School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Nairobi, P,O, BOX 19676-00202, KNH, Nairobi, Kenya.
Health Res Policy Syst. 2014 Jun 2;12:20. doi: 10.1186/1478-4505-12-20.
Local health systems research (HSR) provides policymakers and practitioners with contextual, evidence-based solutions to health problems. However, producers and users of HSR rarely understand the complexities of the context within which each operates, leading to the "know-do" gap. Universities are well placed to conduct knowledge translation (KT) integrating research production with uptake. The HEALTH Alliance Africa Hub, a consortium of seven schools of public health (SPHs) in East and Central Africa, was formed to build capacity in HSR. This paper presents information on the capacity of the various SPHs to conduct KT activities.
In 2011, each member of the Africa Hub undertook an institutional HSR capacity assessment using a context-adapted and modified self-assessment tool. KT capacity was measured by several indicators including the presence of a KT strategy, an organizational structure to support KT activities, KT skills, and institutional links with stakeholders and media. Respondents rated their opinions on the various indicators using a 5-point Likert scale. Averages across all respondents for each school were calculated. Thereafter, each school held a results validation workshop.
A total of 123 respondents from all seven SPHs participated. Only one school had a clear KT strategy; more commonly, research was disseminated at scientific conferences and workshops. While most respondents perceived their SPH as having strong institutional ties with organizations interested in HSR as well as strong institutional leadership, the organizational structures required to support KT activities were absent. Furthermore, individual researchers indicated that they had little time or skills to conduct KT. Additionally, institutional and individual links with policymakers and media were reported as weak.
Few SPHs in Africa have a clear KT strategy. Strengthening the weak KT capacity of the SPHs requires working with institutional leadership to develop KT strategies designed to guide organizational structure and development of networks with both the media and policymakers to improve research uptake.
地方卫生系统研究（HSR）为政策制定者和实践者提供了基于具体情况和证据的解决方案，以解决卫生问题。然而，HSR 的生产者和使用者很少了解其运作所处的复杂背景，从而导致“知与行”之间存在差距。大学是进行知识转化（KT）的理想场所，可将研究成果与应用相结合。非洲卫生联盟非洲中心是东非和中非 7 所公共卫生学院的联合体，其成立目的是增强 HSR 方面的能力。本文介绍了各个公共卫生学院开展 KT 活动的能力情况。
2011 年，非洲中心的每个成员都使用经过上下文调整和修改的自我评估工具对机构 HSR 能力进行了评估。KT 能力通过多个指标来衡量，包括是否存在 KT 战略、支持 KT 活动的组织结构、KT 技能，以及与利益攸关方和媒体的机构联系。受访者使用 5 分制李克特量表对各种指标的看法进行评分。为每个学校计算所有受访者的平均分数。然后，每个学校都举行了一次结果验证研讨会。
共有来自 7 所公共卫生学院的 123 名受访者参与了此次调查。仅有一所学校有明确的 KT 战略；更常见的情况是，研究成果在科学会议和研讨会上传播。虽然大多数受访者认为他们的公共卫生学院与对 HSR 感兴趣的组织以及强大的机构领导层有着牢固的机构联系，但缺乏支持 KT 活动所需的组织结构。此外，个别研究人员表示，他们几乎没有时间或技能来开展 KT。此外，机构和个人与决策者和媒体的联系也被认为较弱。
非洲的少数公共卫生学院有明确的 KT 战略。要加强公共卫生学院薄弱的 KT 能力，需要与机构领导层合作，制定旨在指导组织结构的 KT 战略，并与媒体和决策者建立网络，以提高研究成果的应用。
