Abstract
An “embedded” research approach aims to inform programme improvement and has the potential to facilitate more interactive horizontal engagement and knowledge co-production. Concurrently, this approach demands negotiating relationships with institutions and individuals. The purpose of this chapter is to identify the values, opportunities and challenges of conducting embedded research with allied health professionals, drawing from our experience assessing the Health On the Go (Salud Al Paso) Program in Quito, Ecuador. The analysis shows that an embedded research approach requires supporting personnel to become partners, and as staff members become co-creators of knowledge, researchers have less vertical control over the study. Conducting research with health personnel may be stimulating for them when their opinions are valued and may help them reflect on their own practices. Furthermore, it may also demonstrate the importance of jointly assessing a health promotion initiative. Qualitative techniques, such as focus groups, may be useful for participants to contrast their perceptions and opinions with those of their colleagues. It is important to follow a three-step process: (1) developing a relationship of trust by being transparent, (2) being flexible when engaging and communicating with decision-makers and (3) co-producing knowledge while remaining continuously reflexive on potential biases.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Afshin, A., Micha, R., Khatibzadeh, S., Schmidt, L.A., Mozaffarian, D. (2014). Dietary policies to reduce non-communicable diseases. In G.W. Brown, G. Yamey & S. Wamala The handbook of global health policy. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118509623.ch9.
Beaglehole, R., Bonita, R., Horton, R., Adams, C., Alleyne, G., Asaria, P., et al. (2011). Priority actions for the non-communicable disease crisis. The Lancet, 377(9775), 1438–1447. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60393-0
Bock, C., Diehl, K., Schneider, S., Diehm, C., & Litaker, D. (2012). Behavioral counseling for cardiovascular disease prevention in primary care settings: A systematic review of practice and associated factors. Medical Care Research and Review, 69(5), 495–518. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077558712441084
Büyüm, A. M., Kenney, C., Koris, A., Mkumba, L., & Raveendran, Y. (2020). Decolonising global health: if not now, when? BMJ Global Health, 5(8), e003394. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2020-003394
Campos-Herrera, G., & de Reguero, S. U. (2019). Populism in Latin America: Past, present, and future. Latin American Politics and Society, 61(1), 148–159. https://doi.org/10.1017/lap.2018.63
Cheetham, M., Wiseman, A., Khazaeli, B., Gibson, E., Gray, P., Van der Graaf, P., & Rushmer, R. (2018). Embedded research: A promising way to create evidence-informed impact in public health? Journal of Public Health, 40(suppl 1), i64–i70. https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdx125
Collyer, F. M. (2018). Global patterns in the publishing of academic knowledge: Global North, global South. Current Sociology, 66(1), 56–73. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011392116680020
Erondu, N. A., Peprah, D., & Khan, M. S. (2020). Can schools of global public health dismantle colonial legacies? Nature Medicine, 1–2. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-020-1062-6
Fernández, A., & Martínez, R. (2017). The cost of the double burden of malnutrition: Social and economic impact. Summary of the pilot study in Chile, Ecuador and Mexico. UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). Available at: https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/wfp291993.pdf
Franzen, S. R. P., Chandler, C., & Lang, T. (2019). Health research capacity development in low and middle income countries: reality or rhetoric? A systematic meta-narrative review of the qualitative literature. BMJ Open, 2017(7), e012332. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-012332
Harding, S. (2019). After Mr. Nowhere: New proper scientific selves. In Objectivity and Diversity. University of Chicago.
Harris, J., Grafton, K., & Cooke, J. (2020). Developing a consolidated research framework for clinical allied health professionals practising in the UK. BMC Health Services Research, 20(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-020-05650-3
Hospital temporal en Quito ya recibe a pacientes COVID-19 [Pop-up hospital in Quito is taking COVID-19 patients] (2020, May 23). El Universo. https://www.eluniverso.com/noticias/2020/05/23/nota/7850127/hospital-temporal-quito-ya-recibe-pacientes-covid-19
Koon, A. D., Rao, K. D., Tran, N. T., & Ghaffar, A. (2013). Embedding health policy and systems research into decision-making processes in low- and middle-income countries. Health Research Policy and Systems, 11, 30. https://doi.org/10.1186/1478-4505-11-30
Mejia Acosta, A., & Meneses, K. (2019). Who benefits? Intergovernmental transfers, subnational politics and local spending in Ecuador. Regional & Federal Studies, 29(2), 219–247. https://doi.org/10.1080/13597566.2018.1556644
Mikkelsen, B., Williams, J., Rakovac, I., Wickramasinghe, K., Hennis, A., Shin, H. R., et al. (2019). Life course approach to prevention and control of non-communicable diseases. British Medical Journal, 364, l257. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l257
Municipality of the Metropolitan District of Quito. (2014). Ordenanza 494. Concejo Metropolitano de Quito. http://www7.quito.gob.ec/mdmq_ordenanzas/Ordenanzas/ORDENANZAS%20MUNICIPALES%202014%20ADMINISTRACI%C3%93N%20BARRERA/ORDM%200494%20-%20ACCIONES%20DE%20SALUD-SUSTITUTIVA%20ORD.%20205.pdf
Municipality of the Metropolitan District of Quito. (2015). Plan Decenal de Salud 2015-2025. Secretaría Metropolitana de Salud, Alcaldía del Distrito Metropolitano de Quito.
Municipality of the Metropolitan District of Quito. (2019). Propuesta de Reestructuración del Proyecto Salud Al Paso. Secretaría de Salud - Dirección Metropolitana de Promoción, Prevención y Vigilancia de la Salud.
Newbury-Birch, D., & Allan, K. (Eds.). (2019). Co-creating and co-producing research evidence: A guide for practitioners and academics in health, social care and education settings. Routledge.
Peters, D. H., Tran, N. T., & Adam, T. (2013). Implementation research in health: A practical guide. Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, World Health Organization.
Pribble, J. (2013). Welfare and party politics in Latin America. Cambridge University Press.
Reidpath, D. D., & Allotey, P. (2019). The problem of ‘trickle-down science’ from the Global North to the Global South. BMJ Global Health, 4, e001719. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2019-001719
Slade, S. C., Philip, K., & Morris, M. E. (2018). Frameworks for embedding a research culture in allied health practice: A rapid review. Health Research Policy and Systems, 16(1), 29. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-018-0304-2
Torres, I., & López-Cevallos, D. F. (2018). Institutional challenges to achieving health equity in Ecuador. The Lancet Global Health, 6(8), e832–e833. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(18)30245-6
van der Graaf, P., Forrest, L. F., Adams, J., Shucksmith, J., & White, M. (2017). How do public health professionals view and engage with research? A qualitative interview study and stakeholder workshop engaging public health professionals and researchers. BMC Public Health, 17, 892. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4896-1
Varallyay, N. I., Bennett, S. B., Kennedy, C., Ghaffar, A., & Peters, D. H. (2020). How does embedded implementation research work? Examining core features through qualitative case studies in Latin America and the Caribbean. Health Policy and Planning, 35(2 suppl), ii98–ii111. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czaa126
Vineis, P., & Saracci, R. (2015). Conflicts of interest matter and awareness is needed. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 69, 1018–1020. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2014-205012
Woodall, J., Warwick-Booth, L., South, J., & Cross, R. (2018). What makes health promotion research distinct? Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 46(20 suppl), 118–122. https://doi.org/10.1177/1403494817744130
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Torres, I., López-Cevallos, D., Sacoto, F. (2022). Conducting Embedded Health Promotion Research: Lessons Learned from the Health On the Go Study in Ecuador. In: Potvin, L., Jourdan, D. (eds) Global Handbook of Health Promotion Research, Vol. 1. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-97212-7_17
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-97212-7_17
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-97211-0
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-97212-7
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)