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- ItemOpen AccessExamining self-described policy-relevant evidence base for policymaking: an evidence map of COVID-19 literature(BMJ Publishing Group, 2024-08-28) Chukwu, E. E.; Woolaston, K.; Kaufer, R.; Bortolus, A.; Hewitt, C. L.; Schwindt, E.; Sogbanmu, T. O.; Rubin, H.; Slanickova, H.; Schneider, M. D.; Heesen, R.; Mitova, V.Background Evidence-based policymaking is a paradigm aimed at increasing the use of evidence by actors involved in policymaking processes. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted a heavy reliance on emerging evidence for policymaking during emergencies. Objective This study describes the focus and types of evidence in journal articles self-described as relevant to policymaking using the COVID-19 pandemic as a case study, identifying gaps in evidence and highlighting author stated perceived biases specifically in evidence-based policy making. Design Evidence mapping. Data sources We systematically searched SCOPUS, PubMed and LexisNexis for literature identifying policy-relevant evidence available on the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligibility criteria The study included only peer-reviewed literature identified as ‘article’, ‘book chapter’, ‘review’ covering the period from January 2020 to December 2022. Inclusion criteria required that articles have an abstract, authorship attribution and are written in English. Data extraction and synthesis A minimum of two authors independently extracted and coded for every level and final outputs were compared for consistency. Results A total of 213 articles met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed in this study. Lead authorship affiliations were from 50 countries with 70% of the outputs from developed economies including USA (20.2%), UK (18.3%) and Australia (7.5%). The most common purpose of the articles was the presentation of research findings the authors considered of relevance to policy (60.1%), followed by work that examined the impact of policy (28.6%) or highlighted or supported a policy need (22.5%), while some papers had multiple stated purposes. The most common challenges in policymaking identified by the authors of the reviewed papers were process failures and poor evidence utilisation during policymaking. Conclusions The evidence map identified the need for an interdisciplinary policy approach involving relevant stakeholders and driven by quality research as a progressive step towards prevention of future public health crises/pandemics.
- ItemOpen AccessWhy Nigeria should ban single-use plastics: Excessive microplastic pollution of the water, sediments and fish species in Osun River, Nigeria(Elsevier, 2024-02) Idowu, G.A.; Oriji, A.Y.; Olorunfemi, K.O.; Sunday, M.O.; Sogbanmu, T.O.; Bodunwa, O.K.; Shokunbi, O.S.; Aiyesanmi, A.F.The Osun River serves as a source of drinking and domestic water for some communities in Osun State Nigeria, in addition to providing a source of “healing water” for the worshippers of the Osun goddess. The sacred river has earned the status of a UNESCO world heritage centre for the worldwide attention it receives, as a result of the yearly Osun-Oshogbo worship festival. In this study, an initial investigation of microplastic pollution of the river water, sediments and fish species was conducted. Abundance of microplastics in the river water samples, at a maximum of 22,079 ± 134 particles/litre, represents the highest reported so far for a river water globally. FTIR analyses revealed seven polymer materials, including acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), that have not been commonly reported for river environments. Microplastics ranged from 407 ± 244 to 1691.7 ± 443 particles in the gastro-intestinal tract (GIT) of six fish species analysed, with silver catfish (Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus) having the highest concentration. Levels in the fishes are higher than those reported for fishes in Asia and Europe, but similar to some other plastic pollution hotspots in Africa. This study recognizes the uncontrolled and indiscriminate disposal of single-use plastics as a key factor in the level of microplastic pollution of the Osun river. We emphasize the need by Nigerian government to ban certain single-use plastics, as a step towards reducing plastic pollution of Nigerian rivers, that shelter important fish species and provide water for religious and domestic purposes.
- ItemOpen AccessScience–policy research collaborations need philosophers(Nature Publishing Group UK, 2024-05-15) Schneider, M.D.; Sogbanmu, T.O.; Rubin, H.; Bortolous, A.; Chukwu, E.E.; Heesen, R.; Hewitt, C. L.; Kaufer, R.; Metzen, H.; Mitova, V.; Schwenkenbecher, A.; Schwindt, E.; Slanickova, H.; Woolaston, K.; Yu, Li-An
- ItemOpen AccessA model of faulty and faultless disagreement for post-hoc assessments of knowledge utilization in evidence-based policymaking(Springer Nature, 2024-08) Heesen, R.; Rubin, H.; Schneider, M.D; Woolaston, K.; Bortolus, A.; Chukwu, E.E.; Kaufer, R.; Mitova, V.; Schwenkenbecher, A.; Schwindt, E.; Slanickova, H.; Sogbanmu, T. O.; Hewitt, C.L.When evidence-based policymaking is so often mired in disagreement and controversy, how can we know if the process is meeting its stated goals? We develop a novel mathematical model to study disagreements about adequate knowledge utilization, like those regarding wild horse culling, shark drumlines and facemask policies during pandemics. We find that, when stakeholders disagree, it is frequently impossible to tell whether any party is at fault. We demonstrate the need for a distinctive kind of transparency in evidence-based policymaking, which we call transparency of reasoning. Such transparency is critical to the success of the evidence-based policy movement, as without it, we will be unable to tell whether in any instance a policy was in fact based on evidence.
- ItemOpen AccessCritical appraisal of Monkeypox (Mpox) in Africa using scopingand systematic review methods(Nigerian Academy of Science, 2024-01) Anjorin, A. A.; Odetokun, I.A.; Ashaka, O.S.; Fadipe, T.O.; Muhammad, A; Nyandwi, J.B.; Morakinyo, O.M.; Dauda, A.B.; Adetona, M.A.; Tijani, S. O.; Salami, W.O.; Isah, M.B.; Gachara, G.; Giwa, A.O.; Lounis, M.; Maisara, A.M.; Hallie, E.F.; Adesanya, I.O.; Mosbah, R.; Ukwaja, K.N.; Ibrahim, M.A.Africa remains a battlefield for the emergence and re-emergence of deadly aetiologies including the Lassa fever virus from 1969, Monkey pox (mpox) virus from 1970, and Ebola virus from 1976 till date, among others. With the recent index case of mpox following rapid spread from Africa to different continents, a critical appraisal of the disease to x-ray its dynamics in Africa is warranted. This study integrated a mix of scoping and systematic reviews to converse the epidemiology and biosecurity/environmental issues from one health perspective. Our scoping review used major scientific databases based on their relevance and reliability, while the PROSPERO-registered systematic review followed the PRISMA guidelines. Phylogeny analysis was performed to compare recent outbreaks of mpox with the existing genotypic information. The genetic analysis focused on the H3L gene that codes for envelope proteins involved in viral attachment. Transmission of mpox virus was reported mainly in four routes. Animals implicated include monkeys, squirrels, and pigs. Risk factors include age, gender, occupation, climate, travel, political instability, and vaccination status. Different circulating strains were reported with eight-point mutations found to occur in Africa. Observed clustering within the predominant West African (WA) clade and the recent outbreak strains corroborate the reports of WA clade in other non- African and non-endemic countries. Viral adaptation in the WA clade enhanced person-to-person transmissibility, spreading to over 100 countries. Hence, there is need to address mpox host- associated physiological and biochemical changes, the development of mpox virus-specific diagnostic kits and vaccines, and studies on the disease's socio-ecological, economic and psychological consequences.