Conceptual framework for systemic capacity strengthening for health policy and systems research

Tolib Mirzoev; Stephanie M Topp; Rima A Afifi; Racha Fadlallah; Felix Abrahams Obi; Lucy Gilson

doi:10.1136/bmjgh-2022-009764

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Conceptual framework for systemic capacity strengthening for health policy and systems research

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Conceptual framework for systemic capacity strengthening for health policy and systems research

Tolib Mirzoev, Stephanie M Topp, Rima A Afifi, Racha Fadlallah, Felix Abrahams Obi and Lucy Gilson

BMJ global health, Vol.7(8), e009764

08/03/2022

DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2022-009764

PMCID: PMC9353002

PMID: 35922082

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Abstract

Health policy and systems research (HPSR) is critical in developing health systems to better meet the health needs of their populations. The highly contextualised nature of health systems point to the value of local knowledge and the need for context-embedded HPSR. Despite such need, relatively few individuals, groups or organisations carry out HPSR, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries. Greater effort is required to strengthen capacity for, and build the field of, HPSR by capturing the multilevel and nuanced representation of HPSR across contexts. No comprehensive frameworks were found that inform systemic HPSR capacity strengthening. Existing literature on capacity strengthening for health research and development tends to focus on individual-level capacity with less attention to collective, organisational and network levels. This paper proposes a comprehensive framework for systemic capacity strengthening for HPSR, uniquely drawing attention to the blurred boundaries and amplification potential for synergistic capacity strengthening efforts across the individual, organisational and network levels. Further, it identifies guiding values and principles that consciously acknowledge and manage the power dynamics inherent to capacity strengthening work. The framework was developed drawing on available literature and was peer-reviewed by the Board and Thematic Working Groups of Health Systems Global. While the framework focuses on HPSR, it may provide a useful heuristic for systemic approaches to capacity strengthening more generally; facilitate its mainstreaming within organisations and networks and help maintain a focused approach to, and structure repositories of resources on, capacity strengthening.

Analysis

health policies and all other topics

health policy

health services research

health systems

Details

Title: Subtitle: Conceptual framework for systemic capacity strengthening for health policy and systems research
Creators: Tolib Mirzoev - London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Stephanie M Topp - James Cook University
Rima A Afifi - University of Iowa
Racha Fadlallah - American University of Beirut
Felix Abrahams Obi - Health Policy Research Group, University of Nigeria—Enugu Campus, Enugu, Nigeria
Lucy Gilson - University of Cape Town
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: BMJ global health, Vol.7(8), e009764
DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2022-009764
PMID: 35922082
PMCID: PMC9353002
NLM abbreviation: BMJ Glob Health
ISSN: 2059-7908
Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
Language: English
Date published: 08/03/2022
Academic Unit: Injury Prevention Research Center; Community and Behavioral Health
Record Identifier: 9984279253402771

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