MRC researchers win top research award

The Medical Research Council is pleased to announce that an article co-authored by two researchers from the Health Systems Research Unit has won the BioMed Central’s 4th Annual Research Award in the category of Medicine (http://www. biomedcentral.com/researchawards/winners/#research_awards). Dr Simon Lewin and Ms Karen Daniels collaborated on a qualitative study which explored the development of policy making for malaria control and eclampsia treatment in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Their collaboration culminated in the winning article entitled “Translating research into policy: lessons learned from eclampsia treatment and malaria control in three southern African countries”. 

Translating research into policy and practice remains an important challenge in most settings. The paper focuses on understanding the factors affecting the use of research evidence, particularly findings from randomized control trials (RCTs) and systematic reviews, in national policy development in low- and middle-income countries. In exploring this issue, the paper draws on two cases – the use of magnesium sulphate in the treatment of eclampsia in pregnancy (a clinical case); and the use of insecticide treated bed nets and indoor residual household spraying for malaria vector control (a public health case) – across the three countries. The findings suggest that the translation of research into policy is a complex and context-sensitive process. Researchers aiming to enhance knowledge translation need to be aware of factors influencing the demand for different types of research; interact and work closely with key policy stakeholders, networks and local champions; and acknowledge the roles of important interest groups.

Dr Lewin is a social scientist at the Medical Research Council and the Norwegian Knowledge Centre for Health Services. His current work focuses on implementation research and he is an expert in health systems interventions, health services research and systematic reviews.  In response to the recent award he says "'We are delighted and honoured that this paper has been awarded the annual Medicine Prize by the journal publishers, Biomed Central. Translating research into policy is necessary to improve public health and we hope that the findings reported in the paper will contribute to the development of strategies to support knowledge translation in low- and middle-income countries". Ms Daniels is a Senior Scientist specialising in qualitative research at the MRC of South Africa. Currently she is engaged in a PhD thesis focusing on community health workers particularly in relation to gender and policy making. The Health Systems Research Unit continues to investigate the problems which deter the delivery of health care in South Africa and aims to improve this by means of effective and simple health care interventions.

The full text of the article can be found online at http://www.health-policy-systems.com/content/7/1/31. Earlier the MRC also published a policy brief which highlighted some of the findings (http://www.mrc.ac.za/techncalpolcybriefs/POLICY%20BRIEF%20March%202007.pdf)

Dr Simon Lewin	Ms Karen Daniels

For further information: Contact Ms Karen Daniels, Health Systems Research Unit, Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa. Email: karen.daniels@mrc.ac.za or telephone: +27 21 938 0454.

Related articles:

1. Esperanca Sevene, Simon Lewin, Alda Mariano, Godfrey Woelk, Andy Oxman, Shelia Matinhure, Julie Cliff, Bernidita Fernandes, Karen Daniels. (2005) System and market failures: the unavailability of magnesium sulphate for the treatment of eclampsia and pre-eclampsia in Mozambique and Zimbabwe. BMJ; 331; 765-769
2. Karen Daniels, Simon Lewin and the Practihc Policy Group (2008). Translating research into maternal health care policy: a qualitative case study of the use of evidence in policies for the treatment of eclampsia and pre-eclampsia in South Africa, BMC Health Research Policy and Systems 2008, 6:12
3. Woelk G, Daniels K, Cliff J, Lewin S, Sevene E, Fernandes B, Mariano A, Matinhure S, Oxman AD, Lavis JN, Stålsby Lundborg C, Translating research into policy: Lessons learned from eclampsia treatment and malaria control in three southern African countries, BMC Health Research Policy and Systems 2009, 7:31. (winning article).
4. Julie Cliff, Simon Lewin, Godfrey Woelk, Benedita Fernandes, Alda Mariano, Esperança Sevene, Karen Daniels, Sheillah Matinhure, Andrew Oxman, John N. Lavis, Development of malaria vector control policy in Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe: a qualitative analysis, Health Policy and Planning, 2010
5. MRC Policy Brief (link above). Mar 2007. How is research knowledge translated into policies? Findings from studies of pre-eclampsia/eclampsia treatment and malaria control in Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe.