Strengthening Equity through Applied Research Capacity Building in e-Health
Programs and partnerships
Lead institution(s)
Summary
There exists limited understanding of how e-Health solutions are perceived, designed, implemented and used. This goes beyond considerations related to automation, power supplies and affordability.Read more
There exists limited understanding of how e-Health solutions are perceived, designed, implemented and used. This goes beyond considerations related to automation, power supplies and affordability. Rather, it refers to context-specific, politically-aware and socially sensitive examination of how various ICTs are being appropriated, who is being included and excluded in the process, and whether the incorporation of ICTs is leading to more equitable health outcomes. The Strengthening Equity through Applied Research Capacity Building in e-Health (SEARCH) program will cultivate local research capacity to examine e-health and whether it leads to improved health equity and stronger health systems. Emphasis will be placed on methodological and analytical rigor, and policy dialogue. The first phase of SEARCH will involve scoping studies and workshops, with will elaborate the research agenda for the remainder of the program.
Research outputs
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The aim of the research is to develop equity and accountability framework(s) for integration of ICT applications (eHealth and mHealth) within health systems, and to analyse their role(s) in influencing the performance of the Bangladesh health system as it strives to achieve universal health coverage. The implementation of eHealth in Bangladesh remains uncoordinated and is often not aligned with national health priorities. A tool has been developed to allow policy makers and practitioners of eHealth to think through equity and accountability aspects of eHealth during design delivery and evaluation. (See Appendix 2).
The aim of the research is to develop equity and accountability framework(s) for integration of ICT applications (eHealth and mHealth) within health systems, and to analyse their role(s) in influencing the performance of the Bangladesh health system as it strives to achieve universal health coverage. The implementation of eHealth in Bangladesh remains uncoordinated and is often not aligned with national health priorities. A tool has been developed to allow policy makers and practitioners of eHealth to think through equity and accountability aspects of eHealth during design delivery and evaluation. (See Appendix 2).
The eHealth Equity, Governance, and Health Systems Integration evidence-based Framework provides a systematic approach to better integrate eHealth into equitable health systems. These fundamental principles are essential to future success of eHealth initiatives worldwide.
The eHealth Equity, Governance, and Health Systems Integration evidence-based Framework provides a systematic approach to better integrate eHealth into equitable health systems. These fundamental principles are essential to future success of eHealth initiatives worldwide.
Five evaluation questions were formulated around the following topics: integration of social and gender analysis; implementation of knowledge translation strategies; the approach to research quality; cross-grant learning and networking; and implementation of central concepts – derived from the principles of the former IDRC Governance for Equity in Health Systems (GEHS) program, under which Strengthening Equity through Applied Research Capacity building (SEARCH) was funded. Recommendations and lessons learned are presented. A more narrowly defined research area may provide improved conditions for generating a critical level of results at the program level.
