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Governments and other decision-making bodies rarely make policy decisions in isolation.

Instead, they often learn from each other to develop and implement policies that are best suited for their jurisdictions, in a process known as policy diffusion. In this way, governments can adopt novel policy solutions to public health issues based on the evidence and experience of other jurisdictions, which may help to save on time and other resources.

Knowledge of policy diffusion allows the general public, practitioners, policy makers, and researchers to better understand how policies spread from place to place, and understand why some decision-makers adopt new policies more readily than others. Findings from policy diffusion research may be used to recommend improvements to existing policy and to promote the development of future healthy public policies related to chronic disease prevention.

The PLACE Research Lab was part of the POWER UP! CLASP collaboration to explain the spread of healthy public policies across jurisdictions in Canada. We conducted three studies to explore the diffusion of:

  1. provincial school-based daily physical activity policies;
  2. municipal bylaws banning fast food drive-through services; and
  3. municipal resolutions promoting access to drinking water in public spaces.

Publications

  • Campbell, E.J., Olstad, D.L., Spence, J.C., Storey, K., & Nykiforuk, C.I.J. (2020). Policy-influencer perspectives on the development, adoption, and implementation of provincial school-based daily physical activity policies across Canada: A national case study. SSM – Population Health. 11, Epub 2020 June 8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2020.100612
  • Nykiforuk, C.I.J., Campbell, E.C., Macridis, S., McKennitt, D., Atkey, K., & Raine, K.D. (2018). Adoption and diffusion of zoning bylaws banning fast-food drive-through services across Canadian municipalities. BMC Public Health, 18:137. Epub 2018 Jan 15. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5061-1
  • Olstad, D.L., Campbell, E.J., Raine, K.D., & Nykiforuk, C.I.J. (2015). A multiple case history and review of adoption, diffusion, implementation and impact of provincial daily physical activity policies in Canadian schools. BMC Public Health, 15(385). DOI: 10.1186/s12889-015-1669-6. Epub ahead of print: April 14, 2015. PubMed PMID: 25885026. http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-015-1669-6

Media Highlights

Below is a selection of media highlights

Diffusion of Drive-thru Bans (2018-2019):

Funder

  • 2014-2019 Applied Public Health Chair (Nykiforuk), Canadian Institutes of Health Research in partnership with Public Health Agency of Canada and Alberta Innovates: Health Solutions
  • 2013-2016 Coalitions Linking Actions and Science for Prevention Grant, Canadian Partnership Against Cancer (through the POWER UP! – Policy Opportunity Windows – Engaging Research Uptake in Practice project)

Project Categories

Our Approach
Community Based and Population Health Interventions Natural Experiments and Government-led Population-health Interventions Innovative Interdisciplinary Methods Healthy Public Policy Collaborate and Engage with Partners
Research Program Areas
Community Environments Public Policy and Well-being Play Chronic Disease Prevention