The integrated GOR-COVID-19 health monitor: research-informed policy-making through dialogue

Abstract Introduction Like in many other countries, the COVID-19 pandemic and the government restrictions introduced to contain the spread of the virus had major consequences for the health and wellbeing of the population in the Netherlands. To monitor the short and long-term public health impact, a nationally coordinated research program was initiated with the intention to guide decision-making by local and national public health authorities. This contribution presents the process to establish a continuous dialogue with end-users of information to add focus to the monitor, make sense of the findings and formulate policy recommendation and practical guidance, both at the national and regional level. Methods To facilitate the translation and dissemination of research results among policy makers, practitioners and scientists, an ongoing series of dialogue sessions is organized during the monitoring program. Apart from the objective of evidence-informed public health decision-making, the dialectic process seeks to ensure multi-sectoral learning and co-creation and contribute to a broad sense of ownership among stakeholders. National and regional health participants serve as hub coordinators. New stakeholders are invited and will be actively approached wherever considered relevant. Results At the EUPHA conference experiences with organizing the dialogue in app. the first two years of the program will be presented together with preliminary results and a reflection on factors that helped or hindered the implementation and uptake of findings. Discussion Monitoring data collected using robust methods and analyzed in such a way that vulnerability factors are carefully considered, is invaluable for decision-making. However, in order to effectively serve as guidance to public health policy, whether in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic or in non-crisis situations, a constructive, ongoing exchange between end-users of the information needs to be facilitated.


Introduction:
Because of foreseeable COVID-19-related mental and physical health risks for the general population, a longitudinal health monitor was launched in the Netherlands. The monitoring program includes multiple methods. The current contribution places an emphasis on the so-called ''long-cycle'' monitoring activities at the national and regional level. The aim is to produce (bi-)annual reports on developments in health status of the general population and several potentially vulnerable subgroups (e.g. psychological and somatic comorbidities, lower socio-economic status).

Methods:
Primary care registrations and questionnaire data were used. Both depend on existing methods of data collection, cover a broad spectrum of health aspects and offer the possibility of pre-COVID-19-comparison. Primary care data were obtained from electronic health records of general practices in the Nivel Primary Care Database. Large-scale survey research with questionnaires was conducted in all the 25 health regions of the Netherlands among 2nd and 4th graders in high schools, adults, elderly and young adults (16-25 years old). Where possible, data were combined with data on socio-economic status and additional health aspects from Statistics Netherlands (CBS).

Results:
The first results from both data sources show that the COVID-19 pandemic undeniably had an effect on the mental health of youth. Compared to 2019, there was a general decrease in overall health and happiness in 2020 and a perceivable increase in social problems as well as health symptoms such as lack of smell and taste. Furthermore, a smaller groups of people experienced more psychological symptoms, serious problems like suicidal thoughts and PTSD symptomatology.

Discussion:
Adverse effects of the pandemic on youth are already visible in the first year after the outbreak. It is crucial to closely monitor the course of this health impact in the years to come, based on the combination of large, representative databases.

Introduction:
Like in many other countries, the COVID-19 pandemic and the government restrictions introduced to contain the spread of the virus had major consequences for the health and wellbeing of the population in the Netherlands. To monitor the short and long-term public health impact, a nationally coordinated research program was initiated with the intention to guide decision-making by local and national public health authorities. This contribution presents the process to establish a continuous dialogue with end-users of information to add focus to the monitor, make sense of the findings and formulate policy recommendation and practical guidance, both at the national and regional level.

Methods:
To facilitate the translation and dissemination of research results among policy makers, practitioners and scientists, an ongoing series of dialogue sessions is organized during the monitoring program. Apart from the objective of evidenceinformed public health decision-making, the dialectic process seeks to ensure multi-sectoral learning and co-creation and contribute to a broad sense of ownership among stakeholders. National and regional health participants serve as hub coordinators. New stakeholders are invited and will be actively approached wherever considered relevant.

Results:
At the EUPHA conference experiences with organizing the dialogue in app. the first two years of the program will be presented together with preliminary results and a reflection on factors that helped or hindered the implementation and uptake of findings.

Discussion:
Monitoring data collected using robust methods and analyzed in such a way that vulnerability factors are carefully considered, is invaluable for decision-making. However, in order to effectively serve as guidance to public health policy, whether in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic or in noncrisis situations, a constructive, ongoing exchange between end-users of the information needs to be facilitated.