The Stakeholder Data Use and Dissemination Planning Tool is designed to facilitate early stakeholder engagement and foster linkages and exchange among stakeholders in the context of public health research studies. Effective stakeholder engagement is crucial to prevent the “know-do gap,” where useful scientific results fail to link to policy or programmatic action. The tool is administered during study sensitization meetings with stakeholders to elicit the information needed to develop an effective data use and dissemination plan.
The tool consists of four sections: A, B, C, and D. Section A focuses on how stakeholders use data for decision-making, while Section B explores the relevance of study data to stakeholder organization’s operations. Section C examines stakeholder data use practices, and Section D addresses preferred format and timeline for data dissemination. The tool is designed to facilitate a more interactive and intentional exchange among stakeholders, shifting the dialogue from a “report out” on the study protocol and timeline to a more engaging discussion about data use.
The tool was originally developed and used to foster stakeholder engagement for a study of male sexual partners of adolescent girls and young women in Haiti. The study, known as the DREAMS Initiative, aimed to understand and mitigate the health problem of adolescent girls and young women in Haiti. The tool was administered during a stakeholder engagement meeting, which brought together various stakeholders, including researchers, policymakers, and practitioners.
The meeting objectives were to facilitate a structured discussion among stakeholders about data use and dissemination, and to gather information about stakeholder preferences and current data use practices. The meeting agenda included presentations on the study protocol, data collection methods, and expected outcomes. The meeting also provided an opportunity for stakeholders to share their experiences and perspectives on data use and dissemination.
The tool has been found to be effective in facilitating stakeholder engagement and fostering linkages and exchange among stakeholders. The lessons learned from the tool’s application in Haiti highlight the importance of early stakeholder engagement and the need for a structured approach to data use and dissemination planning. The tool has been adapted for use in other contexts, and its components can be tailored to meet the specific needs of different research studies and knowledge-generating projects.
The Stakeholder Data Use and Dissemination Planning Tool is a valuable resource for research teams, monitoring and evaluation units, and other groups that conduct research and implement knowledge-generating projects in public health. Its use can help ensure that research findings are translated into actionable programmatic and policy recommendations, and that stakeholders are equipped to use data to inform their decision-making processes.