Policy research: balancing rigor with relevance

Abstract

Behavioral and psychosocial research, biomedical research, and public health have evolved as separate cultures, with different languages, priorities, and goals. Yet all of these cultures are developing their own specialized perspectives on issues related to women's health, and the resulting fragmentation and competition for limited resources could complicate the development of comprehensive health policy in this area. The purpose of this article is to search for common ground among a broad range of clinical, research, and policy issues that are likely to affect the emerging field of women's health. In the article, I describe the policy process, with an emphasis on women's health agencies at the Federal level; discuss broad methodological and technical issues from the perspectives of researchers and policy makers; and describe some innovative national initiatives involving public-private partnerships among clinicians, researchers, and policy makers. The policy context may help researchers and clinicians to coordinate, reframe, and restructure their specialized agendas and to develop a more comprehensive and unified approach to women's health.