Introduction Evidence-based practice replaces the ambiguities and unfounded assumptions of practices based on anecdotal evidence or intuition. Moreover, evidence-based practices can mitigate the problems associated with cognitive biases. Especially important in the public health sector, evidence-based practices best inform public policy and institutional procedures. However, it is important to operationalize evidence-based practice so that its implementation is standardized across multiple departments and teams. The greatest challenges to evidence-based practices include the time and resources required to compile and then communicate evidence, and resistance to change.

What is Evidence-Based Public Health Practice?

Evidence-based public health practice has been referred to as a “paradigm” that is adopted by “an energetic intellectual community committed to making clinical practice more scientific and empirically grounded and thereby achieving safer, more consistent, and more cost effective care,” (Greenhalgh & Howick, 2014, p. 3725). Within the public health practice setting, evidence-based practice differs from evidence-based practice in other settings because of the fusion of public policy and economic considerations with epidemiology and health science outcomes. Ultimately, the goal of evidence-based public health practice should be to reduce overall disease burdens, identifying evidence-based interventions based on studies on similar population cohorts, and identifying misplaced global, national, or local resources to improve cost-effectiveness of public health programs (Prince, Wu, Guo, et al., 2015).

To make evidence-based decisions, public health practitioners need to retain a comprehensive overview of prevalence data, risk factors and risk management, and variables that mitigate risk, in order to make suggestions for strategic allocation of resources. Whether in the private or public sector, evidence-based public health practices refer to the application...

Evidence-based public health practices can also be used to inform communications strategies and public outreach and advocacy.
Defining “Evidence” In the Public Health Context

Empirical Research

Evidence-based public health practices are ultimately grounded in empirical research from the gamut of social and health sciences literature (Greenhalgh & Howick, 2014; Lewis, 2015; Prince, Wu, Guo, et al, 2015).

Clinical Practices

In addition to building on the body of empirical data compiled by epidemiologists, biologists, organic chemists, physiologists, psychologists, social scientists, and other researchers, public health specialists also rely on evidence-based clinical practice data. Different from empirical research, clinical practice data can be compiled by a single institution or organization or by independent research organizations. Clinical practice evidence is often referred to as practice-based evidence, to be differentiated from research-based evidence (Vaidya, Thota, Proia, et al., 2017).

Qualitative Research

Qualitative research also becomes a considerable component of evidence-based public health practices. Although qualitative research does not yield numerical data, the data gleaned from interviews and case studies forms a substantial portion of the body of information on public health and can be used to inform best practices and public policy (Lewis, 2015).

Challenges to Compiling Evidence For Public Health Practice

Compiling evidence for public health practice can be challenging. The primary barriers to the effective compilation of evidence that can best inform public health practice include perceived credibility, funding constraints, time and human resources, and the external validity of available data. Stakeholder confidence in the body of evidence may be linked to external validity and generalizability concerns,…