Title: Quality and impact of Social Science and Operations Research by the Special Programme in Human Reproduction Department of Reproductive Health and Research World Health Organization
1Quality and impact of Social Science and
Operations Researchby the Special Programme in
Human Reproduction Department of Reproductive
Health and Research World Health Organization
2Plan of presentation
- Background to reproductive health research at WHO
- Social science and operations research
- Review procedures for quality of research
- Evaluating the impact of research
3Original (1971) goals of the Programme
- Increase understanding of the human reproductive
process - Develop a variety of safe, acceptable and
effective methods for the regulation of human
fertility
4Original objectives
- Improve the quality and expand the quantity of
multi-disciplinary research - Conduct collaborative clinical studies of
fertility regulating agents on a global basis - Organise multi-centred research teams
- Improve communication and collaboration among
scientists - Increase the number of scientists in the field of
human reproduction
5Current mandate
66. The World Health Organization in
co-operation with other relevant United Nations
bodies is urged to fulfil its leadership role
within the United Nations system in assisting
countries, in particular developing countries, to
put in place standards for the care and treatment
for women and girlsand to advise on functions
that health facilities should perform to help
guide the development of health systems to reduce
the risks associated with pregnancy (ICPD5 Key
actions)
6Objectives
- To promote, facilitate and conduct research to
improve reproductive health - To support countries with knowledge and tools to
formulate policies and strategies to implement
appropriate interventions to improve reproductive
health - To strengthen the capacity for reproductive
health research in developing countries
7Priority Areas of Work
Adolescent reproductive health
Unsafe abortion
Maternal health
Fertility regulation
8The Programmes Research
Type of research Bio-medical epidemiological
and social science and operations
research Coverage Global and regional Topics
Related to priorities in reproductive
health Conducting research Through
collaborating centres or individual national
researchers
9Major Social Science research initiatives since
1990
- Determinants Consequences of Induced Abortion
27 Projects - Sexual Behaviour Reproductive Health 38
projects - Reproductive Health in South Asia 14 projects
10Major Social Science research initiatives since
1990
- Role of Men in Reproductive Health 17 projects
- Pregnancy Prevention in the era of HIV/STIs 7
projects - Adolescent sexual and reproductive health 31
projects - Quality of care in reproductive health on-going
11Number of projects, by topic, 1990-2000
12Guiding principles for support
- Research is to be of high relevance to country
needs with potential for impact - Research in partnership with local institution(s)
and the Government
13Guiding principles for support
- By local researcher(s)
- Scientifically sound and ethically acceptable
- Focussed, in-depth and small scale
14Procedures to ensure quality of research proposals
- Scientific review by an independent Panel of
scientists - Projects approved by the Panel are reviewed by an
independent Scientific and Ethical Review Group
(SERG)
15Monitoring the quality of the research programme
and assessing progress
- An independent Scientific and Technical Advisory
Group (STAG) - Regional Advisory Panels
- Gender Advisory Panel
- Policy and Co-ordination Committee (PCC)
- Occasional evaluation
16Impact evaluation 1989
- Review team 6 internationally renowned
scientists with no affiliation to the Programme - Criteria for evaluation Relevance to developing
countries impact of research capacity-building - Procedures
- Review of published material
- Interviews with stake holders
- Site-visits to selected countries
17Impact evaluation 2001
- Criteria Relevance to developing countries
impact of research and capacity-building - Process Open for bids
18Searching for the impact!
19The focus on impact
- Who is asking?
- Donors to the Programme
- World Health Assembly
- Other stake holders
- Programme Committees/Panels
- Staff (from investigators)
20Review Form for proposals
- Overall assessment and feasibility Please
comment on the overall quality of this project. - Policy relevance Does the project - including
its objectives and expected outcomes - have
potential policy relevance? - Other objectives, study design, sampling,
conceptual framework, field procedures, and
analysis plans
21- Ethical considerations Please comment briefly
on the ethical aspects of this proposal,
including any problem you foresee with the
informed consent procedures and forms.
22Mechanisms to promote impact of Social Science
Operations Research
- Support and encouragement to investigators
- Policy briefs Press release
- Developing guidelines, incorporating findings
- Publication and dissemination
23Expectations Process Indicators
- Policy formation and change (reference to project
or project findings) - Changes in service provision
- IEC material for local communities
- Publication and dissemination of information
24When research is likely to produce impact?
- Addressing a local issue of high priority with
involvement of Government agency/officials (e.g.,
provision of IUDs by midwives in Turkey) - Dealing with sensitive issues (e.g., abortion in
Mauritius and sexual behaviour in Argentina) - When local investigator(s) is committed (e.g., in
Argentina, Colombia, Kenya, Nepal)
25When research is likely to produce impact?
- Part of a research initiative or of a
collaborative research (e.g., abortion research
initiative and many epidemiological studies on
IUDs DMPA oral contraceptives)
26Quality of research and the impact of research
- Difficult to attribute the impact to research,
let alone to the quality of research - Quality research is essential, but may have no
bearing on policies/programmes
27Just tell me what is the most important factor in
making an impact!
28The INVESTIGATOR is by far the most important in
the set of facilitating factors.