The SPHeRE Network Research Policy Brief Series is a research communication initiative underpinned by our goal to connect research, policy, and practice. SPHeRE Research Policy Briefs are written by, and provide a distilled summary of research conducted by, SPHeRE Scholars. In this way, the series aims to further enhance the connection between research conducted by SPHeRE Scholars and the wider network of people involved in population health and health-services research, policy, and practice.