Making better use of natural experimental evaluation in population health

Key messages • Natural experimental evaluations can provide useful information to guide decision making about interventions • Most discussion has focussed on what quantitative methods are suitable for natural experimental evaluations Key definitions and concepts remain contested and there is a lack of consensus about the circumstances in which natural experimental evaluations can provide trustworthy and useful evidence for decision-making • Guidance should help identify the circumstances that make for good natural experimental evaluation, and a range of applicable methods