BACKGROUND Health surveillance and survey data are helpful in evidence-informed policy decisions. This study is part of an evaluation of the National Health Examination Survey (NHES) programme in Thailand. This paper focuses on the obstacles in the translation of survey information into policies at a national level. METHODS In-depth interviews with relevant individuals and representatives of institutes were carried out for the data collection. A total of 26 focal informants included executives and staff of NHES funders, government health agencies, civil society organisations, health experts, NHES programme managers and researchers in the survey network. RESULTS Utilisation of NHES data in policy-making is limited for many reasons. Despite the potential users' positive views on the technical integrity of experts and practitioners involved in the NHES, the strength of employing health examinations in the data collection is not well recognised. Meanwhile, alternative health surveillance platforms that offer similar information on a shorter timescale are preferable in policy monitoring and evaluation. In sum, the lack of governance of Thailand's health surveillance system is identified as a key element hindering the translation of health surveys, including the NHES, into policies. CONCLUSION Despite an adequate capacity to conduct population health surveys, the lack of governance structure and function has resulted in a fragmented health monitoring system. Large and small survey projects are conducted and funded by different institutes without common policy direction and alignment mechanisms for prioritising survey topics, collective planning and capacity-building programmes for survey practitioners and users. Lessons drawn from Thailand's NHES can be helpful for policy-makers in other low- and middle-income countries, as effective governance for evidence generation and utilisation is necessary in all contexts, regardless of income level and available resources.

中文翻译：

---

在政策制定中利用泰国国家健康检查调查的证据：寻找最薄弱的环节。

背景 健康监测和调查数据有助于做出循证政策决策。这项研究是泰国国家健康检查调查 (NHES) 计划评估的一部分。本文重点关注将调查信息转化为国家层面政策的障碍。方法对相关个人和机构代表进行深入访谈，收集数据。共有 26 名重点知情人包括 NHES 资助者、政府卫生机构、民间社会组织、卫生专家、NHES 项目经理和调查网络中的研究人员的高管和工作人员。结果 由于多种原因，NHES 数据在政策制定中的利用受到限制。尽管潜在用户对参与 NHES 的专家和从业人员的技术诚信持积极看法，但在数据收集中采用健康检查的优势尚未得到充分认识。与此同时，在更短的时间内提供类似信息的替代健康监测平台在政策监测和评估中更可取。总之，泰国健康监测系统缺乏治理被认为是阻碍包括 NHES 在内的健康调查转化为政策的关键因素。结论 尽管有足够的能力开展人口健康调查，但治理结构和职能的缺乏导致健康监测体系支离破碎。大型和小型调查项目由不同的机构开展和资助，没有共同的政策方向和协调机制来确定调查主题的优先顺序、调查从业者和用户的集体规划和能力建设计划。从泰国 NHES 中汲取的经验教训可能对其他低收入和中等收入国家的决策者有所帮助，因为无论收入水平和可用资源如何，在所有情况下都需要对证据生成和利用进行有效治理。