Policy Brief Research Articles

Addressing conflicts of interest regarding the vaccine in infectious disease outbreaks based on good governance for health approach: a policy brief

BackgroundInfectious disease outbreaks pose a significant threat to public health, and achieving herd immunity highlights the importance of addressing conflicts of interest (COI) in vaccine development and policy-making. This policy brief aims to present policy options that address COI regarding vaccines in infectious disease outbreaks, based on good governance for health approach.MethodsOur study used a scoping review methodology. We conducted a systematic search, which led to identifying 43 eligible articles. A qualitative approach (i.e., content analysis) was employed for data analysis, using “ATLAS.ti 9” software. The primary results underwent a process of cleaning, categorisation, and subsequent discussion in three sessions with the research team.ResultsRelationships between theindustry and “government/policymakers” as well as "academic institutions/researchers" are prominent origins of COI regarding the vaccine in infectious disease outbreaks. To address this issue, we present nine policy options that target both the root cause of the problem and the adoption of good governance for health approach.ConclusionsThe key principles of good governance for health, including, “Transparency”, “The Rule of Law”, “Effectiveness”, “Efficiency”, “Participation”, “Consensus Orientation”, “Equality”, “Responsibility”, “Responsiveness” and “Accountability” must be taken into account when formulating policy options to address COI regarding the vaccine in infectious disease outbreaks. The effectiveness of the policy options outlined in this policy brief should be assessed in practical contexts, as this evaluation may uncover the need for revisions.

Promotion of Possible Protective Methods for Farmers During Exposure to Pesticides (Diazinon): A Policy Summary

According to the estimates of the World Health Organization (WHO), more than three million poisonings with organophosphorus derivatives occur every year, and in the meantime, more than 250000 deaths will occur in the future. Globally, 30% of suicide cases occur with the use of organophosphorus derivatives. Organophosphorus toxins are widely used due to their stability and low cumulative effects on the ecosystem. Diazinon, as one of the organophosphates, is widely utilized in agriculture and veterinary medicine. This poison is highly toxic to humans and animals. As stated by various studies, stores of unauthorized supply of poisons and lack of proper monitoring of the permissible limit of poisons, as well as the sale of poisons without a prescription, farmers’ ignorance, and indiscriminate planting of crops that are not based on traditional agriculture, can be caused by various factors related to improper use. In addition, the excessive use of pesticides and agricultural poisons can cause short- and long-term effects on health. Enhancing the antioxidant capacity is an effective solution to weaken the toxic effects of diazinon. Garlic and garlic supplements are used in many countries for their blood lipid-lowering, anti-platelet effects, and beneficial blood circulation. Some garlic products seem to have liver-protective, immune-system-enhancing, and anticancer, chemical-preventive, and antioxidant activities. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of garlic oil have been shown in different tissues. In today’s world, an effective solution/ decision-making for such problems based on evidence is recommended by compiling a policy brief. Therefore, to demonstrate evidence-based policy options, taking into account the existing obstacles and opportunities, it seems necessary to use intervention strategies and planning to reduce the consumption of pesticides and increase the level of protection for farmers.

Implementation of the digital government public policy in Colombia: Lessons learned from public entities

The digital government policy aims to improve the efficiency, transparency, and quality of the services provided by the state. Research on this policy has been conducted from the perspective of the interaction between the state and each of the actors in society, neglecting the decisive role of public entities in its proper implementation. This policy brief focuses on the Colombian case and aimed to provide evidence to decision-makers and public entities on which variables should intervene to effectively implement the digital government policy. The recommendations given arise from a regression model, which identified that variables of web accessibility and usability, IPV6 adoption, the strategic component of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) use, the use of emerging technologies, transparency, and access to public information should be intervened.

The road to success: drawing parallels between 'road' and 'research data' infrastructures to foster understanding between service providers, funders and policymakers.

Background: The work of data research infrastructure operators is poorly understood, yet the services they provide are used by millions of scientists across the planet. Policy and implications: As the data services and the underlying infrastructure are typically funded through the public purse, it is essential that policymakers, research funders, experts reviewing funding proposals, and possibly even end-users are equipped with a good understanding of the daily tasks of service providers. Recommendations: We suggest drawing parallels between research data infrastructure and road infrastructure. To trigger the imagination and foster understanding, this policy brief contains a table of corresponding aspects of the two classes of infrastructure, and a table of policy implications. Conclusions: Just as economists and specialist evaluators are typically brought in to inform policies and funding decisions for road infrastructure, we encourage this to also be done for research infrastructures.

Mapping the Global Adoption of Mandatory Vaccination against COVID-19: A Scoping Review

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic caused sicknesses ranging from mild to deadly, which disrupted lives and healthcare systems across the globe. Despite the availability of vaccines that are effective in significantly reducing the risks of death and severe disease, misperceptions of COVID-19 vaccine safety, efficacy, risks, and mistrust in institutions responsible for vaccination campaigns have been reported as factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy, leading to an unsatisfactory vaccination rate, which resulted in some countries implementing mandatory COVID-19 vaccination to increase vaccine uptake. This scoping review aimed at mapping global countries that have adopted mandatory COVID-19 vaccination and the reaction of citizens. PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews was used. Google Scholar was used to identify papers published in English from December 2019 to February 2022, irrespective of their methodology. A total of 140 studies were identified. After screening for duplication, access, and relevance, 24 were eligible for review. Approximately eleven countries implemented mandatory vaccination, mostly among healthcare workers. Citizens’ reactions towards the policy varied, with some in support of the policy but with a preference for the healthcare workers, and some in support but with the condition that it will only apply to travel, schools, and shopping areas, while others rejected the policy. Studies that may be relevant but were excluded due to eligibility criteria may be a limiting factor to this study. Several ethical considerations should be explicitly addressed when evaluating whether mandatory COVID-19 vaccination is an ethically justifiable policy option as recommended by the WHO policy brief.

Multi-drug resistant Salmonella typhi: why should African countries move quickly toward adopting typhoid conjugate vaccine

Africa has a high burden of typhoid fever causing significant morbidity and mortality especially among children. Over the years there has been increased development of Multi-drug and Extensively drug resistance typhoid strains in the continent which threatens typhoid treatment. This is compounded by a background that most African countries have limited diagnostic capacity, leading to high empiric use of antibiotics, and worsening of antimicrobial resistance. Access to safe drinking water, hygiene and sanitation facilities also remains a significant challenge for most countries. In this policy brief, we encourage African countries to consider quick adoption of highly efficacious and cost-effective available typhoid conjugate vaccines.

Know How to Write an Influential Policy Brief: A Systematic Guide to Writers and Readers

A policy brief is a concise document that summarizes a policy issue, provides analysis and offers specific recommendations to policymakers and decision-makers. Its purpose is to inform and influence policy decisions by providing evidence-based arguments and practical suggestions for addressing a particular problem or achieving a desired outcome. Policy briefs are typically written by researchers, analysts, or experts in a particular field and are aimed at policymakers, government officials, or organizations responsible for shaping and implementing policies. They are often used to communicate complex information clearly and concisely, helping decision-makers understand the issue at hand and make informed choices. Since many scientists, writers, and readers give little attention, I thoroughly reviewed what it is, how it is written, and why it matters. A well-written policy brief typically includes the following elements: (a) Executive Summary: A brief overview of the main problem, recommendations, and policy implications. (b) Introduction: Provides background information on the policy issue and its relevance, including its social, economic, or environmental impact. (c) Problem Statement: Clearly defines the problem or issue being addressed, including its causes, scope, and implications. It identifies any existing gaps or challenges in the current policy framework. (d) Analysis: Presents a thorough analysis of the issue, including relevant data, research findings, and supporting evidence. It explores different perspectives, underlying factors, and potential consequences of different policy options. (e) Recommendations: Offers specific and actionable recommendations for policy actions or interventions. These recommendations should be feasible, practical, and aligned with the objectives of the policy brief. (f) Implementation Strategies: Provides guidance on implementing the recommended policies or actions effectively. This may include suggested timelines, stakeholder engagement strategies, or considerations for monitoring and evaluation. (g) Conclusion: Summarizes the key points discussed in the policy brief and reinforces the importance of the recommendations.

Heading in the right direction in 2023? Post‐flood lessons toward building a water‐resilient Pakistan

AbstractThe 2022 monsoon season presented the worst‐case scenario for Pakistan in terms of what could have been visualized about water when in abundance and mismanaged. Consequently, the very foundation of the society and its people were affected. Post‐floods, as the country silently drifts toward becoming water scarce by 2025, there are valuable lessons that need to be contemplated upon for Pakistan to become water resilient. This discussion paper deliberates on this subject by introducing a policy brief on the background of the country's National Water Policy (NWP) and the 2022 floods that afflicted the lives of millions, submerging one‐third of the country. It goes on to explain insights into post‐flood lessons for the nation; these include equating water abundance and its insufficiency as a national security concern, active recognition and concentration for water management, appreciating the role of individuals, and not only working on policy formulation but its implementation as well. Conclusively, it presents institutional‐constitutional reforms as suggestions in the right direction for building a water‐resilient Pakistan. These include prioritizing water, creating water spaces and leadership, debating the idea of climate–water injustice and building community resilience, addressing subnational water conflicts, channelizing water concerns through media, considering the umbrella framework of water needs, wants, and excess, establishing water laws, practicing the policy of no corruption, and reviewing the 1991 Water Accord while maintaining the Indus Water Treaty (IWT).

Policy Brief: Reasons for non-urgent presentations to the Emergency Department in Saudi Arabia, A Descriptive – Explorative Study

Policy briefs are often recommended as a key tool for communicating research findings to policy makers. Some knowledge transfer programs have emerged in the past years to promote the use of research. One of those program was the policy brief. It is a short document synthesizing the results of one or multiple studies. In this policy brief, the researcher used one of his research work has been conducted 10 years ago. The purpose of a policy brief is to inform policymakers’ decisions or motivate action. The Policy brief approach allows for a more comprehensive view of evidence use and to decide more specifically in which ways policymakers use research evidence. Further research needs to be done to evaluate the various forms of uses of policy briefs by policy makers.

Transgender Ukrainians and the Need for LGBTQIA+ Inclusion in National and International Refugee Policies

Over 7 million Ukrainians have become refugees since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. As a result, countries around the world have opened their doors and invited Ukrainians to seek refuge from the ongoing conflict. However, not all Ukrainians have experienced this conflict equally, with queer and transgender Ukrainians facing increased risks of gender-based violence, discrimination, and difficulties crossing borders due to inaccurate gender markers on their identification. This policy brief focuses on the unique challenges LGBTQIA+ Ukrainians have faced while fleeing the conflict. I provide an analysis of the persistent exclusion of LGBTQIA+ people within sexual and gender-based violence policies and refugee policies (like the Women, Peace and Security agenda and Feminist Foreign Policy initiatives) due to marginalization and systemic discrimination. This paper argues that the Government of Canada can address this issue, not just for Ukrainian refugees but for all refugees, by implementing LGBTQIA+ inclusive policies to address the gaps in Canada's current system. It should be noted, this policy brief examines the conflict from February 2022 to April 2022. Given that this is an ongoing conflict, some statistics may have changed, however, the lack of support for LGBTQIA+ refugees in national and international refugee policy remains a pressing issue.

Prevention and Control Policies of Dengue Vectors (Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus) in Iran

Background and Purpose: Dengue fever has become a major public health problem in many world regions due to increased trade, travel, and problems controlling Aedes vectors. This policy brief aims to review, analyze, and present evidence-based policies for dengue prevention and control. Materials and Methods: The present research is a compilation of a policy brief in Iran, carried out in 3 stages according to its methodology. In the first stage, the problem’s justification and description were provided systematically by examining scientific documents by searching national and international scientific databases, websites, guidelines, and books. In the second stage, the first author prepared a draft of the priority elements related to the policy framework and discussed them with other authors. In the third stage, the draft questions were categorized and summarized, and subsequently, the policies were compiled in close discussion with all authors. Results: According to the recommendations of the best available evidence in the literature, 5 policy options were presented for the prevention and control of dengue fever as follows: 1) developing basic, applied, and innovative research; 2) strengthening the capacity and capability of the human, infrastructural, and health system in all relevant sectors for the surveillance, control, monitoring, and evaluation; 3) strengthening inter- and intra-sectoral coordination and collaboration; 4) community engagement and mobilization; and 5) scaling up of functions and integrating tools. Conclusion: To increase the long-term impact of policies, it is recommended to use an integrated approach with the continuous support of all stakeholders (local, national, and regional).

Approaches to monitoring and evaluation of knowledge translation platforms in low- and middle-income countries: A scoping review

Background: Knowledge Translation Platforms (KTP) attempt to bridge the "know-do gap" between researchers and policymakers. This study summarized the evidence on activities, as well as methods of monitoring and evaluation projects of KTPs in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). Methods: The Arksey and O’Malley methodology for scoping reviews was used. The databases accessed include Medline, Global Health, CINAHL, EBSCO and Cochrane library databases. Only Studies that indicated range of activities, tools or methods used in monitoring and evaluating KTP to achieve the implementation of evidence informed policymaking in LMICs were included. The key words used includes Knowledge Translation, Monitoring and Evaluation, Platforms and Low- and Middle-Income countries. Results: Total of 3150 hits were obtained from the searched databases. 750 duplicates were identified and removed resulting to 2398 articles. Using title screening, 2123 articles were excluded resulting in 275 articles for abstract screening. Abstract screening led to exclusion 246 articles, leaving 29 articles for the full-text screening. Full-text screening resulted to exclusion of 25 articles resulting to 4 articles that meet the inclusion criteria. No relevant articles were obtained from the reference list screening and grey literature search. Conclusion: Evidence shows that Case study methodology is the predominate method of evaluating KTPs. The shortest time duration from generation to use of evidence in decision making was noticed to be 1-year. The range of activities used to monitor KTP in bridging the “know do gap” includes stakeholder’s engagement, building capacity, priority setting, meeting with stakeholders, generating policy brief, litmus testing of brief, stakeholders dialogue, evidence brief and dialogue review, disseminating of findings and implementation. The minimum and maximum number of activities performed in each KTP process is 5 and 8 activities respectively.

Sex Work, Sex Workers and Forms of Inequality: A Policy Brief

Sex work has always been here. It has many types and expressions. According to existing scholarship, sex work is associated with a variety of inequalities. Evidence from academic literature shows that, worldwide, sex workers face serious inequalities with severe effects on their lives. Through this policy brief, inequalities are classified by context in some main categories. Social, economic, racial/ethnic, gender, age and “beauty” as well as health inequalities, as demonstrated by international literature, plague sex workers at a global scale. Taking all the above into account, conclusions are drawn and possible solutions are recommended for the mitigation and -if possible- elimination of these inequalities, utilizing means at a local, national and international scale.

Closing the Intention-Action Gap: Behaviorally-Aligned Strategies for Effective Plastic Pollution Reduction

This brief provides an overview of existing or proposed policies that aim to mitigate plastic pollution in four countries across the Americas (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, and Jamaica), as well as how a behavioral framework can be used to analyze and develop effective plastic pollution mitigation policies. At times, policy efforts do not always produce the desired outcomes, resulting in an intention-action gap, which is a disconnect between policy intentions and the everyday behavior of stakeholders. This brief highlights behaviorally-aligned recommendations to reduce the impact of plastic waste and pollution. The ultimate goal of this policy brief is to provide policymakers an insight into behaviorally-aligned policy perspectives to address plastic pollution in their respective countries.

Protecting children from online sexual abuse in Bangladesh: A policy brief

Background: Online sexual abuse is a growing concern in Bangladesh, particularly as children are increasingly accessing the internet and social media. This paper examines the prevalence and impact of online sexual abuse on children in Bangladesh, and provides policy recommendations to protect children from this type of abuse. Methods: This policy brief was prepared after reviewing findings of the research works conducted on online child sexual abuse. Results: Around 86% female and 91% male children of Bangladesh use the internet. Among the internet users, about one in two children are sexually abused. In addition to the Children Act 2013, the government of Bangladesh enacted the ICT Act 2006 and the Digital Security Act 2018 to address cybercrimes. However, these acts do not specifically address the issue of online child sexual abuse. In addition, the legal provisions lack strict enforcement and the media at times discloses the identities of child victims including images. Policy recommendations: The government, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders need to take a comprehensive approach to protect children from online sexual abuse including improving the legal framework, strengthening child protection mechanisms, increasing awareness and education on safe internet use, and empowering children and their families to report incidents of online sexual abuse. Anonymous reporting system needs to be developed and strict legal measures must be enforced. Conclusion: Protecting children from online sexual abuse requires a sustained multi-stakeholder approach that involves the government, civil society organizations, parents, educators, and children themselves. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Journal 2023;16(2): 111-117

Policy brief: adaptive cycling equipment for individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities as durable medical equipment.

- Durable medical equipment (DME) policies require that the equipment be medically necessary; however, adaptive cycling equipment (bicycles and tricycles) are usually not deemed medically necessary. - Individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDD) are at high risk for secondary conditions, both physical and mental, that can be mitigated by increasing physical activity. - Significant financial costs are associated with the management of secondary conditions. - Adaptive cycling can provide improved physical health of individuals with NDD potentially reducing costs of comorbidities. - Expanding DME policies to include adaptive cycling equipment for qualifying individuals with NDD can increase access to equipment. - Regulations to ensure eligibility, proper fitting, prescription, and training can optimize health and wellbeing. - Programs for recycling or repurposing of equipment are warranted to optimize resources.

Effects of natural hazards on early childhood development: a systematic review protocol

IntroductionNatural hazards are damaging environmental events, such as fires, droughts and floods, which have negative impacts on human lives, livelihoods and health. Natural hazards are increasing in intensity and severity,...

No time for complacency on COVID-19 in Europe

No time for complacency on COVID-19 in Europe

Research Method and Publications in Religious Studies

There is a well-known adage in scientific work that all results of scientific research for a thesis or dissertation, whether the aim is to discover or build a new theory, test a theoretical model, test a theory, or formulate a policy brief, must be published. Research for essay writing can also be published, while research for exam purposes is not intended to be published (Bailey, 2004). The publication of the results of our research is one of the ways according to Cumming (2006) and Epstein, Kenway & Boden (2007) so that the findings of our scientific research can be accessed, known, and read widely so that the world knows each other and all scientific activities are connected to each other as a mutually enlightening system. All research must be published it is the iron law of history. The iron law that applies in the world of science has been widely known among academics and scientists, all research results, whatever their form, must be published in scientific journals so that they can be widely disseminated to world readers, or if not, they will only turn into piles of paper reports that become mere waste or perish. The results of scientific work will just be piled up as mere documentation as research reports, without outputs, let alone outcomes, which are proud and have a wide impact.

Alcohol and substance dependence in the United Arab Emirates: a scoping review protocol

IntroductionDespite cultural, religious and legal constraints, alcohol and drug abuse is rising in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Therefore, we aim to produce a scoping review to summarise available scientific...