How Could We Start to Develop Indicators for Evidence-informed Policy Making in Public Health and Health Promotion?

Aim: Research evidence is rarely the primary driver of contextually salient and feasible policy making; instead, contextual knowledge and factors play a significant role. This paper argues why we need to develop indicators, which can be used to assess if policy making is done in an evidence-informed way. Methods/results: Based on up-to-date theories and literature, this paper suggests a set of initial indicators using the example of physical activity policy making in a school setting. Conclusion: These initial indicators need to be further tested and validated in empirical studies in different contexts.