Global research priorities for noncommunicable diseases prevention, management, and control

Abstract

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are the major cause of global mortality, contributing to more than 63% of all-cause mortality. The burden is expected to escalate further, as the impact of NCDs increases, and as population ages. Limited research is being conducted on NCDs in developing countries because of lack of sufficient resources. This article attempts to identify urgent global research priorities for NCDs prevention, management, and control. A literature review was performed in October 2017 to identify published literature discussing research priorities in NCDs. Findings were supplemented with the key themes emerging from a panel discussion on the topic at 1st World NCD Congress. Results reveal that different researchers and organizations have employed different criteria for setting priorities for investing in NCD-related research and development. Different methodologies for identifications of research priorities have also been adopted, most of which include a mixed method approach, with more reliance on qualitative research methods. For most of the NCDs, country-specific information on extent and patterns of disease and its social impact needs to be identified. Health system-related opportunities related to application of primary and secondary care cost-effective interventions need to be identified and explored. Studies are also required to assess gaps in accessibility and affordability of essential medicines and technologies required for treatment of NCDs. Research to identify effective strategies for improvement of data collection mechanisms for NCD incidence and prevalence is required. The study concludes that multidisciplinary research approaches need to be followed to better elucidate the influence of sociodemographic and economic factors on NCD prevention and control, to enhance availability and accessibility of cost-effective interventions to lower socioeconomic strata, and to increase the uptake of evidence-based research for policy development by policymakers.