This guide will help you find, evaluate, and cite primary-source health and demographic data to support evidence-based policy recommendations. The goal is not to find a source that directly recommends your policy, but rather combining multiple pieces of evidence to build a convincing argument.
Health policy advocacy relies on evidence. Effective arguments typically combine evidence about population need, health need, access barriers, and health-system impacts.
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Advocacy Framework: Population Need → Health Need → Access Barriers → Health System Impact → Policy Recommendation.
Think like a decision-maker: What evidence would convince a health authority, hospital administrator, or government department that a change is needed?
- Not all the information you need will be publicly available - consider hospital statistics/reports and the need to ensure patient privacy and confidentiality.
- Not everything will have recent statistics or data about it - try to find the most recent data available, but know some may be from 5-10 years ago, and that's okay.
Generative AI (Microsoft Copilot) was used to support the development of this guide by assisting with content generation, organization, and drafting. The author designed the guide, evaluated and verified all information and sources, substantially revised the content, and assumes responsibility for the final product.
The content in this guide is licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 
