PLoS Medicine
(Accessed 27 August 2011)
http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/browse.action?field=date

Building the Field of Health Policy and Systems Research: Social Science Matters

Lucy Gilson, Kara Hanson, Kabir Sheikh, Irene Akua Agyepong, Freddie Ssengooba, Sara Bennett Policy Forum, published 23 Aug 2011
doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001079

Summary Points
All researchers hold a knowledge paradigm that frames their understanding of reality and of the functions and nature of research. Some disciplines are dominated by a particular paradigm and some are spread across paradigms.

The criticisms that Health Policy and Systems Research (HPSR) is too context specific, does not offer clear lessons for policy makers, and is not rigorous are partly a reflection of differences in knowledge paradigms between those with predominantly clinical, biomedical, and epidemiological backgrounds, underpinned by a positivist paradigm, and those with social science backgrounds underpinned by a relativist paradigm.

Health policies and systems are complex social and political phenomena, constructed by human action rather than naturally occurring. Relativist social science perspectives are, therefore, of particular relevance to HPSR as they recognise that all phenomena are in essence constructed through human behaviour and interpretation.

Social science insights that can advance the science of HPSR include approaches to generalising from rich understanding of context; supporting policy learning; and enhancing research rigour and quality.

PLoS Medicine Series on HPSR
Following the First Global Symposium on Health Systems Research in Montreux in November 2010, PLoS Medicine commissioned three articles on the state-of-the-art in Health Policy and Systems Research (HPSR). Three Policy Forum articles, authored by a diverse group of global health academics, critically examine the current challenges to the field and lay out what is needed to build capacity in HPSR and support local policy development and health systems strengthening, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

– Paper 1. Kabir Sheikh and colleagues. Building the Field of Health Policy and Systems Research: Framing the Questions.

– Paper 2. Lucy Gilson and colleagues. Building the Field of Health Policy and Systems Research: Social Science Matters.

– Paper 3. Sara Bennett and colleagues. Building the Field of Health Policy and Systems Research: An Agenda for Action.