Embedded research to advance primary health care

Traditionally, PHC research priorities are determined by funders or researchers based in high-income countries. This has constrained the utility of this research by overlooking important local context. Furthermore, traditional approaches to research are often static and not responsive. Embedding research to support policymaking is a demand-driven and contextually sensitive approach to redress this imbalance and create a learning approach to advance PHC. Most importantly, embedded research is now embraced by its end users—health policymakers. Policymakers increasingly depend on support from researchers and communities to develop and implement policies to respond to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. As countries plan massive new COVID-19 vaccination efforts, embedded research will be crucial. Operationalising this agenda requires catalysing local researcher–policymaker collaborations. Mainstreaming learning into the PHC effort requires allocating human and financial resources for embedded research and greater efforts to build capacity for PHC research. External funders can also provide catalytic support for locally produced research as well as strengthen local capacities to undertake and use research.

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Swaminathan, S., K. Sheikh, R. Marten, M. Taylor, M. Jhalani, O. Chukwujekwu, L. Pearson, P. Allotey, J. Gough, R. W. Scherpbier, A. Gupta, M. Wijnroks, M. A. Pate, G. Sorgho, O. Levine, F. Goodyear-Smith, T. Sundararaman, H. Montenegro, S. Dalil, and A. Ghaffar (2020) Embedded research to advance primary health care. BMJ Global Health 2020;5:e004684. doi:10.1136/bmjgh-2020-004684