Employment and Health Evidence & Gap Map
The strength of evidence and gap maps lies in their ability to simplify complex and diverse research findings in a visual and interactive way. They are helpful in navigating and locating relevant evidence, as well as highlighting research gaps. Allowing multiple questions to be explored, they can provide a fresh perspective on important topics.
These maps are one of a range of evidence tools developed by the Evidence Synthesis Workstrand 2 to support decision making by policy actors at all levels of government.
SIPHER has been exploring the policy area of 'Inclusive Economies' with the aim of mapping and modelling relationships between inclusive economies and health outcomes.
To support this work an evidence and gap map exploring the key relationship between employment and health outcomes was created. This map includes published research into the link between employment and health but not policy interventions in this area. It contains systematic reviews only and not primary studies.
Access SIPHER Employment and Health Evidence and Gap Map
This map includes published research into the link between employment and health but not policy interventions in this area. It contains systematic reviews only and not primary studies.
Read: Employment and Health Mapping Report [PDF] for an overview of the process undertaken and the methods used to produce this map.
Citation: Campbell, Fiona; Llewellyn, Jennifer; Chambers, Duncan; Wong, Ruth; Meier, Petra (2025). Employment and Health Evidence & Gap Map. The University of Sheffield. DataSet. https://doi.org/10.15131/shef.data.27619617.v1
Resources
- Employment and Health Mapping Report [PDF] an overview of the process undertaken and the methods used to produce this Evidence and Gap Map - May 2022
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Supporting SIPHER’S Evidence Synthesis Blog - Detailing the tools including EGM used to provide relevant evidence for SIPHER’s mapping, modelling and evaluation work.
- SIPHER Glossary For clarification of our terminology and use of acronyms
News
- Fiona Campbell presented work on the methods used in Evidence and Gap Maps at the Cochrane Colloquium, London and the Society for Social Medicine, Annual Scientific Meeting in Newcastle both in September 2023.
- Evidence and Gap Maps were the focus of a SIPHER hosted workshop for policy partners at Sheffield City Council and Greater Manchester Combined Authority in November 2022. Fiona Campbell, lead for the Evidence Synthesis (Workstrand 2), with support from our embedded researchers, reviewed the current maps and discussed ideas for improvements to better support policy actors.
- At the What Works Conference, Ottawa in late October 2022, Fiona Campbell hosted four insightful sessions showcasing some of our work on Evidence Synthesis & Gap Maps.
- Published in May 2022 our SIPHER report details the process undertaken and methods used to produce the evidence and gap map. Employment and Health Mapping Report [PDF] Campbell, F., Llewellyn, J., Chambers, D., Wong, R., and Meier, P. 2022 (doi: 10.36399/gla.pubs.311523). (Enlighten ID 311523)
Techincal Information
Provides technical details of the characteristics including strengths and limitations for this tool.
| Characteristic | Details |
|---|---|
| Purpose | A visual and interactive resource to locate published systematic reviews on the topic of health and work. |
| Strengths | The primary strength lies in the simplification of complex and diverse research findings. The interactive map contains studies that have explored the relationship between an employment feature and a health and social outcome. The map only contains systematic reviews. |
| Limitations | Does not provide any analysis on the studies identified. Users may not have access to all academic papers that are captured in the evidence and gap map as some of the covered material is not open access. |
| Variables | A range of work related characteristics (including contract conditions, employer attributes and working environment) and health related measures (including physical health outcomes and psychological health). |
| Examples / Link with Other Models and Data | Informs model building and interpretation of quantitative findings other workstreams have obtained. |