SDH-NET

Building Sustainable Research capacity for Health and its Social Determinants in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'SDH-Net’s aim is to build, strengthen and link research capacities for health and its social determinants (SDH) in African and Latin American low- and middle income countries (LMIC) in close collaboration with European partners. The focus on SDH will allow for an in-depth and broad capacity-building approach, including managerial and technical excellence, ethical issues, and research strategies. Lessons learnt will be checked against best practices and success factors in other Latin American, African and global settings, leading to lessons learnt on how to build SDH-related research capacity with strong relevance to the respective context. A sound mapping exercise of (i) social determinants of health (SDH) and research activity in the field; (ii) national and global stakeholders in the research environment, and (iii) existing research capacities in the participating countries will be carried out building the basis for developing and piloting innovative research capacity building tools with a particular focus on research management, ethics and methodology relevant to comprehensively address social determinants of health. Finally, links between research and policy will be forged and lessons will be drawn to support the development of sustainable and attractive research structures and expertise. SDH-Net will be carried out by a strong consortium, based on clusters of existing networks of best in its kind public health institutions from Mexico, Colombia, Brazil and South Africa, Tanzania, and Kenya. The team is complemented by three distinguished European institutions: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine; COHRED, and University of Geneva. SDH-Net is coordinated by GIZ with long term experience in health research and capacity building in LMIC, and IESE Business School, excellent in management capacity building. SDH-Net will have an important impact by developing a concept for research capacity building on individual, institutional and system level, contributing to research system strengthening and to the creation of research landscapes that enable and stimulate locally relevant, interdisciplinary research. It will lead to enhanced capacities for conducting and managing research on SDH and links between research, policy and practice will be forged by developing tools and mechanisms facilitating sustained collaboration. Furthermore, SDH-Net will lay foundations and provide tools for further research capacity building and research system strengthening in the future.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

An international collaboration has been initiated to advance a capacity-building approach to social determinants of health (SDH) research. The move addresses health inequities, differences in health status and health care coverage for different populations.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Focusing on Africa and Latin America, the project http://www.sdh-net.eu/#2 (SDH-NET) (Building sustainable research capacity for health and its social determinants in low- and middle-income countries) is building, linking and strengthening SDH research capacities. Funded for four years to end-September 2015, the 11-member consortium spans Brazil, Colombia and Mexico in Latin America, Kenya, South Africa and Tanzania in Africa, and Germany, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom in Europe.

Partners have expertise in public health research and a strong presence in local and regional networks. This is helping to ensure national and regional involvement of policymakers and other stakeholders for alignment with national health policy strategies and maximum project impact.

Researchers have developed a conceptual framework of SDH research and a methodological tool that helped map the current state of research on SDH as well as research capacities and to identify gaps in research systems and activities. The exercise also addressed research funding, research governance and research outputs. Results from the national mapping reports are presented in an overall global mapping report, disseminated through various channels and events.

A matrix linking capacity-building needs with activities, responsibilities, target groups and broader objectives was used to develop a strategic framework for capacity-building for SDH research. Following on from this, the project developed courses on SDH research and research methodology and on research management and communication. Two web-based tools are being developed to support the roll-out of these courses. A one-day Train the Trainer session was carried out in Johannesburg to see how the developed course materials can be taken up and sustained in partner institutions.

Ongoing activities target stronger networking and cooperation, training activities, and overall, improved research. Partners from Brazil, Colombia and Mexico established the Latin American Alliance for Health Equity (ALESA) to stimulate collaboration between Latin American institutions. Joint publications have and continue to be developed, and project work and findings have been presented at national and international conferences.

Project work is enhancing the SDH research system and helping to create research landscapes that enable and stimulate relevant, interdisciplinary research. SDH-NET supports improved capacities for in the field, and facilitates links and sustained collaboration between research, policy and practice.