Stakeholder perspectives on using public health evidence to support a Health in All Policies approach to transport in Scotland

BackgroundA Health in All Policies (HiAP) approach aims to ensure health implications are considered in policies in other sectors, including transport. Previous studies have suggested an ‘evidence-policy gap’ in HiAP. The Public Health and Sustainable Transport Partnership supports a HiAP approach to transport in Scotland. It has produced evidence-based reports including a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) of road space reallocation and a report identifying transport poverty as a public health issue. This study aimed to address the question: ‘What influences the use of public health evidence by transport professionals and other stakeholders to inform transport policies and plans in Scotland?’MethodsSemi-structured interviews with stakeholders who reported using either the HIA of road space reallocation or the transport poverty report in their own work. A reflexive thematic analysis was used inductively to explore participants’ use of the public health evidence.ResultsWe identified five themes around the use of evidence for transport planning in Scotland: (1) Transport planning is multi-layered, contested and car-dominated; (2) Evidence is valued but variably understood; (3) Values shape use of evidence; (4) Public health is a trusted voice; and (5) Dissemination is an ongoing relational process. Participants valued being evidence-based and identified car dependence and car-dominated assumptions affecting transport planning in Scotland. They recognised strong synergies between health and sustainable transport and a need for ongoing collaboration.ConclusionThe study supports using public health evidence in a collaborative Health in All Policies approach to support better outcomes for both health and sustainable transport.