Getting real about policy and practice needs: evaluation as a bridge between the problem and solution space.

This paper introduces the concept of problem and solution spaces, its relevance to planning and evaluating health equity interventions and how evaluations can serve as a bridge between problem and solution spaces. A number of questions are described as part of evaluative thinking about solutions that can help with planning more rigorous and context sensitive solutions to health inequities. The questions are informed by conceptual, operational and strategic issues that need to be addressed in evaluating health inequities.