Samenwerking tussen beleid, praktijk en onderzoek in de publieke gezondheidszorg; resultaten van een multiple-case studie.

Collaboration between practice, policy and research in local public health: results of a multiple case studyto find the right method of working within the academic collaborative centres for public health a multiple case study was implemented. Six cases of intended collaborations between public health policy, practice and research are included. The study focuses on the questions what barriers are preventing an interlinked development, how these barriers can be overcome, and whether collaboration will result in more solid evidence in public health. The research method contains 1. An analysis of work cycles; 2. A description of stakeholders; 3. A decision on practical strategies based on theory and experts’ opinion; 4. An evaluation of the application of practical strategies in six cases. The results showed that successful collaboration between the niches can be achieved when various practical strategies are applied at three system levels, i.e. The administrative, institutional and individual level. Successful collaboration seems to contribute to enhanced public health evidence. We conclude that coherence between the three system levels of the three niches is necessary. Coherence means that there are horizontal connections between the actors of policy, practice and research at each system level and vertical connections between the actors of the system levels. Keywords: local public health policy, collaborative networks, evidence-based public health.