EDITORIAL
Guidelines for health research development in Brazil
Maria Helena Palucci Marziale
Editor of Latin American Journal of Nursing, Associate Professor of the University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing - WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing Research Development, e-mail: marziale@eerp.usp.br
In this volume, the Latin American Journal of Nursing publishes an article by the Chair of the Latin American Association of Nursing Schools and Colleges (ALADEFE), Dr. Castrillón Agudelo, which presents research priorities as proposed by international health and nursing bodies on different continents. Besides offering updated knowledge, this article allows readers to reflect on the definition of themes for future nursing research.
As a contribution to this reflection, we present the list of Research Priorities on the Brazilian Health Ministry's National Health Research Agenda (1).
The Brazilian government expects the above mentioned Agenda and the optimization of research promotion resources in Brazil to result in better services and health actions in the context of the Single Health System (SUS) and, consequently, in the improvement of people's health levels.
The Health Research Priority Agenda was constructed under the responsibility of the Science and Technology Department which, based on international experience, developed a methodology, starting from an analysis of the Brazilian health situation and defining a series of sub agendas that contemplate research areas from different fields.
Priority research teams in each sub agenda were identified by means of workshops and a seminar in which researchers and health managers from different Brazilian regions participated. We were able to participate in one of these workshops and could certify the seriousness of the process and the preoccupation to establish relevant research themes for improving people's health conditions, in view of the national reality.
The list of research themes was put up for public evaluation, mainly with a view to taking into consideration what health service users and health workers had to say. Thus, the construction of the Agenda contemplated contributions from all social segments involved in the consolidation process of the Single Health System.
The sub agendas of health research priorities are described below:
- Transmissible Diseases
- Non-Transmissible Diseases
- Mental Health
- Violence, Accidents and Trauma
- Woman's Health
- Child Health
- Elderly Health
- Indigenous People's Health
- Risk Factors
- Epidemiology
- Demographics and Health
- Health Systems and Policies
- Management of Health Work and Education
- Health, Environment, Work and Biosafety
- Technological Evaluation and Health Economy
- Feeding and Nutrition
- Health Communication and Information
- Bioethics and Research Ethics
- Clinical Research
- Health Production Complex
It should be highlighted that the sub agendas define broad research areas, involving various fields and allowing for the configuration of different research themes.
As parts of the health team and in view of their essential role in health care, nurses should recognize research results' important contribution to professional practice and increase their research production in accordance with the guidelines set by national and international bodies and research promotion agencies.
REFERENCES
1. Ministério da Saúde (BR). Secretaria de Ciência, Tecnologia e Insumos Estratégicos. Departamento de Ciência e Tecnologia. Agenda Nacional de prioridades de pesquisa em saúde. Brasília (DF): MS; 2004.
Publication Dates
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Publication in this collection
29 Sept 2004 -
Date of issue
Aug 2004
