Pre-conference: Natural experimental evaluations for public policy and health systems: recent advances and updated guidance

Wednesday 9 November, 9:00 – 17:00 CET in Beta 4

Organised by:

EUPHA Research Pillar and EUPHA Public health epidemiology, Public health economics and Health services research sections; in collaboration with the UK Medical Research Council/National Institute of Health Research Expert Group on Natural Experimental Evaluations and MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom

Rationale

Natural experimental evaluations for assessing the impacts of public policy on population health are needed to ensure decision makers can use the best research evidence available. Their use has proliferated in recent years, but key concepts and definitions remain contested. The Medical Research Council and National Institute of Health Research in the UK have commissioned an international expert group to update the MRC’s Guidance for Natural Experimental Evaluations. There is a need for researchers and policy makers to understand what a natural experimental evaluation can offer for policy evidence and how to design, analyse and report the findings from a natural experimental evaluation.

Learning objective

In this pre-conference we will provide public health practitioners and researchers with an overview of natural experimental evaluations, including recent advances in designing, analysing and reporting natural experimental evaluations. During the session participants will learn about concepts and definitions of natural experiment evaluations; design and planning evaluations (including co-production with stakeholders); and integrated designs and mixed methods.. They will work in small groups to design a natural experiment evaluation to consolidate the learning. There will be a series of practical examples of the application of natural experiment evaluations in public health and health services research using a variety of methods, with an expert-led discussion. Pre-conference participants should come with research questions in their mind relating to issues undertaking natural experiment evaluations in their own research areas. Throughout the day there will be opportunities to ask questions, and the final session is designed to resolve any final issues that arise during the day.

Call for NEE Case Studies

In the afternoon session, we plan to present a series of applications of natural experiment evaluations in public health and health services research. We will issue a call for these example projects through the three EUPHA Sections who are jointly organising the workshop (EUPHA Sections on Public Health Epidemiology, Public Health Economics and Health Services Research). The projects selected will use a variety of methods and be from the fields of public health and health services research. The presentations will be followed by an expert-led discussion to consolidate the learning from the morning sessions.

The call for NEE Case Studies will come through EUPHA Sections on Public Health Epidemiology, Public Health Economics and Health Services Research mid-June 2022, closing date 1 August 2022. Presenters of case studies will be notified of acceptance 15 August 2022, and presenters to register by 15 September 2022.

Programme

The detailed programme is available here.

Biographies

Peter Craig is Professor of Public Health Evaluation at the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences, University of Glasgow, UK
David Ogilvie is MRC Programme Leader in population health interventions at the MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, UK
Ruth Dundas is Professor of Social Epidemiology at the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences, University of Glasgow, UK 
Vittal Katikireddi is Professor of Public Health and Health Inequalities in the Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, UK
Mhairi Campbell is a Research Associate at the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences, University of Glasgow, UK

Registration

The registration fee is € 150 which includes networking lunch and refreshments. Number of registrations is limited to 50 people.