Health Systems Strengthening Practice Spotlight: Equity Enhancing Implementation Research 

This brief introduces implementation research as an effective means to addressing health equity challenges and offers country examples illustrating how the approach can enhance equity in the broader context of health system strengthening. Implementation research encompasses a range of questions associated with program implementation, drawing on quantitative and qualitative methods to study design and data analysis. The complexities associated with improving equity through specific interventions cannot be overstated. Implementation research can help decision makers and program implementers understand whether the needs of specific marginalized populations are being met and empower disadvantaged groups to influence policies and programs intended for their benefit.