Strengthening Policy-Relevant Tobacco Research Capacity in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Challenges, Opportunities, and Lessons Learned

Abstract

This commentary aims to inform future efforts to strengthen the capacity to conduct policy-relevant tobacco research in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). Specifically, this article distills key reflections on experiences from those engaged in policy-relevant tobacco research capacity building across LMICs who presented during a workshop at the 2016 Annual Meeting of Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, sponsored by Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco's Global Research Network. Using a framework informed by Potter and Brough's 1 conceptualization of hierarchies of capacity-building needs, researchers in LMICs and high-income countries (HICs) presented case studies in order to describe challenges and opportunities to build research capacity in LMICs and distinguish between individual-, institutional-, and national-level capacity and systems. According to the case studies, the largest barriers to capacity building and translation exist at the institutional and national levels; thus, we focus on the challenges and opportunities identified at these two levels (Table 1). Of particular note, although many of these challenges are not exclusive to tobacco control research capacity, others are specific to tobacco control.

Tobacco control research on the African continent: a 22-year literature review and network analysis

“…For example, a WHO report reviewing national health research systems in the WHO African region concluded that while research governance and infrastructure had improved in recent years, a lack of research investment and career paths for researchers remains a challenge 34. This also holds true for tobacco control research in LMICs 35. Our review found that of articles that cited a funding source, 27% received funding from the US NIH, by far the most frequently cited funding source.…”

Association between Lifetime Tobacco Use and Alcohol Consumption Trajectories and Cardiovascular and Chronic Respiratory Diseases among Older People

“…Therefore, our results need to be interpreted with caution, and a distinction between individual- and population-based approaches is needed. While in the individual case, clinicians might use this evidence to discuss with their patients the potential risks and benefits of moderate alcohol drinking, from a population perspective, our results showing that regular smoking plus regular drinking over the life course is a pattern associated with higher health risks might contribute to reinforcing advocacy for the implementation of cost-effective public policies to reduce tobacco and alcohol consumption nationwide [ 47 ].…”

Global Perspectives on Race in Health Research: Neocolonial Extraction and Local Marginalization

“…FIC/NIH supports many programs to build research workforce in specific areas of biomedical and behavioral research in LMICs. Examples include environmental health and climate change [122,123], data sciences [124,125], control and prevention of infections and pandemics [126][127][128][129][130][131], and the health of vulnerable populations and those with special conditions, including women, children, adolescents, and youth [132][133][134][135][136][137]. A number of institutions that have been developed as local and regional research centers have distinguished histories of furthering research of high community relevance.…”