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Strategic Social, Economic and Behavioural Research

TDR is inviting applications for the award of collaborative research grants to research institutions and scientists from least developed endemic countries (LDCs), and from high-burden countries for TDR target diseases on:

Determinants of inequality of access to prevention, therapy and information
Implications of changing economic, social, political and civil structures (including health reforms) for disease persistence, emergence, resurgence and factors affecting them such as drug and insecticide resistance.

Financial support will not normally exceed US$ 25 000 per year for a period of one to two years. The Committee is particularly interested in supporting projects that involve South-South and South-North partnerships between institutions and individuals and will contribute to research capacity building for social science research in disease endemic countries. For group projects, and in exceptional cases individual projects, the Committee will consider projects that require greater levels of funding. Applications will be reviewed by the Steering Committee for Strategic Social, Economic and Behavioural Research (see workplan).

Further details, specific objectives, and full details of how to apply, are available in full text, pdf (39Kb) or on request from TDR.

How to apply

Applicants should complete the collaborative research grant application form (form and instructions are available at www.who.int/tdr/grants/grants/collgrant.htm, or on request from TDR). Please read and carefully follow the instructions for completing the application. Applicants are invited to be succinct, but may exceed the page limits given in the instructions.

Please note the committee’s ground rules for proposal submission.

Applications can be submitted in English or French only. The steering committee encourages research teams from other major language areas (e.g., Spanish, Lusophone, or Arabic-speaking countries) to apply in English or French.

Applicants are advised to submit an early letter of intent to the SEB secretariat (details below) to request feedback before developing a full proposal.

Dr Johannes Sommerfeld,
Manager, Steering Committee on Strategic Social, Economic and Behavioural Research,
UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR),
WHO, 20 Avenue Appia,
1211, Geneva 27,
Switzerland

Tel: 41 22 791 3954
Fax: 41 22 791 4854
Email: sommerfeldj@who.int

Applications must be received by Friday 20 June 2003

BASIC & STRATEGIC RESEARCH (STR)

Workplan: Strategic Social, Economic and Behavioural Research

Rationale

Despite significant, global efforts over the last 50 years, communicable diseases continue to obstruct social and economic development in developing countries, and disproportionately affect the poorest and most marginalized populations. A better understanding of how social, behavioural, political, economic and health system factors operate to affect disease patterns and disease control efforts will be important for identifying future needs, opportunities and innovations for improved control of TDR diseases (African trypanosomiasis, Chagas disease, dengue fever, lymphatic filariasis, leishmaniasis, leprosy, malaria, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, tuberculosis).

From the beginning, TDR has recognized the importance of social science research for communicable disease control. From 1979-1994, TDR supported social science research through its Steering Committee on Social and Economic Research (SER). After 1994, some of the work begun under SER continued to be supported by the Applied Field Research (AFR) task forces.

In June 1999, the TDR Joint Coordinating Board (JCB) approved the creation of a new Steering Committee on Strategic Social, Economic and Behavioural Research (SEB). SEB is located within the Basic and Strategic Research team (STR) to reflect its focus on addressing basic social, economic and behavioural research on issues of trans-disease and global importance.

A Scientific Working Group (SWG) of experts from a range of social, economic and policy sciences met in Geneva from 31 May to 2 June 2000 to set the overall direction for SEB and identify priority areas for research for the period 2000-2005. The SWG strongly recommended that the SEB Steering Committee (SC) focus on promoting and supporting basic/strategic research that:

• increases understanding of the role and importance of social, economic and behavioural factors for the prevention and control of neglected, infectious diseases;

• addresses issues of multi/trans-disease and global importance;

• contributes to identifying needs, opportunities and innovations for improved disease control and prevention;

contributes to and supports the overall goals and objectives of TDR.

The first SC meeting for SEB took place in Geneva, 25-28 September 2000, and SC members agreed that the following principles and concerns would guide its future work:

• globally, infectious and parasitic diseases remain major contributors to morbidity and mortality, and disproportionately affect populations living in poverty;

• in most instances, social, political and economic inequalities are central to the persistence and spread of these diseases;

in most cases, the performance of health systems in protecting vulnerable populations from the impact of these diseases falls far short of potential.

These issues need to be examined within the context of globalization, the changing role of the state, and the emerging role of non-state actors (the private sector, nongovernmental organizations [NGOs], civil society).

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