New WHO research on community-based social innovations for healthy ageing: Pre-call for Expression of Interest

KOBE – The WHO Kobe Centre (WKC) announced that it has launched a large-scale research project of community-based social innovations for healthy ageing (CBSI) globally.

Partnering with RAND Europe, this new research aims at improving health and wellbeing among older people at a community level, and to guide development and implementation of various models of community-based care and support services. These are needed as many countries and communities have not yet fully planned to deliver comprehensive health/social services in support of rapidly ageing populations. Emphasis is being given to middle and high income countries.

The study will investigate a) health/social delivery innovations implemented in a community that emphasize active engagement of older people, b) interventions that aim to assist older persons to increase autonomy and to maintain or enhance their health and quality-of-life for as long as possible, and c) examine their effectiveness and integration/coordination with the wide health care system.

WHO and RAND Europe will conduct a systematic review and case studies of up to ten middle income countries across the world. Primary data collection in selected case studies will provide evidence about CBSIs, including how they operate, link to other health and social care services, and what benefits they bring for participants.

Anticipated research results include: creating a typology of CBSIs and policy options/briefs to inform country policy and planning to ensure greater sustainability and integration of services, in the context of universal health coverage.

“The WHO Kobe Centre’s leading research on innovations in community models of care and support for older populations is instrumental to help countries design and plan their programmes to attain universal health coverage, and to implement key actions called for in the 2016 G7 Health Ministers’ meeting communique,” said Alex Ross, Director of the WHO Kobe Centre. He further noted that “this research is being implemented with many WHO departments and offices across the world, and is grounded on the WHO World Report on Ageing and Health and WKC’s new ten year strategy on UHC, innovation and ageing.”

WKC and RAND Europe are now inviting all interested parties to suggest case study sites on community-based social innovations (CBSIs) that support older people in middle-income countries (MICs). Please see the websites below for WHO Kobe Centre and RAND Europe for more information on how to submit interest by 4 November 2016.

Source: WHO