Looking for interaction: quantitative measurement of research utilization by Dutch local health officials

Background: In the Netherlands, local authorities are required by law to develop local health memoranda, based on epidemiological analyses. The purpose of this study was to assess the actual use of these epidemiological reports by municipal health officials and associated factors that affect this use.Method: Based on a conceptual framework, we designed a questionnaire in which we operationalized instrumental, conceptual, and symbolic use, the interaction between researchers and local health officials, and four clusters of barriers in this interaction process. We conducted an internet survey among 155 Dutch local health officials representing 35% of all Dutch municipalities. By means of multiple regression analyses, we gained insight into the related factors for each of the three types of research utilization.Results: The results show that local health officials use epidemiological research more often in a conceptual than an instrumental or symbolic way. This can be explained by the complexity of the local policy process which is often linked to policies in other areas, and the various policy actors involved. Conceptual use was statistically associated with a presentation given by the epidemiologist during the policy process, the presence of obstructions regarding the report's accessibility, and the local official's personal belief systems and interests originating from different professional values and responsibilities. Instrumental and symbolic use increased with the involvement of local officials in the research process.Conclusions: The results of this study provide a partial solution to understanding and influencing research utilization. The quantitative approach underpins earlier qualitative findings on this topic. The outcomes suggest that RPHS epidemiologists can use different strategies to improve research utilization. 'Blurring the boundaries', and the enhancement of interfaces between epidemiologists and local health officials, like direct interactions into each other's work processes, is expected to create better possibilities for optimizing research use

Knowledge in process? Exploring barriers between epidemiological research and local health policy development

The Redes de Trueque (RT) thrived during the economic crisis of 2001 – 2002 in Argentina and still stand out as one of the largest Complementary Currency System in the world. These local exchange networks reach a large scale during times of severe economic distress, but as large non-state initiatives, they pose a governance problem. Four types of governance systems were structured within the Argentine RT, of varying degrees of sustainability: a) loosely regulated market systems, b) hierarchies, c) associational regional networks, and d) local communities. Based on a four dimensional analytical framework, this paper discusses the rules of governance and sustainability of the governance systems in the RT. It found that some became more sustainable than others in terms of achieving combinations of scale and organisational modes

Theory of spin-polarized transport in photoexcited semiconductor/ferromagnet tunnel junctions

We present a theory for spin-polarized transport in tunnel junctions consisting of a ferromagnet and a semiconductor, in which spin-polarized carriers are created by optical orientation. The model includes, for both spin orientations, the current due to tunneling between the ferromagnet and the semiconductor surface as well as the photoinduced and the thermionic emission currents through the semiconductor subsurface region. Tunneling is described in terms of a spin-dependent tunnel conductance, taking account of the magnetic structure of the ferromagnet. We consider spin depolarization of photoexcited electrons in the semiconductor bulk material and in surface states that have a spin-dependent occupation. The total tunnel current is evaluated as well as current modulations due to modulated spin polarization of photoelectrons (CPM signal) or modulated optical intensity. The calculations show that the CPM signal is proportional to the tunnel conductance polarization and is relatively insensitive to spin depolarization of photoelectrons during their transport to the surface. A severe signal reduction can, however, result from spin relaxation in semiconductor surface states. In addition, it is demonstrated that a crucial role is played by the operating regime of the junction, i.e., photoamperic or photovoltaic, where the selection is determined mainly by the choice of applied bias voltage. We find that the photovoltaic mode is favored, as it yields the highest contribution from spin-polarized tunneling, combined with the smallest sensitivity for unwanted light intensity modulations