Call for Research Proposals Guidelines on Health-Related Rehabilitation

– Call for Research Proposals- Guidelines on Health Related Rehabilitation Deadline for submission of Proposals: 31 January 2013 The Disability and Rehabilitation team is pleased to announce a call for research proposals to support the development of the World Health Organization Guidelines on health-related rehabilitation. The guidelines will support the implementation of the rehabilitation aspects of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN 2006). They will provide guidance to governments and other relevant actors on how to develop, expand and improve the quality of rehabilitation services in less resourced settings in line with the recommendations in the World report on disability (WHO/World Bank 2011), notably the integration and decentralization of rehabilitation services within the health system. The guidelines will position rehabilitation within the context of the WHO “Framework for Action” for strengthening health systems, which consists of six clearly defined building blocks: leadership and governance; service delivery; human resources; medical products and technologies; financing; and information systems. Seven distinct, but linked, packages of work (each containing a number of specific research questions) reflecting each of these “building blocks” have been developed (please see below). Interested applicants are invited to submit proposals on one or more of the work packages. The resultant rehabilitation guidelines must be based on the best available evidence. It is recognized that rehabilitation is a complex and long term process and therefore it is anticipated that a variety of approaches such as primary research; literature reviews; existing systematic reviews, evidence-based guidelines and standards; expert opinion processes (users and professionals); and case studies will be needed to answer the research questions. There are four questions for which systematic reviews have been deemed applicable. They are listed separately under the relevant work package. See Package 3 Service Delivery (2 PICO questions) and Package 6 Financing (2 PICO questions). For these questions applicants are required to develop PICO questions using the template provided as well as outline protocols for systematic reviews. Final details of systematic reviews will be negotiated between successful applicants and WHO secretariat. The final number of systematic and literature reviews will be dependent on available funding. It is expected that research will be completed within 6 to 8 months of commencement. Sandrine Bobinet on behalf of Prof. C.Gutenbrunner Chairman of ISPRM-WHO-Liaison Committee