[Evaluating how health is prioritised in Colombia from the point of view of Bogotá-based research groups]. / Evaluación del proceso de priorización en salud en Colombia: perspectiva de grupos de investigación ubicados en Bogotá

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Assessing how priorities are established in Colombia in line with international methodologies and from the perspective of Bogotá-based Category A health research groups. METHODS: This study used a qualitative approach; 14 leaders from groups selected via a propositive sample were given semi-structured interviews to obtain a comprehensive interpretation of priority-setting in Colombia. ATLAS Ti software was used for organising information and producing categories from transcripts. RESULTS: Each group had a different research background and came from health research areas such as basic science, clinical science and the wide field of public health. Some talked about their own definitions of health and establishing priorities as related to their own epistemological frameworks. Other leaders stressed that a bio-medical approach still predominated in health research, priority-setting and the inter-national methodologies used for such end. Many recognised the importance of differ-ent social actors (i.e. apart from researchers) becoming involved in defining health research priorities within a scenario emphasising dialogue and coming to agreement. The leaders criticised the national health science and technology system raising questions regarding defining priorities; they stated that dialogue and involvement must be promoted. DISCUSSION: These findings revealed enormous heterogeneity regarding prioritising health research as every researcher has a different point of view due to their experience and backgrounds and the difficulties in researchers' reaching consensus.