Work

Barriers and facilitators of translating research evidence into public health policy and practice in Zambia: A scoping review

Year: 2026

Type: review

Abstract: Background: Knowledge translation (KT) is increasingly recognised as a critical process for bridging the persistent ‘evidence–action’ gap in health systems. Despite global efforts to promote evidence-informed decision-making, the uptake and translation of public health research remain limited. Aim: To identify barriers and facilitators of translating research evidence into public health policy and practice in Zambia. Setting: The review focused on studies that explored barriers and facilitators of evidence-informed decision-making conducted in Zambia between 2000 and 2025. Method: The scoping review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews and the Arksey and O’Malley methodological framework for scoping reviews. A systematic search of both peer-reviewed literature and grey sources was conducted across PubMed Central, BioMed Central and Google Scholar, supplemented by a direct Google search. Results: Out of 6116 records identified, 24 studies met the inclusion criteria. Key barriers to KT in Zambia included inadequate relevant information for decision-making, poor access to information by policymakers, limited KT capacity, insufficient funding, weak relationships between researchers and policymakers, the absence of national KT guidelines and the lack of centralised knowledge hubs. Despite these challenges, facilitators were identified as follows: the enactment of the National Health Research Act (2013), appointment of provincial KT focal persons, capacity-building initiatives and availability of engagement platforms. Conclusion: Zambia has made measurable strides towards strengthening KT by ensuring research findings are effectively translated into public health policy and practice. Yet significant key barriers such as the absence of national KT guidelines and central knowledge hubs, as well as sustainable financing, continue to limit the effectiveness of these efforts. Contribution: The gaps bridged by this review underscore the significance of developing national KT guidelines and a KT framework, including their evaluation.

Source: Journal of Public Health in Africa

DOI: 10.4102/jphia.v17i1.1837