National support to public health research: a survey of European ministries
National support to public health research: a survey of European ministries
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DOI：
10.1186/1471-2458-9-203
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发表时间：
2009-06-25
影响因子：
4.5
通讯作者：
McCarthy, Mark
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Conceicao, Claudia;Leandro, Alexandra;McCarthy, Mark
背景：在欧洲委员会资助的一项合作研究“加强欧洲公共卫生研究”中，我们评估了欧洲国家部级对公共卫生研究的支持情况。方法：我们对25个欧盟国家和3个欧洲经济区国家的卫生和科学部门进行了调查，使用了人口水平公共卫生研究的广义定义。我们打了600多个电话和电子邮件，以确定受访者并获得答案。我们得到了25个国家56个部委中42个的正式答复（73%的答复）。有22份完成的问卷（来自25个部委）、6份简短答复和11个联系人声明其部委不负责公共卫生研究，而14个部委（三个国家的两个部委）没有找到合适的部委联系人。结果：在大多数欧洲国家，卫生部或其下放机构被视为领导组织。大多数部委能够指定公共卫生研究的专题领域（从3个到30个），其他部委参照政策文件、卫生计划或公共卫生计划来确定研究重点。与确定优先事项的过程相比，部委及其机构主导了为公共卫生研究提供财政支持的决定，其他外部组织的参与较少。然而，用于公共卫生的实际资金并不容易确定。大多数部委依靠一般学术手段传播公共卫生研究成果，而各部通常通过非正式手段获取关于公共卫生研究使用情况的信息。各部委提出建议，通过本国和欧洲联盟的倡议加强公共卫生研究：除了提供更多资源外，最常提出的建议是改善协调。结论：在整个欧洲没有支持公共卫生研究的共同方法，在组织和资助方面存在重大差距。卫生部和国家机构重视研究人员与决策者、民间社会组织、学术和公共当局之间的交流以及公共卫生研究成果的应用。在区域、国家和欧洲各级，更好地确定优先次序和改进研究协调进程将会带来好处。
Background: Within SPHERE (Strengthening Public Health Research in Europe), a collaborative study funded by the European Commission, we have assessed the support for public health research at ministry level in European countries.Methods: We surveyed the health and science ministries in 25 EU countries and 3 EEA countries, using a broad definition of public-health research at population level. We made over 600 phone calls and emails to identify respondents and to gain answers. We gained formal replies from 42 out of 56 ministries (73% response) in 25 countries. There were 22 completed questionnaires (from 25 ministries), 6 short answers and 11 contacts declaring that their ministries were not responsible for public health research, while in 14 ministries (both ministries in three countries) no suitable ministry contact could be found.Results: In most European countries, ministries of health, or their devolved agencies, were regarded as the leading organizations. Most ministries were able to specify thematic areas for public-health research (from three to thirty), and others ministries referred to policy documents, health plans or public-health plans to define research priorities. Ministries and their agencies led on decisions for financial support of public-health research, with less involvement of other external organisations compared with the process of identifying priorities. However, the actual funds available for public health were not easily identifiable. Most ministries relied on general academic means for dissemination of results of public-health research, while ministries get information on the use of public-health research usually through informal means. Ministries made suggestions for strengthening public-health research through initiatives of their own countries and of the European Union: as well as more resources, improving coordination was most frequently suggested.Conclusion: There is no common approach to support for public-health research across Europe, and significant gaps in organisation and funding. Health ministries and national agencies value exchange between researchers and policy-makers, civil society organizations, and academic and public authorities, and the application of public-health research results. There would be benefits from better processes of priority setting and improved coordination for research, at regional, national and European levels.