Strengthening health policy and systems research methodologies and promoting sound teaching of such methodologies - African countries
Strengthening health policy analysis research and training through a focus on approaches to comparative and synthesis analyses
This project focuses on the methodology and training of health policy analysis (HPA) research. Given the current weaknesses of such work, it aims to strengthen comparative (multi-country, multi-case) and synthesis analysis to explain policy change experiences. The core activities encompass review of empirical work and of relevant methodological and theoretical literature, engagement with (primarily) African organisations keen to teach HPA, and development and testing of research guidance and teaching materials.
The outputs will be:
- papers synthesizing cross-country experience around specific policy analysis questions;
- papers focussed on key methods topics;
- guidelines on how to conduct good case study and cross-country research, and on undertaking retrospective synthesis of HPA work; and
- teaching materials to support HPA research training.
This project represents the first element in a wider and still emerging programme of work that seeks to develop the field of health policy analysis in LMICs. It focuses specifically on strengthening HPA research practice with respect to conducting analytical cross-case and cross-country studies, and knowledge synthesis work that seeks to explain policy change experiences.
Two sets of activities are proposed here. The first set focus on making better use of the existing, often descriptive, body of policy analysis through synthesis of existing single case, case study material. Never before undertaken, such synthesis will add value to the HPA work already available by systematically examining policy change experience across countries, so providing a more complete foundation of knowledge for use by researchers in consolidating the field and by policy-makers in decision-making. In addition, this work will both provide the opportunity to test and develop appropriate approaches to synthesis for HPA and to examine critically current methodological and analytical practice in LMIC HPA work. The synthesis work will, therefore, provide the basis for the second set of activities focussed on developing research support and training materials to guide more methodologically rigorous and analytical LMIC HPA research.
This programme of work will ultimately generate a set of outputs likely to include:
- a journal special edition/book of synthesis papers and papers on key methods topics;
- a series of guidance notes to support future research, including guidance on HPA synthesis;
- a series of training materials, such as case studies and facilitators’ notes, for use in training programmes.
A materials developer will work with the core team to finalise the guidance notes and training materials.
These outputs will be disseminated directly to those involved in the project workshops as well as to other groups through the networks to which core group members are linked (see below). Additional dissemination strategies are likely to include the formal publication of a special edition/book, accompanied by web publication of the research guidance notes and training materials (for example, on the existing web site of the lead partner). The possibility of developing a web-based resource site such as that for health economics in the UK will be explored.
Project description
Programme: Strengthening health policy and systems research methodologies and promoting sound teaching of such methodologies
Research title: Strengthening health policy analysis research and training through a focus on approaches to comparative and synthesis analyses
Thematic Research Area: Cross Cutting
Grantee Country: South Africa
Grantee Institution: School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town
Programme coordinator: Professor Lucy Gilson
Start date: January 2009
Status of grant: Completed