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)

It is time to acknowledge and act on the importance of power in integrated knowledge translation

Integrated knowledge translation (IKT) has emerged as an approach to research centered on collaboration between researchers and knowledge users, particularly in health research. There has been a growing focus on power within the IKT literature, especially the concern that overlooking power inequities within IKT partnerships may reproduce forms of knowledge production and...

Exploring factors influencing health impact assessment policy identification in China: a comparative study of health and nonhealth sectors

Existing research indicates that both subject trust and procedural justice exert an influence on government staff’s level of identification with health impact assessment (HIA) policies, revealing notable differences in attitudes, comprehension levels and preferences for implementing HIA policies among staff from different sectors. There is an urgent requirement to develop an...

An analysis of migrant health policies in Iran

Migrant health has emerged as a critical global public health issue, necessitating effective policies to address the needs of this vulnerable population. Iran, hosting over 4.5 million migrants – many undocumented – faces significant challenges in ensuring equitable healthcare access. Despite existing policies, implementation gaps persist, exacerbating health disparities. This...

Mind the (research) gap: a retrospective observational study on the utilization of new medical technologies and related research activities in German hospitals

Hospitals play a major role in generating clinical evidence on new medical technologies. Thus far, the extent of German hospitals’ contribution to the evidence base has not been sufficiently investigated. This study aims to: (1) examine the utilization of new medical technologies in German hospitals and its relationship to different hospital characteristics; (2) investigate the...

Implementing evidence into practice for the management of frozen shoulder: engaging with key stakeholders and evaluating barriers and facilitators using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research

Frozen shoulder (FS) is a painful, stiff and disabling shoulder condition affecting adults of working age. A multi-centre randomised controlled trial (UK FROST) comparing three of the most common treatments provided by the National Health Service (NHS) in secondary care found all three treatments improved patient outcomes, with none being overall clinically superior. Each...

What influences the implementation of health checks in the prevention and early detection of chronic diseases among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australian primary health care? Findings from an evidence mapping review

Chronic disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia. A comprehensive health assessment is available as an annual health check (HC) to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through the Medicare Benefits Schedule in primary health care settings. This review aims to systematically identify...

Strategizing towards the future hospital: a systems thinking approach

The complex systemic nature of Future Hospital design in the rapidly ageing city-state of Singapore calls for systems thinking. We apply this approach to answer two research questions: (i) What are the variables that drive the present and future dynamics of the Future Hospital system? (ii) How are these driving variables related? Causal loop diagrams (CLDs) were developed...

Applying a participatory system dynamics approach to childhood overweight and obesity in the local context: reflections from the LIKE project

Methods based in system dynamics (SD) have gained prominence within public health research in recent years. SD is grounded in theory and explains how central principles, such as adaptation, dynamics and emergence can be used to understand and/or change complex systems. To date, few examples exist where this theory has been applied consistently in a prevention approach in a local...

The role of music and singing as research methods to improve migrants’ involvement in health research and policy-making

This commentary explores the potential of arts-based research methods, particularly music and singing, to address issues of participatory inequity and the structural bias this creates in health research systems and policies. Focusing on migration as a pressing public health issue in resettlement countries in the Global North, this commentary’s objective is to investigate the use...

Baseline assessments of research capacity, capability and culture in UK local authorities: reflections from evaluators embedded in Health Determinants Research Collaborations

In the United Kingdom, local government is well placed to conduct and apply research regarding the wider determinants of health. However, local authorities often lack sufficient research infrastructure to support research capacity, capability and culture. Since 2022, the UK National Institute for Health and Care Research has funded 30 Health Determinants Research Collaborations...

Dynamics in implementing the Good Financial Grant Practice standard across three African universities: an Indigenous realist evaluation

Research institutions must demonstrate the capability to efficiently and effectively manage external funding. The Good Financial Grant Practice (GFGP) was developed and operationalized as a capacity assessment and improvement tool and has been used by funding partners to assess and improve grantee institutions’ financial and grants management capacity. However, little is known...

Identifying knowledge gaps in social determinants of health and related challenges in Iran; 2023

Socioeconomic determinants of health (SDH) account for about 40% of modifiable determinants of health, followed by health behaviours (30%), clinical care (20%) and physical environmental factors (10%). The “10/90 gap” is the idea that only 10% of global health research is devoted to conditions that account for 90% of the global disease burden. For over a decade, SDH research...

To what extent is equity entrenched in HIV/AIDS-related policy documents in Ethiopia? A policy content analysis

It is important to assess the extent of mentions of equity in policy and strategic documents for several reasons. First, it helps us understand the root causes of inequities, revealing both failures and successes. Second, it shows the readiness of stakeholders and leaders to take actions towards equity. Third, it identifies areas of improvement to plan strategies towards equity...

The positioning of policy documents in the field of health policy and systems research

In realization of the importance of health policy, several scholars have examined health policies, contributing to the development of the field of health policy and systems research (HPSR). A growing body of literature within HPSR systematically analyses published articles in journals to examine how specific topics are dealt with in HPSR journals. The focus has extensively been...

Transforming health in Nepal: a historical and contemporary review on disease burden, health system challenges, and innovations

Nepal witnessed a tumultuous journey over past two centuries, marked by significant political, social, and cultural shifts. From fighting British colonial encroachments in 1800s, the dynastic Rana regime (1846–1951), and democracy movements in the late 1950s, 1990s and 2000s, Nepal became a federal republic in 2008. The main objective of this review is to lay out an...

Exploring factors affecting knowledge creation in under-researched healthcare topics: a case study of women’s health research

Knowledge creation (KC) produces resources to synthesize policy evidence and contributes to breakthroughs in unresolved health problems by discovering the previously unknown. Nevertheless, few studies have attempted to analyze which factors contribute to KC. This study aims to investigate the factors hindering the active occurrence of KC by using women’s health research as a...

A novel policy dialogue to build sustainable and resilient health systems: findings from PHSSR Portugal

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, health policymakers have been reflecting upon sustainability and resilience issues in health systems worldwide. Promoting sustainability and resilience requires policy changes built upon evidence and on the views of health stakeholders and experts. This study aimed to engage health stakeholders in designing and discussing policy...

The implementation of physical activity policies in the Netherlands: a study applying the Physical Activity Environment Policy Index (PA-EPI)

Continuing high levels of population physical inactivity necessitate effective government policies to cultivate healthy physical activity (PA) environments. The Physical Activity Environment Policy Index (PA-EPI) is a monitoring framework and tool to assess the implementation of policies that promote PA. This study aims to assess the extent of PA policy implementation in the...

Exploring the facilitators and barriers to achieving universal health coverage in Uganda: a qualitative study of the free healthcare policy

Critical variations often occur between a state’s initial public policy goals and its implementation outcomes. After two decades, the implementation of the free healthcare policy in Uganda has not achieved the desired outcomes, and there is a lack of comprehensive contextual analysis applying implementation science approaches in the identification of barriers and facilitators...

Stakeholder engagement in healthcare research in India – A systematic review

Stakeholder engagement is increasingly crucial in healthcare research, particularly in diverse and complex settings such as India. Stakeholder engagement in health research is about collaborating with key parties such as patients, healthcare providers and policymakers to ensure the research is relevant and impactful by addressing real-world needs, thereby enhancing its quality...

Keeping healthcare afloat: a protocol for a 5-year multi-sited interdisciplinary research project into preparedness of healthcare for floods in the Netherlands

The 2021 European floods in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands significantly impacted healthcare. With climate change increasing flood risks, healthcare preparedness is essential. Floods affect healthcare directly and indirectly by disrupting patient access, damaging infrastructure and impeding care continuity. Our interdisciplinary research in the Netherlands systematically...

Barriers and facilitators to implementing pulmonary rehabilitation guidelines in China: a qualitative study using implementation science frameworks

To understand barriers and facilitators to the implementation of pulmonary rehabilitation guidelines in pulmonary and critical care medicine (PCCM) from an interdisciplinary perspective and to determine potential contextual implementation strategies. A qualitative study guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and the Theoretical Domains Framework...

Enhancing cancer-supportive care through virtual reality: a policy brief

Virtual reality (VR) technology has been useful in enhancing cancer-supportive care by alleviating pain, anxiety and emotional distress. However, its integration into oncology faces multiple barriers, including limited funding, insufficient clinician training, accessibility challenges, absence of standard guidelines and reimbursement policies. This policy brief highlighted policy...

Convergence and diversity: how collective risk perception shapes public compliance behaviour – a case study of China’s Covid-19 response

This study investigates the influence of collective risk perception on public compliance behaviour, aiming to elucidate why cities exhibit significant disparities in pandemic response effectiveness and compliance levels despite implementing similar containment policies. Drawing on the perspectives of power and knowledge, we first construct an explanatory framework for collective...