Research Supporting Health Policy Development: Contextualizing Evidence for People-Centred Care in Low and Middle Income Countries

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 277-279
Author(s):  
Dheepa Rajan
Keyword(s):  
Health Policy ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Research Policy ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Health Policies ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Country Level

The three areas of research, policy, and practice seem to work and interact within silos, or independent niches.  Especially for the complex task of reorienting health care and indeed, a health system, towards people-centredness, these niches at both global and country level must be broken down.  Since health policy-making is complex and non-linear, context is crucial for making research for health policies and implementation of health policies (practice) relevant.  The real measure of success is whether the evidence-informed policy has worked and produced results at ground level.  When context is so important, however, evidence (research) is only one piece of the puzzle.  Stakeholder’s views, or simply put, their opinion, is just as decisive.  This paper documents some promising examples in research and practice of bringing together evidence and stakeholder opinion, particularly highlighting a case study on Brazil as well as WHO tools for communities of practice.

scholarly journals Experiences of menstruation in high income countries: a systematic review, qualitative meta-synthesis and comparison to low- and middle-income countries

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dani Jennifer Barrington ◽  
Hannah Robinson ◽  
Emily Wilson ◽  
Julie Hennegan
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Context ◽  
Research Policy ◽  
Integrated Model ◽  
High Income ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Negative Experiences ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Protocol Registration ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Background: There is growing recognition of the importance of menstruation in achieving health, education, and gender equality for all. New policies in high income countries (HICs) have responded to anecdotal evidence that many struggle to meet their menstrual health needs. Qualitative research has explored lived experiences of menstruating in HICs and can inform intervention approaches. Methods and findings: Primary, qualitative studies capturing experiences of menstruation in HICs were eligible for inclusion. Systematic database and hand searching identified 11485 records. Following screening and quality appraisal using the EPPI-Centre checklist, 104 studies (120 publications) detailing the menstrual experiences of over 3800 individuals across sixteen countries were included. We used the integrated model of menstrual experiences developed from studies in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) as a starting framework and deductively and inductively identified antecedents contributing to menstrual experiences; menstrual experiences themselves and impacts of menstrual experiences. Included studies described consistent themes and relationships that fit well with the LMIC integrated model, with modifications to themes and model pathways identified through our analysis. The socio-cultural context heavily shaped menstrual experiences, manifesting in strict behavioural expectations to conceal menstruation and limiting the provision of menstrual materials. Resource limitations contributed to negative experiences, where dissatisfaction with menstrual practices and management environments were expressed along with feelings of disgust if participants felt they failed to manage their menstruation in a discrete, hygienic way. Physical menstrual factors such as pain were commonly associated with negative experiences, with mixed experiences of healthcare reported. Across studies participants described negative impacts of their menstrual experience including increased mental burden and detrimental impacts on participation and personal relationships. Positive experiences were more rarely reported, although relationships between cis-women were sometimes strengthened by shared experiences of menstrual bleeding. Included studies reflected a broad range of disciplines and epistemologies. Many aimed to understand the constructed meanings of menstruation, but few were explicitly designed to inform policy or practice. Few studies focused on socioeconomically disadvantaged groups relevant to new policy efforts.Conclusions: We developed an integrated model of menstrual experience in HICs which can be used to inform research, policy and practice decisions by emphasising the pathways through which positive and negative menstrual experiences manifestReview protocol registration: The review protocol registration is PROSPERO: CRD42019157618.

scholarly journals Protocol for a Multi-Level Policy Analysis of Non-Communicable Disease Determinants of Diet and Physical Activity: Implications for Low- and Middle-Income Countries in Africa and the Caribbean

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (24) ◽  
pp. 13061
Author(s):  
Maylene Shung-King ◽  
Amy Weimann ◽  
Nicole McCreedy ◽  
Lambed Tatah ◽  
Clarisse Mapa-Tassou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Salt Intake ◽  
Communicable Disease ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Promotion Of Physical Activity ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death globally. Despite significant global policy development for addressing NCDs, the extent to which global policies find expression in low-and-middle income countries’ (LMIC) policies, designed to mitigate against NCDs, is unclear. This protocol is part of a portfolio of projects within the Global Diet and Activity Research (GDAR) Network, which aims to support the prevention of NCDs in LMICs, with a specific focus on Kenya, Cameroon, South Africa and Jamaica. This paper outlines the protocol for a study that seeks to explore the current policy environment in relation to the reduction of key factors influencing the growing epidemic of NCDs. The study proposes to examine policies at the global, regional and country level, related to the reduction of sugar and salt intake, and the promotion of physical activity (as one dimension of healthy placemaking). The overall study will comprise several sub-studies conducted at a global, regional and country level in Cameroon, Kenya and South Africa. In combination with evidence generated from other GDAR workstreams, results from the policy analyses will contribute to identifying opportunities for action in the reduction of NCDs in LMICs.

The Danger of a Single Study

2021 ◽  
pp. 137-156
Author(s):  
Promise Nduku ◽  
Nkululeko Tshabalala ◽  
Moshidi Putuka ◽  
Zafeer Ravat ◽  
Laurenz Langer
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Research Policy ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Training Programmes ◽  
Inform Decision Making ◽  
Effective Translation

This chapter outlines how taking a more systematic approach to developing responsive evidence bases that can inform research, policy, and practice on community health worker (CHW) training in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) supports the provision of more effective and equitable CHW programmes. It also explores methodologies and tools to develop such evidence bases and how these can and have been used to inform decision-making. We argue that by focusing on single primary studies rather than the combined body of evidence, research and practice on the training of CHWs in LMICs is overlooking systemic patterns in the evidence base. Decisions on which types of training programmes to implement in LMICs are often based on single evaluations of programmes conducted out of context or informed by general principles for workplace-based learning. Better matching research and practice needs with the available evidence base will facilitate a more effective translation of knowledge on the training of CHWs into practice and policy decisions.

scholarly journals Bridging the gaps between research, policy and practice in low- and middle-income countries: a survey of researchers

2010 ◽  
Vol 182 (9) ◽  
pp. E350-E361 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. N. Lavis ◽  
G. E. Guindon ◽  
D. Cameron ◽  
B. Boupha ◽  
M. Dejman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Research Policy ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Globalization and Health Policy in South Africa

2004 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 131-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Cleary ◽  
Di McIntyre ◽  
Stephen Thomas
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Policy ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Relative Role ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Health Goals ◽  
Private Health Sector

AbstractThis paper considers influences of globalization on three relevant health policy issues in South Africa, namely, private health sector growth, health professional migration, and pharmaceutical policy. It considers the relative role of key domestic and global actors in health policy development around these issues. While South Africa has not been subject to the overt health policy pressure from international organizations experienced by governments in many other low- and middle-income countries, global influence on South Africa's macroeconomic policy has had a profound, albeit indirect, effect on our health policies. Ultimately, this has constrained South Africa's ability to achieve its national health goals.

scholarly journals Local ownership of health policy and systems research in low-income and middle-income countries: a missing element in the uptake debate

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. e001523 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kudakwashe Paul Vanyoro ◽  
Kate Hawkins ◽  
Matthew Greenall ◽  
Helen Parry ◽  
Lynda Keeru
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Health Policy ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Systems Research ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Health Policy And Systems

Health policy and systems researchers (HPSRs) in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) aim to influence health systems planning, costing, policy and implementation. Yet, there is still much that we do not know about the types of health systems evidence that are most compelling and impactful to policymakers and community groups, the factors that facilitate the research to decision-making process and the real-world challenges faced when translating research findings into practice in different contexts. Drawing on an analysis of HPSR from LMICs presented at the Fifth Global Symposium on Health Systems Research (HSR 2018), we argue that while there is a recognition in policy studies more broadly about the role of co-production, collective ownership and the value of localised HPSR in the evidence-to-policy discussion, ‘ownership’ of research at country level is a research uptake catalyst that needs to be further emphasised, particularly in the HPSR context. We consider embedded research, participatory or community-initiated research and emergent/responsive research processes, all of which are ‘owned’ by policymakers, healthcare practitioners/managers or community members. We embrace the view that ownership of HPSR by people directly affected by health problems connects research and decision-making in a tangible way, creating pathways to impact.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document