Training opportunities for noncommunicable diseases research in Latin America: A scoping review.

OBJECTIVE: To identify gaps in postgraduate training and options for building capacity in noncommunicable disease (NCDs) research in Latin America. METHODS: This was a scoping review of postgraduate opportunities in NCDs at top universities in Latin America and of training grants awarded by international funding bodies. Three global university rankings were considered-the QS Ranking, the Shanghai Ranking, and the Times Ranking. Latin American universities appearing in at least two of these were selected. University websites were searched for current graduate programs in biostatistics, epidemiology, global health, health economics, and public health. Information was extracted, summarized, and evaluated to identify any programs focused on NCDs. In addition, seven international funding bodies' websites were searched for training grants. RESULTS: In all, 33 universities offering 72 postgraduate programs met the inclusion criteria. One of these programs was exclusively devoted to NCD, and 12 offered NCDs as a dissertation research topic. Only two training grants were awarded to a Latin American institution for NCD capacity building. There are few NCD research training programs in Latin America and only one program exclusively focused on NCDs. CONCLUSION: There seem to be few NCD-specific research training programs in Latin America. Leveraging existing programs and expanding those with a focus on NCDs could help enhance NCD research capacity in the region. These initiatives should be supported by international funding agencies through more funding opportunities.

Training opportunities for noncommunicable diseases research in Latin America: A scoping review

[ABSTRACT]. Objective. To identify gaps in postgraduate training and options for building capacity in noncommunicable disease (NCDs) research in Latin America. Methods. This was a scoping review of postgraduate opportunities in NCDs at top universities in Latin America and of training grants awarded by international funding bodies. Three global university rankings were considered—the QS Ranking, the Shanghai Ranking, and the Times Ranking. Latin American universities appearing in at least two of these were selected. University websites were searched for current graduate programs in biostatistics, epidemiology, global health, health economics, and public health. Information was extracted, summarized, and evaluated to identify any programs focused on NCDs. In addition, seven international funding bodies’ websites were searched for training grants. Results. In all, 33 universities offering 72 postgraduate programs met the inclusion criteria. One of these programs was exclusively devoted to NCD, and 12 offered NCDs as a dissertation research topic. Only two training grants were awarded to a Latin American institution for NCD capacity building. There are few NCD research training programs in Latin America and only one program exclusively focused on NCDs. Conclusion. There seem to be few NCD-specific research training programs in Latin America. Leveraging existing programs and expanding those with a focus on NCDs could help enhance NCD research capacity in the region. These initiatives should be supported by international funding agencies through more funding opportunities.

[RESUMEN]. las capacidades de investigación sobre enfermedades no transmisibles (ENT) en América Latina. Métodos. Se realizó una revisión exploratoria de los programas de posgrado sobre las ENT disponibles en las mejores universidades de América Latina y de las becas para investigadores otorgadas por los organismos internacionales de financiamiento. Se consideraron tres listas de clasificación académica de universidades del mundo: QS Ranking, Shanghai Ranking y Times Ranking. Se seleccionaron las universidades de América Latina que figuraban en al menos dos de ellas. Se utilizaron los sitios web de las universidades para buscar los programas de posgrado actuales en las áreas de bioestadística, epidemiología, salud mundial, economía de la salud y salud pública. La información se extrajo, se resumió y se evaluó para encontrar todos los programas centrados en las ENT. Además, se realizó una búsqueda de las becas de formación ofrecidas en los sitios web de siete organismos internacionales de financiamiento. Resultados. En total, 33 universidades que ofrecían 72 programas de posgrado reunieron los criterios de inclusión. Uno de estos programas estaba exclusivamente dedicado a las ENT, y doce incluían las ENT como tema de investigación en tesis de grado. Solo dos becas de formación fueron otorgadas a una institución latinoamericana para fortalecer las capacidades de investigación sobre las ENT. Existen pocos programas para la formación de investigadores sobre las ENT en América Latina y hay un solo programa exclusivamente centrado en las ENT. Conclusiones. Al parecer, hay pocos programas específicos para la formación de investigadores sobre las ENT en América Latina. Aprovechar mejor los programas existentes y ampliar aquellos que se centran en las ENT podría ayudar a aumentar las capacidades de investigación sobre ENT en la región. Estas iniciativas deben contar con el apoyo de los organismos internacionales de financiamiento mediante el aumento de las oportunidades de financiamiento.

[RESUMO]. Objetivo. Identificar lacunas no ensino de pós-graduação e cursos de formação em pesquisa em doenças não transmissíveis na América Latina. Métodos. Trata-se de uma revisão da literatura do tipo scoping review das oportunidades de pós-graduação em doenças não transmissíveis nas principais universidades da América Latina e das bolsas de estudo oferecidas por organismos internacionais de financiamento. O estudo se baseou em três rankings mundiais de universidades – QS Ranking, Ranking de Xangai e The Times Higher Education World University Ranking – e as universidades latino-americanas que figuravam em pelo menos dois destes rankings foram incluídas na análise. Nos sites das universidades, foi feito um levantamento dos cursos atuais de pós-graduação em bioestatística, epidemiologia, saúde global, economia da saúde e saúde pública. As informações obtidas foram sumarizadas e avaliadas para identificar os cursos em doenças não transmissíveis. Além disso, nos sites de sete organismos internacionais de financiamento, foi feita uma pesquisa das bolsas de estudo oferecidas. Resultados. Ao todo, 33 universidades com 72 cursos de pós-graduação atenderam os critérios de inclusão no estudo. Verificou-se que um curso tinha foco exclusivo no estudo de doenças não transmissíveis e 12 cursos tinham doenças não transmissíveis como tópico de pesquisa de dissertação. Foram concedidas somente duas bolsas de estudo em doenças não transmissíveis a uma instituição latino-americana. Observou-se um pequeno número de programas de formação em pesquisa de doenças não transmissíveis na América Latina, com apenas um programa com foco exclusivo nestas doenças. Conclusões. Existem poucos programas de formação em pesquisa especificamente dedicados ao estudo de doenças não transmissíveis na América Latina. Faz-se necessário tirar proveito dos programas existentes e ampliar os programas com foco em doenças não transmissíveis para melhorar a capacidade de pesquisa em doenças não transmissíveis na Região. Essas iniciativas devem receber o apoio de organismos internacionais com maior oferta de bolsas de estudo.

Argentine valuation of the EQ-5D health states.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a set of health state values based on EuroQol EQ-5D instrument for the Argentine general population. METHODS: Consecutive subjects attending six primary care centers in Argentina were selected based on quota sampling and were interviewed using the EuroQol Group protocol for measurement and valuation of health studies. Initially, the respondents were randomly assigned a unique card set; however, to improve efficiency, the subjects were later randomly assigned to one of three fixed sets of EQ-5D states. Using the visual analog scale (VAS) and time-trade off (TTO) responses for these states, we estimated a valuation model using ordinary least squares regression clustered by respondent. Predicted values for EQ-5D health states are compared with published values for the United States. RESULTS: Six hundred eleven subjects were interviewed by 14 trained interviewers, rendering 6887 TTO and 6892 VAS responses. The model had an R(2) of 0.897 and 0.928 for TTO and VAS, respectively. The mean absolute difference between observed and predicted values was 0.039 for TTO and 0.020 for VAS, each showing a Lin's concordance coefficient more than 0.98. Argentine and US TTO-predicted values were highly correlated (Pearson's rho = 0.963), although the average absolute difference was clinically meaningful (0.06), rejecting the US values for nearly two-thirds of the states (62.8%). The Argentine population placed lower values on mild states and higher values on severe states. CONCLUSION: This study provides an Argentine value set that could be used locally or regionally, with meaningful and significant differences with that of the United States. Health policy in Latin America must incorporate local values for sovereignty and validity.