Primary care financing: a systematic assessment of research priorities in low- and middle-income countries
Date
2019
Authors
Goodyear Smith, Felicity
Bazemore, Andrew
Coffman, Megan
Fortier, Richard
Howe, Amanda
Kidd, Michael
Phillips, Robert L.
Rouleau, Katherine
van Weel, Chris
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
BMJ Publishing Group
Abstract
Introduction Financing of primary healthcare (PHC) is
the key to the provision of equitable universal care. We
aimed to identify and prioritise the perceived needs of PHC
practitioners and researchers for new research in low- and
middle-income countries (LMIC) about financing of PHC.
Methods Three-round expert panel consultation using
web-based surveys of LMIC PHC practitioners, academics
and policy-makers sampled from global networks. Iterative
literature review conducted in parallel. First round (PreDelphi
survey) elicited possible research questions to
address knowledge gaps about financing. Responses
were independently coded, collapsed and synthesised to
two lists of questions. Round 2 (Delphi Round 1) invited
panellists to rate importance of each question. In Round 3
(Delphi Round 2), panellists ranked questions in order of
importance.
Results A diverse range of PHC practitioners, academics
and policy-makers in LMIC representing all global regions
identified 479 knowledge gaps as potentially critical to
improving PHC financing. Round 2 provided 31 synthesised
questions on financing for rating. The top 16 were ranked
in Round 3e to produce four prioritised research questions.
Conclusions This novel exercise created an expansive
and prioritised list of critical knowledge gaps in PHC
financing research questions. This offers valuable guidance
to global supporters of primary care evaluation and
implementation, including research funders and academics
seeking research priorities. The source and context
specificity of this research, informed by LMIC practitioners
and academics on a global and local basis, should increase
the likelihood of local relevance and eventual success in
implementing the findings.
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Source
BMJ Global Health
Type
Journal article
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Access Statement
Open Access
License Rights
Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license