Towards deep inclusion for equity-oriented health research priority-setting: A working model.

Area of Science:

• Health Policy
• Research Ethics
• Health Equity

Background:

• Growing consensus calls for aligning health research funding with national priorities.
• Justice in research priority-setting necessitates promoting health equity.
• Existing frameworks lack specific guidance for equity-oriented research priority-setting.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose requirements for equity-oriented national health research priority-setting.
• To introduce and define a model of "deep inclusion" as a procedural component.
• To guide policymakers in designing and assessing inclusive priority-setting processes.

Main Methods:

• Applied concepts from deliberative democracy and development ethics.
• Developed a model of deep inclusion with three dimensions: breadth, qualitative equality, and high-quality non-elite participation.
• Used health systems research as a sustained example for illustration.

Main Results:

• Deep inclusion involves not only who participates but also how and when non-elite stakeholders are involved.
• The proposed model offers a framework for understanding and achieving meaningful stakeholder involvement.
• Practical challenges to implementing deep inclusion were reviewed.

Conclusions:

• Deep inclusion is crucial for equitable national health research priority-setting.
• The model provides a practical tool for policymakers and stakeholders.
• Despite implementation barriers, the model enhances the inclusivity and equity of research priority-setting processes.