The study and implementation of strategies to prevent, diagnose, manage, and treat diseases, particularly chronic and communicable diseases.

• Non-communicable diseases: Studies on the burden, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of these diseases, with an emphasis on 

  • • enhancing the quality of services in rural areas,

    • addressing access to treatment barriers, and

    • understanding the impact of chronic diseases on the population.

• Communicable diseases

  • • Disease surveillance at all levels of government, including the use of geographic information system mapping of disease incidence.

    • The effects of climate change on health, particularly in relation to the increased risk of infectious diseases.

• Diseases of rapid urbanization and industrialization: The health impact of environmental changes, occupational health diseases, and the triple burden of disease (communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases, and injuries) in urban and industrial settings.

The study and implementation of strategies to prepare for, respond to, and recover from health emergencies and disasters. This applies the concept of One Health, which is a focus on crises that may originate in the interface between humans, animals, and the environments in which they interact. 

• Disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation of health systems

  • • Capacity assessment to deliver health services during and after disasters or climate-related events. 

    • Identification of disaster and climate change risks per region and tailoring health systems strategies and measures to these risks.

    • Research on improving health infrastructure adaptation.

    • Enhancement of health worker capacity to respond to emergencies.

• Environmental health and sanitation

  • • The impact of specific environmental factors on health (air and water quality, waste management, exposure to hazardous substances) and developing strategies to mitigate these impacts.

    • Evaluating the effectiveness of current sanitation practices in preventing diseases and developing new practices based on identified gaps.

Research for the benefit of populations that are underserved due to factors such as socioeconomic status, geographical location, gender, race, ethnicity, age, or disability towards reduction of disparities and equitable health opportunities.

• Health of indigenous cultural communities

  • • The health status and health-seeking behaviors of these communities.

    • Improving access to healthcare services.

    • Development and evaluation of culturally appropriate health programs and interventions for indigenous cultural communities.

• Transgender health

  • • Understanding the specific health needs and challenges of transgender individuals.

    • Experiences of transgender individuals in accessing healthcare services.

    • The impact of social stigma and discrimination on health outcomes of transgender individuals.

• Geriatric health

  • • The impact of social, economic, and environmental factors on elderly health.

    • Development and evaluation of interventions to address the specific health needs of the elderly, such as fall prevention programs, dementia care models, and health promotion activities tailored to this age group.

Understanding and improving the efficiency, effectiveness, quality, and responsiveness of health systems, all aimed at achieving UHC.

• Health governance and policies

  • • Effectiveness of current health governance structures and policies in achieving UHC.

    • Impact of governance structures on health system performance and health outcomes.

    • The assessment of UHC implementation in across regions.

    • Research on health research—its governance, effectiveness and efficiency of policies to support health research, and the use of evidence in policy- and decision-making.

• Health service delivery

  • • Implementation and effectiveness of different service delivery models, particularly primary care and health care provider networks.

    • Impact of health care provider networks on access to care and health outcomes.

    • The use, acceptance, and integration of traditional, complementary, and integrative health care practices in the health system and their impact on health outcomes.

    • Development of clinical pathways and clinical practice guidelines.

• Health financing

  • • Sustainability of health financing under UHC, with a focus on cooperative governance across stakeholders and health system levels.

    • Strategic purchasing of health services and products under UHC.

    • Feasibility of financial policies to cover under-5 immunization.

    • Impact of the Mandanas-Garcia ruling on health programs.

• Health human resources

  • • Assessing the welfare of healthcare workers.

    • Research on and development of strategies for health workforce retention and strengthening. 

    • The inclusion of non-health professionals in the health workforce.

• Health information systems: Research on the integration of local and healthcare provider network information systems and the use of health information for decision-making.

• Improving access to medicines, including enhancements in quality and affordability: Enhancing medicine quality and affordability through studies on optimizing the development, manufacturing, procurement, distribution, and utilization of essential medicines, vaccines, and healthcare products.

• Evaluation of health systems and programs

  • • Availability and use of evidence  to inform policy and program implementation.

    • The impact of health facility enhancement programs.

    • Evaluation of community health team performance and impact on healthcare access.

The prevalence, treatment, rehabilitation/management of mental health conditions.

• Mental health of children, adolescents, and students:

  • • Understanding the unique mental health challenges in these groups, including prevalence.

    • The implementation and effectiveness of school-based mental health programs and interventions.

• Mental health in the workplace:

  • • The prevalence of mental health issues among workers in different industries and occupational groups.

    • The impact of work-related stress on mental health.

    • Implementation and effectiveness of workplace mental health programs.

• Mental health promotion: Studies on the effectiveness of mental health promotion programs and the role of community-based and digital health interventions in promoting mental health.

• Mental health and substance abuse: Prevalence of co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders and the effectiveness of integrated interventions for co-occurring disorders.

• Emerging interventions for mental health across the life stages:

  • • The role of digital technologies and novel therapeutic approaches in mental health care, and the impact of these interventions on mental health outcomes.

    • Tailoring of novel mental health interventions to different life stages.

Ensuring that all individuals can have a satisfying and safe sex life, the capability to reproduce, and the freedom to decide if, when, and how often to do so.

• Adolescent sexuality and reproductive health

  • • Understanding the unique challenges and needs of adolescents in the context of sexual and reproductive health, including teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. 

    • The impact of cultural, societal, and educational factors on adolescent sexual behavior and reproductive health outcomes. 

    • Effective interventions to promote safe sexual behaviors among adolescents. 

• Reproductive health and rights

  • • Effectiveness of current reproductive health policies and programs.

    • Barriers to accessing reproductive health services across regions and communities.

    • The impact of health governance on reproductive health outcomes.

• Sexual health education

  • • Effectiveness of sexual health education curricula in schools and community settings, focusing on their impact on knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to sexual health. 

    • Innovative, digital, or peer-led strategies to enhance accessibility and impact of sexual health education in underserved populations.

• Gender-based violence

  • • The prevalence, causes, and impact of gender-based violence, as well as factors that perpetuate it. 

    • Evaluating and improving current interventions and policies on gender-based violence.