Developing Consensus on Canadian Family Health Needs: A Step Towards Policy Development

Abstract

This paper briefly discusses the relationship between research and policy development, and reports on how the Delphi process was used as a research method for beginning to identify strengths and needs of Canadian families. The research was initiated by the Family and Child Health Unit (FCHU) of Health and Welfare Canada early in 1986 as part of the national health promotion initiative. Research and Policy Approaching policy development from a research perspective is certainly not always the practice - nor is it always possible. There are many factors influencing policy development besides research findings. These include: personal experience and ideology of policy makers, political ideology, media attention and other social forces (e.g. interest groups and lobbying).