Table 1.

Description of the tools used to identify research production and utilization

Tool	Characteristics	Unit of observation	Variables
A - Intended and unintended project impacts and influencing mechanisms within policy process	Online survey including alternative email responses	Principal investigators	• MCH research organization and production • Equity interventions described • MCH research topic and outcomes • Strategies for diffusion of evidence
B - Evidence use in the formulation of maternal and child health (MCH) policy and programs	Template	MCH policies and program documents	• Policymaking bodies authors • General objective of the MCH policy or program equity addressed • Government unit that has made the decision • Impact on the health system • Type of intervention (single intervention to cross-cutting health system elements) • Research literature refers (implicit references and explicit references) • Ways in which research results had been used within policy process (symbolic, instrumental or conceptual)
	Includes handbook
C - Perspective of policymakers or program managers about the influence of MCH research production on MCH policy and programs	Semi-structured interview	Policymakers and program managers	• Institution’s role in the MCH policy or program • Main institutions working on and supporting the policy and program formulation and execution • Strength and relevance of MCH research in the policy formulation • Research sources used • When has the use of information based on MCH research been most important (agenda setting, policy formulation, policy implementation or policy assessment) • Type of interventions in equity • Main characteristics of the MCH research that made it useful
	Includes handbook
D - Strength and relevance nationally and internationally published country-relevant recommendations	Template	Scientific articles published in peer reviewed journals from 2009 to 2012	• Document identification • Journal impact factor • Institutions adscriptions • Type of document • Main subject of the paper • Beneficiaries/issues of the document (demographic group; level of intervention; geographic topic; type of population) • Main thrust or focus of the goals of the document in tackling inequalities
	Includes handbook

Source: Based on MASCOT internal document Deliverable D4.1 and MASCOT Methodological Guidelines. Available from: (http://cordis.europa.eu/result/rcn/156424_en.html)