The Role of Evidence in Public Health Policy: An Example of Linkage and Exchange in the Prevention of Scald Burns

Abstract

Is sound evidence sufficient to change public health practice and policy? In this paper, we describe a campaign to reduce scald burns among children based on compelling evidence of the effectiveness of an intervention to reduce hot tap water temperature. We provide an overview of the problem and the evidence to support our efforts, the context for addressing the scald problem and the lessons learned about why the relationship between evidence and change in practice is not straightforward.