For socially engaged science: The dynamics of knowledge production in the Fiocruz graduate program in the framework of the "Brazil Without Extreme Poverty Plan"

Abstract

Public policy planning associated with the management of the Science, Technology, and Innovation is decisive to improve public health. It is important to develop novel strategies to plan, supervise, manage, use and evaluate research using indicators that extrapolates metrics in current use. In 2011, the Brazilian government introduced the Brazil Without Extreme Poverty plan (BWEP) that aimed to integrate several conditional cash transfer programs (CCT). The original that aimed to integrate of the CCTs were expanded in order to integrate social justice and dignity that induced several actions towards the promotion of social development of the beneficiaries. An induced action involved a partnership between BWEP (From the Ministry of Social Development), CAPES (Brazilian Higher Education Agency) and The Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ, a Public Health Institution), that dedicated scholarships for PhD and postdoc students committed to the BWEP to promote health research in its multiple approaches and the vulnerable associated population. Using the Social Studies of Science and Technology (SSST) framework, this paper analyzes the dynamics of knowledge production in the context of program implementation. Herein, we report on the follow-up activities performed in BWEP Health Action, directing research projects to align with the goals of the program, evaluating the progress of these research, and defining strategies for improved their management. We analyze the advances and difficulties encountered in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of this innovative program in the academic training level, and we emphasize the critical need to expand and improve similar initiatives aimed at guiding the scientific and technological production in health to meet the social demands.

Leprosy incidence and risk estimates in a 33-year contact cohort of leprosy patients

“…Leprosy is strongly associated with the social context, where not only individual, but also collective aspects are associated with disease 34 . In the past decade, especially after 2004, several social protection programs were integrated, improved and expanded, such as Bolsa Família (from Portuguese, Family Allowance Program, BFP), a conditional cash transfer program to the most vulnerable populations, reaching millions of Brazilians 35 , 36 . In this regard, a large Brazilian study using a database of 100 million people and correlated socioeconomic data with leprosy cases and found that lower levels of income, education, and factors related to poor housing conditions are associated with an increased incidence of the disease 3 , 14 .…”

Múltiplas dimensões da gestão do cuidado à hanseníase e os desafios para a eliminação

“…This disease, considered as age-old and neglected, illustrates the close relation between life conditions and the health-disease process. Therefore, protective processes may include lower social inequality, higher human development, broader health coverage and income transfer programs (11)(12)(14)(15)(16)(17) .…”

“…Social programs can produce benefits to vulnerable people, stimulating the use of health and education services and improving school attendance and health indexes while aiming at emancipating families in conditions of extreme poverty. Thus, countries with high leprosy endemicity and low human development should prioritize investment in research on its social determination, incorporating poverty eradication as an important component of health policies (11)(12)(14)(15)(17)(18) .…”