Factors influencing the use of research for policy-making: An umbrella review protocol

Over the last two decades, there has been an emphasis on the concept of evidence-based policy. However, evidence-based policy remains a major challenge and a gap exists in the systematic translation of scientific knowledge into policies. The awareness of this evidence-policy gap has led to a proliferation of research. As the demand for evidence-informed policy-making escalates, so does the need to unveil the mechanisms by which we can influence the process of research uptake. In this paper, we present a protocol for a systematic review. We aim to conduct an umbrella review/overview of reviews about factors affecting the use of research by policy-makers and/or decision-makers in health, education and social services areas. The results of this review could contribute to improving the utilisation of research in the policy-making process, by identifying factors that are most important in influencing the uptake of research by policy-makers.