Identifying implementation science research and policy priorities to advance universal health coverage: a multi-country modified Delphi study
Despite efforts to advance universal health coverage (UHC) in different contexts, evidence gaps remain, and implementation science has been underused to address these gaps and determine ‘what works’. The study aimed to establish a research agenda that could guide future research by identifying imple...
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BMJ Publishing Group
2025-08-01
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| Series: | BMJ Global Health |
| Online Access: | https://gh.bmj.com/content/10/8/e018562.full |
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| author | Sumit Kane Breanna K Wodnik Erica Di Ruggiero Beverley Essue Prossy Kiddu Namyalo Ophelia Michaelides |
| author_facet | Sumit Kane Breanna K Wodnik Erica Di Ruggiero Beverley Essue Prossy Kiddu Namyalo Ophelia Michaelides |
| author_sort | Sumit Kane |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Despite efforts to advance universal health coverage (UHC) in different contexts, evidence gaps remain, and implementation science has been underused to address these gaps and determine ‘what works’. The study aimed to establish a research agenda that could guide future research by identifying implementation science research priorities to advance UHC. A three-round modified Delphi study design with a multi-country panel was employed. Initial implementation science research gaps were identified from two scoping reviews conducted by our team, supplemented by 10 papers that we identified through a search of Medline and CINAHL databases. We generated 64 research gaps that were shared with 272 participants in Round I. Round I responses were analysed using descriptive statistics and a cut-off of 75% to move to Round II. Round I qualitative analysis resulted in an additional 15 research gaps and one new topic area. Based on Round I findings, an improved set of research gaps was shared in Round II. Quantitative data in Round II were analysed using the same approach as Round I, using an 85% cut-off point. Open-ended responses were analysed thematically. Round II research gaps were then presented in a virtual workshop. Results from the workshop were analysed using weighted ranking analysis. Round I response rate was 34.9% with 43 research gaps across 12 topic areas. Round II response rate was 77.9% with 42 gaps across 13 topic areas that passed to the virtual workshop. The workshop response rate was 39%. Through this process, the top 10 ranked implementation science research gaps were identified. Identified research gaps are focused on assessing equity in the delivery of health services and financial risk protection interventions. Future research will further contextualise this research agenda with country-level actors. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8d151d17dee041dc985ed563511f5c0c |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2059-7908 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Global Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-8d151d17dee041dc985ed563511f5c0c2025-08-20T02:55:32ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Global Health2059-79082025-08-0110810.1136/bmjgh-2024-018562Identifying implementation science research and policy priorities to advance universal health coverage: a multi-country modified Delphi studySumit Kane0Breanna K Wodnik1Erica Di Ruggiero2Beverley Essue3Prossy Kiddu Namyalo4Ophelia Michaelides5Nossal Institute for Global Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, AustraliaInstitute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaCentre for Global Health, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaInstitute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaInstitute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaCentre for Global Health, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaDespite efforts to advance universal health coverage (UHC) in different contexts, evidence gaps remain, and implementation science has been underused to address these gaps and determine ‘what works’. The study aimed to establish a research agenda that could guide future research by identifying implementation science research priorities to advance UHC. A three-round modified Delphi study design with a multi-country panel was employed. Initial implementation science research gaps were identified from two scoping reviews conducted by our team, supplemented by 10 papers that we identified through a search of Medline and CINAHL databases. We generated 64 research gaps that were shared with 272 participants in Round I. Round I responses were analysed using descriptive statistics and a cut-off of 75% to move to Round II. Round I qualitative analysis resulted in an additional 15 research gaps and one new topic area. Based on Round I findings, an improved set of research gaps was shared in Round II. Quantitative data in Round II were analysed using the same approach as Round I, using an 85% cut-off point. Open-ended responses were analysed thematically. Round II research gaps were then presented in a virtual workshop. Results from the workshop were analysed using weighted ranking analysis. Round I response rate was 34.9% with 43 research gaps across 12 topic areas. Round II response rate was 77.9% with 42 gaps across 13 topic areas that passed to the virtual workshop. The workshop response rate was 39%. Through this process, the top 10 ranked implementation science research gaps were identified. Identified research gaps are focused on assessing equity in the delivery of health services and financial risk protection interventions. Future research will further contextualise this research agenda with country-level actors.https://gh.bmj.com/content/10/8/e018562.full |
| spellingShingle | Sumit Kane Breanna K Wodnik Erica Di Ruggiero Beverley Essue Prossy Kiddu Namyalo Ophelia Michaelides Identifying implementation science research and policy priorities to advance universal health coverage: a multi-country modified Delphi study BMJ Global Health |
| title | Identifying implementation science research and policy priorities to advance universal health coverage: a multi-country modified Delphi study |
| title_full | Identifying implementation science research and policy priorities to advance universal health coverage: a multi-country modified Delphi study |
| title_fullStr | Identifying implementation science research and policy priorities to advance universal health coverage: a multi-country modified Delphi study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Identifying implementation science research and policy priorities to advance universal health coverage: a multi-country modified Delphi study |
| title_short | Identifying implementation science research and policy priorities to advance universal health coverage: a multi-country modified Delphi study |
| title_sort | identifying implementation science research and policy priorities to advance universal health coverage a multi country modified delphi study |
| url | https://gh.bmj.com/content/10/8/e018562.full |
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