Wallis Selina, Cole Donald C, Gaye Oumar, Mmbaga Blandina T, Mwapasa Victor, Tagbor Harry, Bates Imelda
International health, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.
Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
BMJ Open. 2017 Sep 5;7(9):e016660. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-016660.
Research is key to achieving global development goals. Our objectives were to develop and test an evidence-informed process for assessing health research management and support systems (RMSS) in four African universities and for tracking interventions to address capacity gaps.
Four African universities.
83 university staff and students from 11 cadres.
INTERVENTION/METHODS: A literature-informed 'benchmark' was developed and used to itemise all components of a university's health RMSS. Data on all components were collected during site visits to four African universities using interview guides, document reviews and facilities observation guides. Gaps in RMSS capacity were identified against the benchmark and institutional action plans developed to remedy gaps. Progress against indicators was tracked over 15 months and common challenges and successes identified.
Common gaps in operational health research capacity included no accessible research strategy, a lack of research e-tracking capability and inadequate quality checks for proposal submissions and contracts. Feedback indicated that the capacity assessment was comprehensive and generated practical actions, several of which were no-cost. Regular follow-up helped to maintain focus on activities to strengthen health research capacity in the face of challenges.
Identification of each institutions' strengths and weaknesses against an evidence-informed benchmark enabled them to identify gaps in in their operational health research systems, to develop prioritised action plans, to justify resource requests to fulfil the plans and to track progress in strengthening RMSS. Use of a standard benchmark, approach and tools enabled comparisons across institutions which has accelerated production of evidence about the science of research capacity strengthening. The tools could be used by institutions seeking to understand their strengths and to address gaps in research capacity. Research capacity gaps that were common to several institutions could be a 'smart' investment for governments and health research funders.
研究是实现全球发展目标的关键。我们的目标是开发并测试一种基于证据的流程，用于评估四所非洲大学的卫生研究管理与支持系统（RMSS），并跟踪解决能力差距的干预措施。
四所非洲大学。
来自11个干部岗位的83名大学教职员工和学生。
干预措施/方法：制定了一个基于文献的“基准”，并用于列出大学卫生RMSS的所有组成部分。在对四所非洲大学进行实地考察期间，使用访谈指南、文件审查和设施观察指南收集了所有组成部分的数据。对照基准确定了RMSS能力方面的差距，并制定了机构行动计划以弥补差距。在15个月的时间里跟踪了各项指标的进展情况，并确定了常见的挑战和成功经验。
运营卫生研究能力方面的常见差距包括没有可获取的研究战略、缺乏研究电子跟踪能力以及对提案提交和合同的质量检查不足。反馈表明，能力评估全面且产生了实际行动，其中一些行动无需成本。定期跟进有助于在面对挑战时保持对加强卫生研究能力活动的关注。
对照基于证据的基准确定每个机构的优势和劣势，使它们能够识别其运营卫生研究系统中的差距，制定优先行动计划，为实施计划的资源请求提供依据，并跟踪加强RMSS的进展情况。使用标准基准、方法和工具能够在各机构之间进行比较这加速了关于研究能力加强科学的证据的产生。这些工具可供寻求了解自身优势并解决研究能力差距的机构使用。对几个机构来说常见的研究能力差距可能是政府和卫生研究资助者的一项“明智”投资。
