McMaster Health Forum | Find global evidence

We can help you find research evidence about pressing issues in three main ways:

• our evidence products, which we prepare in response to requests from health-system leaders
• our sources of pre-appraised, synthesized research evidence about how to strengthen health systems (Health Systems Evidence), social systems (Social Systems Evidence), and to inform COVID-19 decisions (COVID-END inventory of Evidence Syntheses)
• our source of high-quality information about optimal aging for older adults, caregivers and professionals (McMaster Optimal Aging Portal).
  
  

Our evidence products

If you are looking for the best available research evidence on pressing health-system challenges, you can access three types of evidence products prepared by the Forum in response to requests from health-system leaders:

• rapid syntheses that we prepare for health-system leaders in three, 10 or 30 business days;
• evidence briefs that inform our stakeholder dialogues; and
• citizen briefs that inform our citizen panels.

Although these products are typically focused on a single jurisdiction, such as Ontario, Canada or Latin American countries, much of the cited research evidence will likely still be relevant to your own province/state, country or region.

Our sources of pre-appraised synthesized research evidence about health and social systems

If you are looking for pre-appraised, synthesized research evidence on how to strengthen health systems and get the right programs, services and drugs to those who need them, you can search the following free resource developed and maintained by the McMaster Health Forum: 

• Health Systems Evidence, the world’s most comprehensive, continuously updated repository of systematic reviews and economic evaluations about governance, financial and delivery arrangements within health systems, and about implementation strategies that can support change in health systems

A list of all new reviews added to Health Systems Evidence in the past month is available here.

On the other hand, if you want pre-appraised, synthesized research evidence about health programs and services, or about drugs, you can search the following free resources developed and maintained by our partners:

• for clinical issues (e.g., one service or drug compared to another), go to ACCESSSS; and
• for public-health issues (e.g., one public health program compared to another), go to Health Evidence.

You can also search another of our free resources – this one brought to you by Forum+ – for pre-appraised, synthesized research evidence in the complementary area of social systems.

• Social Systems Evidence is the world’s most comprehensive, continuously updated repository of research evidence about the programs, services and products available in a broad range of government sectors and program areas (e.g., community and social services, culture and gender, economic development and growth, education, transportation), as well as the governance, financial and delivery arrangements within which these programs and services are provided, and the implementation strategies that can help to ensure that these programs and services get to those who need them.
• This resource covers all of the Sustainable Development Goals.
• Sign up for a customizable evidence service that will provide monthly email alerts identifying new documents available in Social Systems Evidence specific to your individual interests. A list of all new reviews added in the past month is also available here.

Our source of high-quality information about optimal aging

If you are an older adult, caregiver or professional (clinician, public health practitioner or policymaker) looking for high-quality information about the health- and social-aspects of optimal aging, you can access the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal and either browse the list of topics covered by our easy-to-understand blogs and other types of products, or search to find information on a specific topic.

Other sources

If you have ever wondered how the Ontario health system works, you can find answers in a book edited by the McMaster Health Forum’s director, entitled ‘ Ontario’s health system: Key insights for engaged citizens, professionals and policymakers.’ The goal of this book is to help make the system more understandable to the citizens who pay for it and are served by it, the professionals who work in it (and future professionals who will one day work in it), and the policymakers who govern it.

If you’re looking for more information about any of these programs, we also have a number of resources that provide additional details.

Learn more about the impact that our evidence products and sources have had on system leaders, citizens and students.