Building the Field of Health Policy and Systems Research: Social Science Matters
2011

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

publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Lucy Gilson, Kara Hanson, Kabir Sheikh, Irene Akua Agyepong, Freddie Ssengooba, Sara Bennett

Hypothesis

How can insights from social sciences enhance Health Policy and Systems Research (HPSR)?

Conclusion

Social science perspectives are essential for understanding the complexities of health policies and systems, which are shaped by human actions.

Supporting Evidence

  • Health policies and systems are complex social and political phenomena.
  • Insights from social sciences can enhance research rigor and policy learning.
  • Disciplinary capture can limit the development of Health Policy and Systems Research.

Takeaway

This study says that understanding health policies is like understanding a story told by many people, and social sciences help us see all the different parts of that story.

Methodology

The article discusses various perspectives in Health Policy and Systems Research and emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary approaches.

Potential Biases

Potential bias from the dominance of clinical and biomedical perspectives in health research.

Limitations

The article does not provide specific empirical data or case studies to support its claims.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pmed.1001079

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