Gaps in science-policy interface: textual analysis of scientific insights overlooked by policies during COVID-19

ABSTRACT Purpose Policies have often, albeit inadvertently, overlooked certain scientific insights, especially in the handling of complex events. This study aims to systematically uncover and evaluate pivotal scientific insights that have been underrepresented in policy documents by leveraging extensive datasets from policy texts and scholarly publications. Design/methodology/approach This article introduces a research framework aimed at excavating scientific insights that have been overlooked by policy, encompassing four integral parts: data acquisition and preprocessing, the identification of overlooked content through thematic analysis, the discovery of overlooked content via keyword analysis, and a comprehensive analysis and discussion of the overlooked content. Leveraging this framework, the research conducts an in-depth exploration of the scientific content overlooked by policies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings During the COVID-19 pandemic, scientific information in four domains was overlooked by policy: psychological state of the populace, environmental issues, the role of computer technology, and public relations. These findings indicate a systematic underrepresentation of important scientific insights in policy. Research limitations This study is subject to two key limitations. Firstly, the text analysis method—relying on pre-extracted keywords and thematic structures—may not fully capture the nuanced context and complexity of scientific insights in policy documents. Secondly, the focus on a limited set of case studies restricts the broader applicability of the conclusions across diverse situations. Practical implications The study introduces a quantitative framework using text analysis to identify overlooked scientific content in policy, bridging the gap between science and policy. It also highlights overlooked scientific information during COVID-19, promoting more evidence-based and robust policies through improved science-policy integration. Originality/value This paper provides new ideas and methods for excavating scientific information that has been overlooked by policy, further deepens the understanding of the interaction between policy and science during the COVID-19 period, and lays the foundation for the more rational use of scientific information in policy-making.