Research Supporting Health Policy Development: Contextualizing Evidence for People-Centred Care in Low and Middle Income Countries

Abstract

The three areas of research, policy, and practice seem to work and interact within silos, or independent niches.  Especially for the complex task of reorienting health care and indeed, a health system, towards people-centredness, these niches at both global and country level must be broken down.  Since health policy-making is complex and non-linear, context is crucial for making research for health policies and implementation of health policies (practice) relevant.  The real measure of success is whether the evidence-informed policy has worked and produced results at ground level.  When context is so important, however, evidence (research) is only one piece of the puzzle.  Stakeholder’s views, or simply put, their opinion, is just as decisive.  This paper documents some promising examples in research and practice of bringing together evidence and stakeholder opinion, particularly highlighting a case study on Brazil as well as WHO tools for communities of practice.