Understanding the implications of the Sustainable Development Goals for health policy and systems research : results of a research priority setting exercise
Date
2020-01-09
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
BMC (part of Springer Nature)
Abstract
Background: Given the paradigmatic shift represented by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as compared
to the Millennium Development Goals - in particular their broad and interconnected nature - a new set of health
policy and systems research (HPSR) priorities are needed to inform strategies to address these interconnected goals.
Objectives: To identify high priority HPSR questions linked to the achievement of the Sustainable Development
Goals.
Methods: We focused on three themes that we considered to be central to achieving the health related SDGs: (i)
Protecting and promoting access to health services through systems of social protection (ii) Strengthening
multisectoral collaborations for health and (iii) Developing more participatory and accountable institutions. We
conducted 54 semi-structured interviews and two focus group discussions to investigate policy-maker perspectives
on evidence needs. We also conducted an overview of literature reviews in each theme. Information from these
sub-studies was extracted into a matrix of possible research questions and developed into three domain-specific
lists of 30–36 potential priority questions. Topic experts from the global research community then refined and
ranked the proposed questions through an online platform. A final webinar on each theme sought feedback on
findings.
Results: Policy-makers continue to demand HPSR for many well-established issues such as health financing, human
resources for health, and service delivery. In terms of service delivery, policy-makers wanted to know how best to
strengthen primary health care and community-based systems. In the themes of social protection and multisectoral
collaboration, prioritized questions had a strong emphasis on issues of practical implementation. For participatory
and accountable institutions, the two priority questions focused on political factors affecting the adoption of
accountability measures, as well as health worker reactions to such measures.
Conclusions: To achieve the SDGs, there is a continuing need for research in some already well established areas
of HPSR as well as key areas highlighted by decision-makers. Identifying appropriate conceptual frameworks as well
as typologies of examples may be a prerequisite for answering some of the substantive policymaker questions. In
addition, implementation research engaging non-traditional stakeholders outside of the health sector will be critical.
Description
CITATION: Bennett, S., et al. 2020. Understanding the implications of the Sustainable Development Goals for health policy and systems research : results of a research priority setting exercise. Globalization and Health, 16:5, doi:10.1186/s12992-019-0534-2.
The original publication is available at https://globalizationandhealth.biomedcentral.com
The original publication is available at https://globalizationandhealth.biomedcentral.com
Keywords
Sustainable Development Goals -- Health aspects, Medical policy -- Social aspects, System theory -- Research, Social accountability
Citation
Bennett, S., et al. 2020. Understanding the implications of the Sustainable Development Goals for health policy and systems research : results of a research priority setting exercise. Globalization and Health, 16:5, doi:10.1186/s12992-019-0534-2