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Table 4 Influencing Factors on Health Research Capacity Strengthening

From: A narrative review of health research capacity strengthening in low and middle-income countries: lessons for conflict-affected areas

Domain

Positive Influences

Negative Influences

Financing & Sustainability

Access to Funding

[28, 32, 38, 95]

Inability to access funding

[25, 31, 38, 89, 94, 96,97,98,99]

Continuity of funding

[28, 30, 31, 38,39,40, 89, 97]

Short-term research funding

[30, 99, 100]

Resources

Adequate and appropriate infrastructure

[23, 28, 30, 31, 38, 39, 46, 74, 94, 95, 99, 101, 102]

Demands of clinical service delivery limiting staff participation in research

[38, 39, 89, 92, 96, 103]

Stewardship & Leadership

North-South Partnerships

[24,25,26, 28, 34, 39, 46, 88, 91,92,93,94, 102, 104,105,106]

Weak scientific leadership

[39, 40, 92, 96, 99, 102]

Capable leadership

[23, 30, 39, 71, 95]

Integrating new initiatives into existing systems

[25, 107]

  

Strong external (political) influence on institutions

[39, 72, 94, 108]

Mentorship

Sustained mentorship

[24, 25, 30, 38,39,40, 44, 73, 89, 101, 105, 109]

Absent mentorship

[76, 96, 99]

Partnerships

Creating networking opportunities

[25, 94, 110,111,112]

Differing expectations of partners

[33]

Equity in collaboration/shared decision-making

[2, 3, 23, 26, 30, 33, 37, 39, 45, 88, 106, 111, 113,114,115]

Sustained collaboration over time

[114]

History of collaboration/pre-existing relationships

[23, 33, 114]

Production & Utilisation of Research

Ability to attract young dedicated scientists

[24, 39]

Poor incentives to conduct research

[24, 39, 91, 116, 117]

Research addressing policy gaps and local needs

[23, 24, 28, 30, 46, 92, 93, 102, 104, 114]

Culture/attitude barriers

[38, 117, 118]

Local leadership and claim-making

[23, 26, 28, 45, 46, 69, 88, 93, 102, 114]

Difficulty publishing in international journals/scarcity of local journals

[38, 44, 119]

Research governance structures

[23, 28, 30, 89, 91,92,93, 114, 120]

Low staff and stakeholder retention

[25, 30, 102, 108]

Favourable political conditions

[24, 28, 30, 39, 117]

Neglect of skills

[25, 99]

  

Failure to link research to policy

[26, 102, 116, 121]