B1-2 Public health knowledge - from research to co-creation?

The knowledge basis of public health planning can be enhanced by collaborative models, in which new co-creation models between R&D milieus and public actors are promising.

Background: The Norwegian programme for public health planning in the municipalities 2017–2027 provides instruments that assist municipalities towards the establishment of systematic and knowledge-based public health planning. NIBR has carried out a mid-term evaluation of the programme, focusing on the funding of municipal projects addressing the mental health of children and adolescents. The study resulted in recommendations for further enhancement of the programme. Central recommendations concern the role and use of knowledge and the new forms of collaboration that the programme encourages, that should be built on in future public health planning. The question addressed in this paper is:
how can we enhance systematic and knowledge-based public health planning in the municipalities through new forms of collaboration?

Methods: The methodological design includes a document study of 142 projects funded by the programme within 2021. It contains a case study of three Norwegian counties. In these counties, interviews with project leaders in the county councils and researchers involved to support the municipalities were conducted. A focus group interview with the remaining county project leaders was carried out. A survey among the 106 municipalities located in the case counties was also conducted. Sixty-eight project leaders in municipalities that receive project funding and public health coordinators in municipalities did not respond to the survey.

Results: Interesting results concern the role of research- based and experience-based knowledge in public health planning, and how new collaborative approaches are beneficial. Research institutions and competence milieus contribute to the programme’s collaborative structure in new and favourable ways. They are central actors in strengthening the systematic approach of the municipalities. Transfer of experience-based knowledge in learning networks also benefits public health planning. We find that both approaches are important means to increase the competence required in addressing complex challenges concerning children and adolescents. Municipalities still need more planning competence in implementing project results into permanent policies. This might be key to the successful role of target group participation, intra-municipal cooperation and co-creation in public health planning.

Conclusions: The programme’s structure that supports both research and experience-based knowledge transfers and competence building proves central to the value of the programme among municipalities. Although the municipalities have advanced their competence and use of collaborative methods, more resources (time and knowledge transfers) are valuable for the successful implementation of results into policies.