title: Aligning public health and health informatics research strengths with national level research priorities in saudi arabia.
abstract: The objective of this paper is to explore the process of aligning the College of Public Health and Health Informatics research strengths at KSAU-HS with Saudi National Science Technology and Innovation Plan (NSTIP). Nineteen participants responded to a survey and reported on their research strengths, research goals, and research barriers. All 19 participants had academic faculty appointments at the assistant professor level. Five of the 19 participants, also had administrative level positions. A thematic content analysis was performed on the data. The comments were grouped into themes in a manner that reflected the objective of the exercise. Results show that although there are a variety of research strengths within the college, funding, staffing, bureaucracy, data access, and linkages with other healthcare organizations were barriers hindering research progress. This process has led the college to focus on two NSTIP-KACST national priority areas of 1) Information technology; and 2) Medical and Health related research. Future research will assess the outcome of the plan on the research agenda of the college.
authors.affiliation: College of Public Health and Health Informatics, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), National Guard Health Affairs (NGHA), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mowafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Househ
authors.affiliation: College of Public Health and Health Informatics, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), National Guard Health Affairs (NGHA), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Riyad
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alshammri
authors.affiliation: College of Public Health and Health Informatics, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), National Guard Health Affairs (NGHA), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Huda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jradi
authors.affiliation: College of Public Health and Health Informatics, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), National Guard Health Affairs (NGHA), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Omar B
authors.initials: OB
authors.lastname: Da'ar
authors.affiliation: College of Public Health and Health Informatics, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), National Guard Health Affairs (NGHA), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Basema
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Saddik
authors.affiliation: College of Public Health and Health Informatics, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), National Guard Health Affairs (NGHA), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alamry
mesh_terms: D063005:Health Information Systems / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D040442:Public Health Informatics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012106:Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D018511:Systems Integration