Why research in health?

Abstract

This question is the title of a document from the series Research in Health: texts for the decision making process, issued by the Ministry of Heath in Brazil (1) , which talks about the importance of transforming research in health into research for health. This publication is based on the document edited by the Global Forum for Health Research (2) and the Council on Health Research for Development (3) . The publication presents contributions to the debate on:-justification for the statement that many diseases and thousands of deaths could be prevented by applying already existent knowledge and tools; -need to produce new knowledge and tools for the solution of current health problems, such as: increase microbiological resistance in diseases like tuberculosis and malaria; lack of effective treatments for diseases like dengue; treatment and prevention of HIV/Aids; preparing for new and emergent infections; need for new knowledge on global factors influencing health; need for new knowledge on social, political, economic and environmental determinants of health; need for new knowledge on local contexts, conditions and priorities in health; research in health and health policies; need to monitor the impact of global trade policies and globalization on the health of people, families, communities and countries; research in environmental health; need for new knowledge on what people need to be and stay healthy and need to understand how to use the best form of research, not only to improve health but also for equalitarian social and economic development; -need for better distribution of benefits, research results, given that a large number of people in less developed countries have little or no benefit originating from tools developed in more developed countries, in order to attend to the health needs of these populations; -need for research in health, because this is an essential component for the growth and development of peoples and nations; -need for governments to develop clear national policies, including research in health, and to take the initiative of stimulating authorities to engage in this collective approach.In Brazil as well as in other countries, besides the production of new knowledge and technologies, one of the challenges presented refers to the capacity of incorporating research in the daily production of healthcare.Thus, the document caught our attention because of the importance of investing in knowledge dissemination strategies, in order to reduce the existing gap between new knowledge and its use in favor of people who suffer the effects of diseases.The Latin American Journal of Nursing, a vehicle to disseminate research results, has expended considerable efforts to disseminate high-quality scientific knowledge produced by Nursing and related areas, in agreement with the terms of reference for Brazilian scientific and technological development (4) .