Research translation to inform national health policies: learning from multiple perspectives in Uganda
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Date
2011
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
BMC International Health and Human Rights
Abstract
Research and evidence can have an impact on policy and practice, resulting in positive outcomes.
However, research translation is a complex, dynamic and non-linear process. Although universities in Africa play a
major role in generating research evidence, their strategic approaches to influence health policies and decision
making are weak. This study was conducted with the aim of understanding the process of translating research into
policy in order to guide the strategic direction of Makerere University College of Health Sciences (MakCHS) and
similar institutions in their quest to influence health outcomes nationally and globally.
Methods: A case study approach using 30 in-depth interviews with stakeholders involved in two HIV prevention
research project was purposively selected. The study sought to analyze the research-to-policy discourses for the
prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) and safe male circumcision (SMC). The analysis sought to
identify entry points, strengths and challenges for research-to-policy processes by interviewing three major groups
of stakeholders in Uganda – researchers (8), policy makers (12) and media practitioners (12).
Results: Among the factors that facilitated PMTCT policy uptake and continued implementation were: shared platforms
for learning and decision making among stakeholders, implementation pilots to assess feasibility of intervention, the
emerging of agencies to undertake operations research and the high visibility of policy benefits to child survival. In
contrast, SMC policy processes were stalled for over two years after the findings of the Uganda study was made public.
Among other factors, policy makers demanded additional research to assess implementation feasibility of SMC within
ordinary health system context. High level leaders also publicly contested the SMC evidence and the underlying values
and messages – a situation that reduced the coalition of policy champions.
Conclusions: This study shows that effective translation of PMTCT and SMC research results demanded a “360
degree” approach to assembling additional evidence to inform the implementation feasibility for these two HIV
prevention interventions. MakCHS and similar institutions should prioritize implementation research to guide the
policy processes about the feasibility of implementing new and effective innovations (e.g. PMTCT or SMC) at a
large scale in contexts that may be different from the research environments.
Description
Keywords
Research translation, National health policies, Learning, Multiple perspectives, Uganda
Citation
Ssengooba et al.: Research translation to inform national health policies: learning from multiple perspectives in Uganda. BMC International Health and Human Rights 2011 11(Suppl 1):S13. doi:10.1186/1472-698X-11-S1-S13