Schmidt B, Mulopo C, Mayieka L, Cooper S, Jaca A, Späth C, Oliver J, Jessani N S
Health Systems Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.
School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa.
Health Res Policy Syst. 2025 Sep 1;23(1):107. doi: 10.1186/s12961-025-01383-z.
Knowledge translation platforms (KTPs), also referred to as intermediaries, play a key role in supporting evidence-informed decision-making. Numerous KTPs exist globally, striving to translate evidence into policy. However, these platforms are described in varying ways, and some KTPs do not explicitly identify themselves as such. This makes identification, recognition and leveraging of KTPs suboptimal. It also hinders opportunities for learning, adapting and scaling of such platforms.
This scoping review aimed to synthesize the literature on the variety of definitions, functions and characteristics of a KTP with a view to harmonize these aspects of KTPs and offer a revised framework of functions.
This review was conducted using recommended methods and reporting guidelines. Searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) using a predetermined search strategy, without date or geographical restrictions. Included studies were analysed and synthesized in ATLAS.ti, following Braun and Clarke's six steps of thematic analysis.
With one exception, all KTPs did not identify themselves as such in their names. Five common elements emerged across the KTP definitions: (i) a physical or virtual platform (ii) that engages with and convenes different stakeholders (iii) through a set of knowledge translation activities and outputs (iv) to contribute to health decision-making. We identified KTP activities that aligned with the core functions described in the Valmeekanathan et al. (Valmeekanathan et al. in Tert Educ Manag 27:227-256, 2021) framework - namely knowledge exchange, dialogue and capacity - but also additional activities, including engaging funders, planning for sustainability and scalability, providing training grants and initiating innovative knowledge translation processes that integrate knowledge across projects and sectors to maximize impact.
This review provides a synthesized definition of KTPs while expanding on the three core functions described in the Valmeekanathan et al. (Valmeekanathan et al. in Tert Educ Manag 27:227-256, 2021) framework. To maximize their impact, sustained investment, stronger institutional support and integration into national policy ecosystems are essential.
知识转化平台（KTPs），也被称为中介机构，在支持循证决策方面发挥着关键作用。全球存在众多知识转化平台，致力于将证据转化为政策。然而，这些平台的描述方式各不相同，一些知识转化平台并未明确将自己定义为此类平台。这使得知识转化平台的识别、认可和利用效果欠佳。这也阻碍了此类平台的学习、调整和扩展机会。
本范围综述旨在综合有关知识转化平台的各种定义、功能和特征的文献，以期统一知识转化平台的这些方面，并提供一个修订后的功能框架。
本综述采用推荐的方法和报告指南进行。使用预定的搜索策略在PubMed、Scopus和护理及相关健康文献累积索引（CINAHL）中进行搜索，无日期或地域限制。纳入的研究在ATLAS.ti中进行分析和综合，遵循布劳恩和克拉克的主题分析六个步骤。
除一项例外，所有知识转化平台在其名称中均未表明自己是此类平台。在知识转化平台的定义中出现了五个共同要素：（i）一个实体或虚拟平台；（ii）通过一系列知识转化活动和产出与不同利益相关者互动并召集他们；（iii）为健康决策做出贡献。我们确定了与瓦尔梅卡纳坦等人（瓦尔梅卡纳坦等人，《高等教育管理》，27:227 - 256，2021）框架中描述的核心功能相一致的知识转化平台活动——即知识交流、对话和能力——但也包括其他活动，如与资助者互动、规划可持续性和可扩展性、提供培训资助以及启动创新的知识转化过程，这些过程整合跨项目和部门的知识以最大化影响。
本综述提供了知识转化平台的综合定义，同时扩展了瓦尔梅卡纳坦等人（瓦尔梅卡纳坦等人，《高等教育管理》，27:227 - 256，2021）框架中描述的三个核心功能。为了最大化其影响，持续投资、更强有力的机构支持以及融入国家政策生态系统至关重要。
