Improving the use of research evidence in guideline development: 13. Applicability, transferability and adaptation

Schünemann, Holger J; Fretheim, Atle; Oxman, Andrew D

The Guide to Community Preventive Services states the following in a discussion of its methods [28] : "The Guide should not be viewed as the sole source for informed public health decision making because local contextual information is also important. Many issues not addressed in the Guide will affect which interventions are implemented (e.g., resource availability, social justice, community participation, cultural appropriateness, local burden of diseases and risk factors, and political considerations). However, the Guide provides systematically collected and detailed information on several issues of importance to public health practitioners and decision makers; information which is difficult or inefficient to develop locally. Guide reviews and recommendations will be most useful in conjunction with a participatory community planning process that clarifies needs and goals and that considers the Guide's evidence reviews and recommendations in conjunction with additional applicable community specific information."