title: Mapping health research capacity in 17 countries of the former Soviet Union and south-eastern Europe: an exploratory study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Policies to improve health status, tackle disease and ensure equitable access to healthcare should be informed by evidence derived from high-quality research. However, health research capacity is unevenly distributed across countries, as revealed by mapping exercises that have been undertaken to provide a basis for concerted action to strengthen capacity. This study systematically describes capacity to undertake health research in the countries of the former Soviet Union and south-eastern Europe and identifies the elements required to create a national health research system.
  
  
  METHODS
  The mapping exercise comprised two elements: a survey of key informants in the respective countries and a bibliometric analysis of scientific publications in the field of public health.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results confirm that health research remains a low priority in some countries of the WHO European Region. In these countries, most of the literature was produced by researchers outside the country, often to inform international donors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides important information for countries seeking to initiate action to strengthen their research capacity. There is a need for a comprehensive strategy with sustained investment in training and career development of researchers. There is also a need to create new funding systems to provide financial support to those undertaking policy-relevant research. International collaboration and investment in mechanisms to bridge the gap between research and policy are urgently required.
authors.affiliation: 1 Institute of Hygiene, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy alessio.santoro@lshtm.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Santoro
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Health Services Research and Policy, ECOHOST - The Centre for Health and Social Change, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: Ketevan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Glonti
authors.affiliation: 3 World Health Organization (WHO) Representation to the European Union, World Health Organization, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bertollini
authors.affiliation: 1 Institute of Hygiene, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ricciardi
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Health Services Research and Policy, ECOHOST - The Centre for Health and Social Change, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McKee
mesh_terms: D015706:Bibliometrics; D005061:Europe, Eastern; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D011634:Public Health; D012106:Research / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014586:USSR