5.3 Strategies to increase
rural health research
Rural research designed by rural health practitioners is
an essential pre-requisite for developing specific answers to rural health problems
based on sound evidence within a framework defined by rural stakeholders.
Research is needed to inform rural health initiatives and
to monitor progress in rural health care. Technical, personnel and financial
support for rural research is scarce and much essential rural research is not
done because there are insufficient skilled people available to do it. In many
instances, we do not know what are the needs and problems of rural health services
and of rural people.
The defined population of rural communities provides a unique
opportunity for health research. Research should be encouraged to develop specific
answers to rural health problems based on sound evidence within a framework
defined by rural stakeholders.
Sound rural health policy requires sound rural health research.
An essential first step is to develop research infrastructure which includes
a skilled workforce to conceptualise rural health research as a particular discipline
capable of elucidating rural health issues, proposing solutions, and evaluating
rural health programmes.
Strategies
5.3.1 Priority issues for rural health research are:
- workforce issues
- health service delivery models
- management of specific clinical problems
- technology applications
- health care outcomes
- evaluation of successful models
- locally based participatory action
research
5.3.2 Rurally-based medical education and research
centres should be established in each country in rural areas with the aim of
co-ordinating undergraduate education, postgraduate vocational training, and
continuing medical education for medical practitioners, as well as rural health
research. Such centres will greatly facilitate implementation of all previous
recommendations. An important consequence of establishing rurally based medical
education and research centres is the development of reciprocal links between
country hospitals/practices and medical schools/teaching hospitals.
5.3.3 There should be appropriate academic positions, professional
development and financial support for rural doctor-teachers to encourage rural
health research and education.
5.3.4 The WONCA Working Party on Rural Practice should
collaborate with the WONCA Research Committee to develop workable models for rural
practice research.
5.3.5 There should be an international network of rural
health research facilitated through the establishment of a WHO Collaborating Centre
on Rural Health
5.3.6 The development of research projects, especially
those that are participatory, at WONCA rural conferences should be encouraged.