveillance and report HAI data, and maintain an HAI plan; ~27 programs were also funded to coordinate multicenter HAI prevention collaboratives among acute-care hospitals. Through 2011, 188 state or local HAI/AR program positions were at least partially funded by the CDC. From 2011 to 2015, investments from the Affordable Care Act (~US$10–11 million annually) were used to maintain the HAI/AR programs, with some expansion of program goals related to non–acute-care settings and antibiotic stewardship. In 2015, following the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, supplemental ELC funds were awarded to 61 programs (50 states, 11 cities and territories) totaling US$85 million over 36 months. These awards marked an expansion of HAI/AR program activities to develop healthcare provider inventories, to conduct data-driven education and training, and to perform onsite infection control assessments in healthcare facilities. In 2016, through its AR Solutions Initiative, CDC invested US$57.3 million in Funding: to 57 programs (50 states, 7 cities and territories), expanding laboratory capacities for AR threat detection (via the AR Laboratory Network) and epidemiologic activities to rapidly contain novel and targeted multidrug-resistant organisms. As of 2018, >500 state or local HAI/AR program positions were at least partially funded by the CDC. Conclusions: State and local HAI/AR programs have grown substantially over the 10 years of their existence, as reflected in major increases in funding, staffing, scope, and partnerships. CDC investments and guidance have supported the development of HAI/AR epidemiology prevention and response capacity.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None

Health and prolonging working lives: an advisory report of the Health Council of The Netherlands.

Objective This opinion paper summarizes the main findings and recommendations of an advisory report on health and prolonging working life, which was requested by the Dutch Minister of Social Affairs and Employment. Methods The advisory report was compiled by a multidisciplinary committee of ten scientists appointed by the Health Council of The Netherlands. The committee`s aims were to (i) describe the health of the ageing population, (ii) describe how prolonging working life influences health, (iii) describe determinants, besides health, for prolonging working lives, and (iv) review the literature on interventions aimed at retaining or improving employability of older workers. Results The report was presented to the Minister on 26 June 2018. As the likelihood of health problems increases with age, prolonging working life may be difficult. In general, life expectancy increases and gains in life years and health seem mainly attributable to people aged >75 years. Work is good for mental health. However, it may be beneficial for mental health to stop working around the retirement age. Besides health, financial factors, lifestyle, motivation to work, and working conditions play a role in prolonging working life. A systematic review of the evidence indicated that interventions such as worksite health promotion or career development workshops can support older workers in this matter. Conclusions The Health Council advised the Dutch Government to focus on worksite health promotion and career development interventions as well as the improvement of their implementation. This requires a tailored approach as there is a large diversity in health among older workers and particularly between low- and high-educated people. With this in mind, it was further recommended to explore whether flexible pension schemes might better suit this diversity.

From the Literature

From the Literature

Planning for a Resilient Urban Food System: A Case Study from Baltimore City, Maryland

Many natural and non-natural hazards threaten food security, especially in urban areas where growing populations place extra demands on the food supply. Ensuring stable food security before, during, and after disasters requires resilient food systems that can withstand and recover from disruptions. However, few U.S. cities have considered food systems in disaster preparedness or resilience planning. This reflective case study from the participant-observer perspective examines the process and outcomes of a city-university collaboration to assess and begin to improve the resilience of Baltimore City’s food system. An academic center and municipal department of planning partnered to assess and plan for short- and long-term food system resilience. An Emergency Food Working Group convened for three meetings over three months, resulting in the creation of an emergency food access protocol for acute event response. A broader Baltimore Food System Resilience Advisory Report was then developed based on 36 key-informant interviews with food system stakehold­ers, literature reviews, and geo­graphic information system (GIS) mapping. That report included an assessment of the Baltimore City food system’s vulnerability to hazards, the extent of stakeholder preparedness for food supply disrup­tions, and identified opportunities for enhancing long-term food system resilience. It presented policy recom­mendations for Baltimore and a framework for conceptualizing food system vulnerabilities. Policy recommendations and lessons learned from this planning process can serve as an example for other cities interested in enhancing the resilience of their food system or broadening the scope of their resilience planning. See the press release for this article.

Dutch Health Council Advisory Report on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Taking the Wrong Turn.

Recently, the Dutch Health Council published their advisory report on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME)/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) which is meant to determine the medical policy with regard to ME in the Netherlands. The Health Council briefly discusses several diagnostic criteria and proposes to use new diagnostic criteria for “ME/CFS” in research and clinical practice in the future. The advisory report then summarizes organic abnormalities observed in the last decades and concludes that “ME/CFS” is a “serious, chronic, multisystem disease”. According to the Health Council there are no curative treatments for “ME/CFS”, due to lack of knowledge, but specific medication could bring symptomatic relief. The Health Council recommends conducting more research, to (re)educate medical professionals about “ME/CFS”, to appoint three academic expertise centres, which will install a care network for patients, and to fairly judge the limitations (disability) of patients when they apply for a disability income, medical aid and care. The advisory report was welcomed by many patients, because it puts an end to the dominance of the (bio)psychosocial explanatory model and seems to offer a perspective of improving the situation of patients. However, the starting point of the advisory report, a new definition of “ME/CFS”, will have serious (long-lasting) consequences for patients and researchers.

Using a trauma-informed policy approach to create a resilient urban food system.

Food insecurity is associated with toxic stress and adverse long-term physical and mental health outcomes. It can be experienced chronically and also triggered or exacerbated by natural and human-made hazards that destabilize the food system. The Baltimore Food System Resilience Advisory Report was created to strengthen the resilience of the city's food system and improve short- and long-term food security. Recognizing food insecurity as a form of trauma, the report was developed using the principles of trauma-informed social policy. In the present paper, we examine how the report applied trauma-informed principles to policy development, discuss the challenges and benefits of using a trauma-informed approach, and provide recommendations for others seeking to create trauma-informed food policy. Report recommendations were developed based on: semi-structured interviews with food system stakeholders; input from community members at outreach events; a literature review; Geographic Information System mapping; and other analyses. The present paper explores findings from the stakeholder interviews. Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Baltimore food system stakeholders stratified by two informant categories: organizations focused on promoting food access (n 13) and community leaders (n 12). Stakeholder interviews informed the recommendations included in the report and supported the idea that chronic and acute food insecurity are experienced as trauma in the Baltimore community. Applying a trauma-informed approach to the development of the Baltimore Food System Resilience Advisory Report contributed to policy recommendations that were community-informed and designed to lessen the traumatic impact of food insecurity.

The Disclosure Practices of Islamic Equity Funds

ABSTRACTWe investigate the disclosure practices of screening and compliance information of Islamic equity funds around the world. Disclosures on Sharia advisors and screening information are quite high, but they are lower for compliance information such as Sharia advisory report (SAR) and holdings data. The results show that younger funds with better Sharia advisory board (SAB) governance which are domiciled in countries belonging to an Islamic international standard-setter body have the highest disclosure levels. However, funds domiciled in countries with a central SAB and following common law disclose less Sharia-related information. These findings are important for the effectiveness of disclosure framework.