Use of evidence in local public health work in Denmark

The aim was to investigate how and on which level evidence is used in policy processes related to local public health work in Denmark. A survey was carried out in municipalities in Denmark (n = 98, response rate 81%) with health managers as respondents. A large variation in understanding of the concept of evidence was found. Less than half of the health managers expressed that evidence is used at a high level. The health managers' emphasis on use of evidence, political desire for use of evidence and evidence capacity were associated with the actual use. The health managers' educational background and size of municipalities had no association to this. A request for more use of evidence was found. Barriers for this were conditions connected to time and competences. Increased collaboration between municipalities, collaboration with research units, and guidelines for evidence use were suggested as facilitators. There is a need for development and dissemination of methods for working with evidence-based public health in Danish municipalities.