title: Operational research training: the course and beyond.
abstract: Insufficient operational research (OR) is generated within programmes and health systems in low- and middle-income countries, partly due to limited capacity and skills to undertake and publish OR in peer-reviewed journals. To address this, a three-module course was piloted by the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease and Médecins Sans Frontières in 2009-2010, with 12 participants. Five received mentorship and financial support as OR Fellows. Eleven of 12 participants submitted a paper to a peer-reviewed journal within 4 weeks of the end of the course. Evaluation shows that participants continued OR activities beyond the course. During the subsequent year, they submitted and/or published 19 papers, made 10 posters and/or presentations, and many participated in training, mentoring and/or paper reviewing. Some described changes in policy and practice influenced by their research, and changes in their organisation's approach to OR. They provided recommendations for improving and expanding OR. We conclude that participants can, with certain enabling conditions, take research questions through to publication, use skills gained to undertake and promote OR thereafter and contribute to improvement in policy and practice. An internet-based network will provide participants and graduates with a platform for collection of course outcomes and ongoing mentor- and peer-based support, resources and incentives.
authors.affiliation: International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), Paris, France ; School of Population Health, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bissell
authors.affiliation: International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), Paris, France ; Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Harries
authors.affiliation: Medical Department, Operational Research Unit, Médecins Sans Frontières, Brussels Operational Centre, Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.affiliation: International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), Paris, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Edginton
authors.affiliation: International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), Paris, France ; Centre for International Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Hinderaker
authors.affiliation: South-East Asia Office, The Union, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Satyanarayana
authors.affiliation: International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), Paris, France.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Enarson
authors.affiliation: Medical Department, Operational Research Unit, Médecins Sans Frontières, Brussels Operational Centre, Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zachariah
keywords: Médecins Sans Frontières; The Union; capacity building; evaluation; operational research; publications