Appendix C: Gaps in the evidence use process

Different gaps which may occur in the evidence use process are then identified, for example evidence may be applied by policymakers but policies may not be implemented, meaning evidence is not actioned. 

Table 9 Potential gaps in the evidence use process

The blurred actor roles and complex pathways between the different stages of the evidence use process mean there is no single type of evidence use gap (for example an evidence-policy adoption gap, or a policy-practice gap). There are  a range of potential evidence use gaps that may arise between the different stages and stakeholder groups of the evidence use process, detailed in Table 9.

Source: Authors

The evidence use gaps identified above helped to inform the selection of relevant literature for the rapid evidence review. Some of the gaps from Table 4 can also be considered barriers to the uptake of evidence into policy and practice, presented in the results section.