Global health research strategies

The application of health systems analysis points to the need to specify theoretically the circumstances under which health disparities exist in the USA as well as in other countries. This paper highlights the importance of developing major themes in global health research and formulating research strategies to investigate the dynamic forces of health status change and human adaptation in small geographical areas. The concepts based on systems theory are used to build a theoretically informed framework to guide ecological research on global health. The use of advanced statistical and dynamic modelling techniques enables researchers to better understand the determinants and consequences of global health and population change. The research foci should be extended beyond the conventional bounds of health disparity studies. Intervention research should be designed and executed to produce new knowledge for improving medical practice and global health.