Assessing the field of health policy and systems research using symposium abstract submissions and machine learning techniques

Abstract

Abstract The field of health policy and systems research (HPSR) has grown rapidly in the past decade. Examining recently aggregated data from the Global Symposia on Health Systems Research, a key global fora for HPSR convened by the largest international society—Health Systems Global (HSG)—provides opportunities to enhance existing research on HPSR capacity using novel analytical techniques. This addresses the demand not only to map the field but also to examine potential predictors of acceptance to, and participation at, these global conferences to inform future work and strategies in promoting HPSR. We examined data from the abstracts submitted for two Global Symposia on Health Systems Research in 2016 and 2018 by type of institution, countries, regional groupings and gender. After mapping hotspot areas for HPSR production, we then examined how the corresponding author’s characteristics were associated with being accepted to present at the Global Symposia. Our findings showed that submissions for the Global Symposia increased by 12% from 2016 to 2018. Submissions increased across all participant groups, in particular, the for-profit organizations and research/consultancy firms showing the highest increases, at 58% for both. We also found reduced submissions from high-income countries, whereas submissions from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America, increased substantially revealing the inclusivity values of Symposium organizers. Submissions increased to a larger extent among women than men. Being a woman, coming from a high-income country and having multiple abstracts submitted were found to be significant predictors for an abstract to be accepted and presented in the Symposia. Findings provide critical baseline information on the extent of interest and engagement in a global forum of various institutions and researchers in HPSR that can be useful for setting future directions of HSG and other similar organizations to support the advancement of HPSR worldwide.