Practice- How to Present the Evidence Joint Session of the Editorial Board and Editors American Journal of Public Health

Strengthening the Evidence Base for Public Health

Prisons and Health

Qualitative AND Quantitative Present the Evidence Qualitative AND Quantitative Practice AND Research Images AND Text

Publishing to Inform Public Health Policy AND Practice

Challenges of Disability

Strong Overall Assessments AND Detailed, line-by-line remarks Dona Schneider Strong Overall Assessments AND Detailed, line-by-line remarks

David Michaels Strong Science AND Public Policy

Race and Genetics

Scientific Evidence AND Public Policy

Practice: How to Present the Evidence Using the September 2005 Issue to Understand Use of Evidence in the Journal Jennifer A. Ellis, PhD Technical Deputy Editor, AJPH

Know your audience AJPH has a broad public health audience Social determinants of health Rigorous methodology Variety of formats Who do you hope to reach? Researchers Clinical practitioners Non-clinical practitioners

What is useful for your audience? Researchers Do you want someone to conduct further investigation to explore your findings? One example of a non-clinical practitioner: a public health agency Do you want someone to use your findings to inform their own public health programs?

Choose your format Field Action Report Departments History Public Health Matters Research and Practice Brief Full-length Research Article Consult a copy of the Journal

Research and Practice Approaches: Descriptive Epidemiology Provides new information about a population characteristic Brief format Findings are presented without any theoretical framework or casual hypotheses See Thorpe et al, “Trends and Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Gestational Diabetes Among Pregnant Women in NYC 1990-2001.” 95(9):1536-1539.

Research and Practice Approaches: Descriptive Epidemiology, con’t Provides new information about a population characteristic, con’t Full-length format Findings use epidemiologic methods to illustrate a new or nuanced answer to a public health question or present unique data showing a causation or association of interest See Austin et al, “Clustering of Fast-Food Restaurants Around Schools: A Novel Application of Spatial Statistics to the Study of Food Environments.” 95(9):1575-1581. Also see Jiang et al, “Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Potentially Preventable Readmissions: The Case of Diabetes.” 95(9): 1561-1567.

Research and Practice Approaches: Intervention Evaluation Presents evidence about a tested intervention Brief format Small (or pilot) studies that provide important findings calling for more investigation. See Webb and Eves, “Promoting Stair Use: Single Versus Multiple Stair-Riser Messages.” 95(9): 1543-1544.

Research and Practice Approaches: Intervention Evaluation, con’t Presents evidence about a tested intervention, con’t Full-length format Studies that provide results of rigorously tested interventions. See Two Feathers et al, “Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) Detroit Partnership: Improving Diabetes-Related Outcomes Among African-American and Latino Adults.” 95(9): 1552-1560. See also Pate et al, “Promotion of Physical Activity Among High-School Girls: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” 95(9): 1582-1587.

Clear objective (see Two Feathers et al) Provide information critical for assessment of your findings: Background &Methodology Clear objective (see Two Feathers et al) Abstract and last sentence of Background (often) Present at least the methodological essentials (see Pate et al) Response rate Sample frame: Who is your study population? Internal validity: Are you presenting variables that allow you to investigate your study questions? Analytic design (see Austin et al) Descriptive is okay, but… …theoretical framework strengthens findings

Presenting the Evidence: Results & Discussion Table 1 (see Thorpe et al) Presenting your findings using figures (see Austin et al) Readers rely on figures to tell the important points with visual impact. Busy readers use figures as short cuts. Implications (see Pace et al) Help readers understand how your findings contribute to what is already known – give context. Limitations (see Jiang et al) Don’t hide. Limitations are okay, particularly if you’ve accounted for them. Future Research (See Two Feathers et al)