Health Policy and Systems Research: A Methodology Reader

Health Policy and Systems Research (HPSR) is often criticized for lacking rigour, providing a weak basis for generalization of
its findings and, therefore, offering limited value for policy-makers. This Reader aims to address these concerns through
supporting action to strengthen the quality of HPSR.

The Reader is primarily for researchers and research users, teachers and students, particularly those working in low- and
middle-income countries (LMICs). It provides guidance on the defining features of HPSR and the critical steps in conducting
research in this field. It showcases the diverse range of research strategies and methods encompassed by HPSR, and it
provides examples of good quality and innovative HPSR papers.

The production of the Reader was commissioned by the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research (the Alliance) and
it will complement its other investments in methodology development and postgraduate training.