What is Health Policy and Systems Research? by Dr Munakampe_unza

Description

This presentation by Dr Munakampe defines and outlines the key features of Health Policy and Systems Research (HPSR), a multidisciplinary field focused on understanding and improving how societies organise to achieve health goals. It explains that HPSR investigates real-world issues such as how healthcare is financed, delivered, and used; how health policies are developed and implemented; and why health systems succeed or fail in generating health and broader social outcomes. The material emphasises HPSR's integrated approach, combining health policy and health systems perspectives to produce applied research that directly supports health system strengthening and effective policy implementation. This resource is essential for tertiary students in Master of Public Health, Health Systems Management, or Health Policy programmes, providing a foundational understanding of a field that draws on economics, sociology, anthropology, and political science to analyse complex health systems. It equips learners with the conceptual basis to engage in research that is explicitly policy-relevant and focused on improving system performance. Use this overview to grasp the scope and purpose of health policy and systems research.