Department of Health Administration and Management, University of Nigeria Enugu campus, Nsukka, Nigeria.
Health Policy Research Group, University of Nigeria Nsukka, Nsukka, Nigeria.
Implement Sci. 2020 Apr 16;15(1):22. doi: 10.1186/s13012-020-00987-z.
The need to build capacity for health policy and systems research (HPSR) in low- and middle-income countries has been underscored as this encompasses the processes of decision-making at all levels of the health system. This implementation research project was undertaken in Southeast Nigeria to evaluate whether the capacity-building intervention improves the capacity to produce and use research evidence for decision making in endemic disease control.
Three training workshops were organized for purposively selected participants comprising "producers of evidence" such as health research scientists in three universities and "users of evidence" such as policy makers, program managers, and implementers in the public health sector. Participants also held step-down workshops in their organizations. The last workshop was used to facilitate the formation of knowledge networks comprising of both producers and users, which is a critical step for getting research into policy and practice (GRIPP). Three months after the workshops, a subset, 40, of workshop participants was selected for in-depth interviews. Information was collected on (i) perceptions of usefulness of capacity-building workshops, (ii) progress with proposed research and research uptake activities, (iii) effects of these activities on evidence-informed decision making, and (iv) constraints and enablers to implementation of proposed activities.
Most participants felt the workshops provided them with new competencies and skills in one or more of research priority setting, evidence generation, communication, and use for the control of endemic diseases. Participants were at different stages of planning and implementing their proposed research and research uptake activities, and were engaging across professional and disciplinary boundaries to ensure relevance and usefulness of outputs for decision making. Key enablers of successful implementation of activities were positive team dynamics, good balance of competencies, effective communication and engagement within teams, team leader's capacity to innovate, and personal interests such as career progress. Lack of funding, limited decision space, organizational bureaucracies, and poor infrastructure were the key constraints to the implementation of proposed activities. Lack of mentorship and continuous support from trainers delayed progress with implementing proposed activities.
The capacity-building interventions contributed to the development of a critical mass of research scientists, policy makers, and practitioners who have varying levels of competencies in HPSR for endemic disease control and would require further support in carrying out their medium and long-term goals.
需要在中低收入国家建立卫生政策和系统研究（HPSR）能力，因为这涵盖了卫生系统各级决策过程。本实施研究项目在尼日利亚东南部进行，以评估能力建设干预措施是否提高了在地方病控制方面制定和使用研究证据的能力。
为有目的选择的参与者组织了三次培训研讨会，参与者包括三所大学的卫生研究科学家等“证据生产者”和公共卫生部门的政策制定者、项目管理者和执行者等“证据使用者”。参与者还在其组织中举办了降阶研讨会。最后一次研讨会用于促进由生产者和使用者组成的知识网络的形成，这是将研究纳入政策和实践的关键步骤（GRIPP）。研讨会结束三个月后，选择了 40 名参与者进行深入访谈。收集了以下信息：（i）对能力建设研讨会有用性的看法，（ii）拟议研究和研究采用活动的进展情况，（iii）这些活动对循证决策的影响，以及（iv）实施拟议活动的制约因素和促进因素。
大多数参与者认为研讨会为他们提供了在研究重点设定、证据生成、沟通和利用方面的一项或多项新能力和技能，以控制地方病。参与者处于规划和实施拟议研究和研究采用活动的不同阶段，并跨越专业和学科界限进行接触，以确保决策的相关性和有用性。活动成功实施的关键促进因素包括积极的团队动态、良好的能力平衡、团队内部的有效沟通和参与、团队领导者的创新能力以及个人利益（如职业发展）。活动实施的主要制约因素包括缺乏资金、决策空间有限、组织官僚主义和基础设施差。缺乏培训师的指导和持续支持，导致实施拟议活动的进展缓慢。
能力建设干预措施有助于培养一大批具有不同程度 HPSR 能力的研究科学家、政策制定者和从业者，他们在地方病控制方面具有 HPSR 能力，并且需要进一步的支持来实现他们的中期和长期目标。
