Table 2 Facilitators and barriers to KTE with policymakers

A 2014 systematic review of studies examining facilitators and barriers to the use of evidence in health policymaking identified 145 studies, including 13 systematic reviews [11]. The most commonly identified facilitators to the use of scientific evidence by policymakers are listed below (n refers to the number of studies that reported any given factor):

• Good availability of and access to research and improved dissemination of research (n = 63 studies)

• Strong collaboration between researchers and policymakers (n = 49)

• Clear, relevant, and reliable research findings (n = 46)

• Strong personal relationships between researchers and policymakers (n = 39).

The most commonly identified barriers to the uptake of evidence by policymakers were:

• Poor availability of and access to research and poor dissemination of research (n = 63)

• Unclear research findings of little relevance and poor reliability (n = 54)

• Evidence not available at the time when policymakers needed it most, i.e., the windows of opportunity for getting evidence into policy were missed (n = 42)

• Lack of research skills among policymakers (n = 26)

• Economic costs involved in dissemination activities (n = 25).