Michele S. Garfinkel ^1*, Daniel Sarewitz ², Alan L. Porter ³

¹ The Venter Institute
² Arizona State University
³ Georgia Institute of Technology

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: mgarfinkel{at}venterinstitute.org.

	Abstract

The linkages between decisions about health research and policy and actual health outcomes may be extraordinarily difficult to specify.

We performed a pilot application of a "road mapping" and technology assessment technique to perinatal health to illustrate how this technique can clarify the relations between available options and improved health outcomes. We used a combination of datamining techniques and qualitative analyses to set up the underlying structure of a societal health outcomes road map.

Societal health outcomes road mapping may be a useful tool for enhancing the ability of the public health community, policymakers, and other stakeholders, such as research administrators, to understand health research and policy options.

Key Words: Health Policy, Qualitative Research