Making an impact on health: developing a synthetic framework

Abstract

Background: To maximise societal benefits from research into health and wellbeing, it is crucial to achieve and measure impact. Currently, there is a plurality of views about what constitutes impact and how to achieve it, as demonstrated by the guidelines published by major international funding bodies. This review aims to 1) identify key frameworks for measuring impact, 2) extract key dimensions and characteristics, 3) develop a synthesised framework, and 4) illustrate its application in a case study. Method: We searched for impact frameworks from major UK, European, and US health research funding agencies by searching their web-based content for the term ‘impact’. From each, we extracted and thematically analysed definitions and guidelines in terms of commonalities and differences. We applied the synthetic framework to a case study: A UK University-based Centre for Behaviour Change tasked with translating multidisciplinary research evidence into policy and practice. Results: The five frameworks identified (3 UK, 2 US) showed some clear differences in focus and themes. However, we were able to generate a synthetic framework based on themes present across all or most frameworks, including end-user engagement, dissemination to the public, and societal benefits. Our case study highlights difficulties arising from these differences and the benefits of a common framework. Discussion: A common framework of research impact provides a tool for researchers when planning and demonstrating impact. Future evaluation should (i) search for further frameworks to achieve further refinement, (ii) evaluate its practicality compared to single frameworks and (iii) seek views of research funding agencies.