title: Which health research gets used and why? An empirical analysis of 30 cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  While health research is considered essential for improving health worldwide, it remains unclear how it is best organized to contribute to health. This study examined research that was part of a Ghanaian-Dutch research program that aimed to increase the likelihood that results would be used by funding research that focused on national research priorities and was led by local researchers. The aim of this study was to map the contribution of this research to action and examine which features of research and translation processes were associated with the use of the results.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using Contribution Mapping, we systematically examined how 30 studies evolved and how results were used to contribute to action. We combined interviews with 113 purposively selected key informants, document analysis and triangulation to map how research and translation processes evolved and contributions to action were realized. After each case was analysed separately, a cross-case analysis was conducted to identify patterns in the association between features of research processes and the use of research.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of 20 of the 30 studies were used to contribute to action within 12 months. The priority setting and proposal selection process led to the funding of studies which were from the outset closely aligned with health sector priorities. Research was most likely to be used when it was initiated and conducted by people who were in a position to use their results in their own work. The results of 17 out of 18 of these user-initiated studies were translated into action. Other features of research that appeared to contribute to its use were involving potential key users in formulating proposals and developing recommendations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study underlines the importance of supporting research that meets locally-expressed needs and that is led by people embedded in the contexts in which results can be used. Supporting the involvement of health sector professionals in the design, conduct and interpretation of research appears to be an especially worthwhile investment.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Policy and Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. m.o.kok@vu.nl.|VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. m.o.kok@vu.nl.
authors.forename: Maarten Olivier
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Kok
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: John Owusu
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Gyapong
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Care and Culture, VU University Medical Centre Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wolffers
authors.affiliation: Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ofori-Adjei
authors.affiliation: VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Joost
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruitenberg
mesh_terms: D005869:Ghana; D006292:Health Priorities; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D009426:Netherlands; D012108:Research Personnel; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical
keywords: Contribution mapping; Knowledge translation; Priority setting; Research impact; Research policy; Research utilization