Health Research Policy and Systems

Health Research Policy and Systems is published in collaboration with the World Health Organization. The journal has an international approach that ...

List of Papers (Total 2,303)

Political analysis of health technology assessment implementation in Iran

Health technology assessment (HTA) is a critical tool for evidence-based decision-making in healthcare systems, yet its implementation in low- and middle-income countries such as Iran remains understudied. This study examines the political dynamics of HTA implementation in Iran, focussing on the roles, interests and interactions of key stakeholders. By addressing the gap in...

Integrated methods for public health action tracking (IMPAcT): to understand and evaluate systems change in a public health context

Approaches from systems science are increasingly being trialed in public health because the drivers of poor health are complex, unpredictable and difficult to disentangle. While a broad range of methods is available to study systems science, one method alone is often insufficient for evaluation, as each offer only a limited perspective. Yet, few examples exist showing how several...

Developing a Canadian midwifery research priority framework: a Delphi consensus study

Globally, there is a commitment to evidence informed midwifery practice. In Canada, the midwifery profession has grown significantly over the past three decades, yet Canadian midwifery research lacks coordination and infrastructure. Developing a unified research agenda to address emerging clinical, population and policy challenges is essential for advancing research capacity...

Developing and validating the co-creation rainbow framework for intrinsic evaluation of methods: a health CASCADE structured review of models representing co-creation principles

The growing interest in co-creation for public health innovation highlights the need for systematic approaches to stakeholder engagement. Despite its potential, co-creation faces substantial challenges, including unresolved power dynamics, poor reporting of methods and the absence of a universally agreed-upon definition. Current research reveals substantial fragmentation in co...

The Guideline Uptake in Digital Ecosystems (GUIDE) study: protocol for implementation research on the impact of WHO SMART guidelines digital adaptation kits to improve quality of care

Despite the potential for digital tools to facilitate guideline uptake, translating paper-based narrative guidelines into digital formats is resource-intensive and may compromise the fidelity to the recommended content. The World Health Organization (WHO) launched the SMART Guidelines initiative, in which digital adaptation kits (DAKs) are a foundational component. DAKs comprise...

Advancing the women’s health strategy: a policy lab aimed at improving effective management of hyperemesis gravidarum

Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is associated with morbidity and mortality which can be exacerbated by difficulties accessing guideline-recommended treatment. Improving outcomes for women with HG through policy and practice fulfils the vision of the Women’s Health Strategy for England. We aimed to align with the Women’s Health Strategy by addressing barriers to evidence-based care...

Strategies for financial protection for patients with cancer or special diseases in the health system: A scoping review

Financial protection refers to the health system’s ability to protect the population from the financial risk of ill health. Patients with cancer or special diseases are particularly vulnerable to catastrophic health spending and impoverishment, highlighting the urgent need for targeted financial protection strategies. Diseases such as haemophilia, thalassemia, dialysis, renal...

Navigating turbulence: analyzing the resilience of Lebanon’s healthcare system in a multi-crisis scenario

Lebanon’s healthcare system, historically reliant on privatization and public–private partnerships, faces unprecedented challenges owing to a compounded crisis environment. Since 2019, economic collapse, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the Beirut port explosion have placed immense strain on an already fragile system, highlighting the necessity to understand...

Assessing institutional capacities to demand and use nutrition data for decision-making in Nigeria’s health sector: A mixed-methods study

Using data for policy design, program implementation and accountability is a priority among nutrition stakeholders in Nigeria. However, the capacities of decision-makers to use data are not well-defined. This study used mixed methods to assess the capacity of institutions within Nigeria’s health sector to demand and use data for decision-making on nutrition policies and programs...

Public satisfaction with COVID-19 policy responses and their implementation: a cross-sectional study

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has prompted significant changes in health policies worldwide. Policy-makers from various countries have responded by adopting and implementing diverse policy measures aimed at combating the spread and impact of COVID-19. The aim of this study is to assess people’s satisfaction with the primary policy responses and their...

The determinants of evidence use by Australian clinical networks as agents and stewards of safety and quality: a conceptual framework

Healthcare systems are increasingly complex given devolution of powers, decentralization of decision-making, and escalating fragmentation of effort. This indicates a role for governments in how they can bring this together, oversee and improve across the system. Goals pertaining to the safety and quality of clinical care are advanced by governments using stewardship and agent...

Barriers and facilitators to the institutionalization and sustainability of knowledge translation platforms in the eastern Mediterranean: a scoping review

Knowledge translation platforms (KTP) are partnerships comprising policy-makers, national researchers, and civil society, serving as organizational knowledge brokers to foster the use and uptake of evidence in evidence-informed policy-making (EIPM) processes. Recent evidence suggested that KTP institutionalization requires leadership, commitment, political engagement, shared...

Artificial-intelligence-driven governance: addressing emerging risks with a comprehensive risk-prevention-centred model for public health crisis management

In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, an emerging public health crisis with global impact, various artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled devices for pandemic-prevention emerged, highlighting the urgent need to understand public leverage of AI-enabled digital technologies. This study constructs a comprehensive model, the Risk Prevention-centred and AI...

The role of environmental impact assessments in hospital care: Healthcare professionals’ views on research and implementation priorities

The crossing of planetary boundaries, such as climate change and biosphere integrity, threatens human health, while healthcare systems paradoxically contribute substantially to these environmental challenges. Although research on the environmental impact of care activities and pathways is expanding, it remains unclear how this information is used in clinical practice. This study...

Measuring impacts: a scoping review of healthcare impact evaluations

With the increasing use of the term “impact evaluation” in healthcare and the absence of an exhaustive review on this general theme, this research aims to map available evidence and methods associated with impact evaluations in healthcare by conducting a scoping review. This exhaustive review included peer-reviewed studies of healthcare interventions with no restrictions on...

Impact upfront: novel format for Novo Nordisk Foundation funding

Many retrospective assessments of the wider, societal impacts from health research funding use the Payback Framework or other frameworks. Much of this experience was collated in the 2018 Statement by the International School on Research Impact Assessment (ISRIA). Despite increased interest, especially in engaged research and a wider range of evaluation approaches, rarely do...

Ideas matter: An analysis of the effects of framing on health system strengthening in Zimbabwe

Health system strengthening (HSS) has been a well-endorsed concept globally since the 2000s. However, few studies have utilized theory to examine its evolution at the country level and potential implications for policy. This study used framing theory to examine changes in the portrayal of HSS in Zimbabwe from the mid-2000s to the period post-2020. We employed a framing analysis...

Implementation context and stakeholder perspectives on routine immunization data among lower-level private for-profit providers in an urban setting: experiences from Kampala, Uganda

Lower-level private for-profit health service providers form part of the pluralistic health systems delivering immunization services in urban areas of sub–Saharan Africa. However, their operational context is less documented since the conventional national Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) programmes tend to support delivery through public structures. Yet, private...

Knowledge translation platforms: Broker, intermediary or more? A scoping review of definitions, functions and characteristics

Knowledge translation platforms (KTPs), also referred to as intermediaries, play a key role in supporting evidence-informed decision-making. Numerous KTPs exist globally, striving to translate evidence into policy. However, these platforms are described in varying ways, and some KTPs do not explicitly identify themselves as such. This makes identification, recognition and...

Impact assessment of the ophthalmology discipline construction project at Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital

Research impact is an emerging measure of research achievement alongside traditional academic outputs such as publications. We present the results of applying the Framework to Assess the Impact from Translational Health Research (FAIT) to the ophthalmology discipline construction project at Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital. Data were gathered via in-depth interviews and...

Electronic community health information system in Ethiopia: current maturity status, opportunities and improvement pathways

Assessing the maturity level of digital solutions and the ability of digital systems to meet the changing needs and demands related to their purposes is essential. Despite Ethiopia’s significant efforts in expanding the electronic Community Health Information System (eCHIS), the results have been below expectations, varying by location and hindered by several issues. This...

Highlighting global inequities in health services quality research: a systematic review and quantitative evidence (2014–2023)

Health service quality is important for adequate and equitable health systems. However, research on this topic may reflect imbalances in global scientific production, visibility and collaboration. This study examines global trends and disparities in health service quality research over the past decade, focusing on thematic priorities, geographic distribution and structural...

The benefits for health care staff of involvement in applied health research: a scoping review

Initiatives are increasingly encouraging health and social care staff involvement in research, with evidence for patient and organisational level benefits. There is less evidence of the benefits for staff and whether this varies by type of involvement. This scoping review aimed to identify the different ways staff are involved in applied health research, the benefits experienced...

Determinants of consent for electronic health information exchange: an observational retrospective study

Sharing of patient electronic health record (EHR) data between healthcare providers can enhance quality and efficiency of healthcare provision, and patient safety. Health information exchange is allowed only with explicit patient consent. In the Netherlands, patient consent and the exchange of information is organized nationally. Consent status is recorded routinely in general...