Diseases Management

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

Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs)

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, NCDs, and injuries) in urban and industrial settings.

Halal in Health

The application of Halal principles in the context of health.

Development and Production of Halal Pharmaceuticals

• Research, development, and production of pharmaceutical products that comply with the principles of Halal.
• Exploring the use of Halal-certified ingredients in drug production.
• Investigation on the processes involved in certifying pharmaceuticals as Halal, and the regulatory frameworks that govern this.

Halal Food and Nutrition

• The integration of Halal principles into the food and beverage industry. It covers the entire food supply chain, from the sourcing of ingredients to the preparation and packaging of food products.
• The promotion of Halal food and nutrition in mainstream markets.

Health Security, Emergency, and Disaster Risk Management

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.

Health Technology and Innovation

The development and application of innovative solutions to health challenges.

Drug Discovery and Development

• Development of new drugs and therapies to address prevalent diseases in the Philippines.

Biotechnology and Biomedical Devices

• Development and validation of diagnostic kits, as well as the creation of innovative biomedical devices to improve health outcomes.

Frontiers in Health Technologies

• The use of artificial intelligence, big data, machine/deep learning, and other 4th Industrial Revolution elements to develop a technology-driven future for the healthcare sector. Specific areas of focus could include brain health, nuclear and precision medicine, and space health.

Health Product Regulation and Assessment

• The evaluation and improvement of robust regulatory frameworks for health products and technologies, as well as its impact on health outcomes.

Health of Vulnerable Population

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 (ICCs)

• 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 ICCs

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.

Health Promotion

Empowering individuals and communities to manage their health through education, the creation of health-supportive environments, and organization of societal actions for health promotion and protection. This calls for multidimensional research, including the application of participatory action research methods.

Health Promotion, Communication, and Education

Development, implementation, and evaluation of strategies to promote health and prevent diseases at the community and population level.

• Effectiveness of health communication campaigns and health education programs.
• Barriers to health information access.
• The impact of social media on health-seeking behavior of Filipinos.

Health Literacy

• Assessment of health literacy in different population groups.
• The development and testing of interventions to enhance health literacy.
• Misinformation and/or dis information’s impact on health literacy.

Healthy Governance

• The impact and assessment of health policies and regulations on population health.
• The effectiveness of health governance structures and processes.
• The role of leadership in health promotion.

Healthy Settings

Studies on the healthiness of various settings (e.g., schools, workplaces, neighborhoods) and the development and evaluation of interventions to make these settings healthier.

Innovative Approaches in Health Promotion and Education

• The use of digital technologies in health promotion.
• Development, implementation, and effectiveness of novel health education strategies

Health Systems Strengthening Toward UHC

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 (HIS)

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.

Maternal, New Born and Child Health

The health and wellbeing of mothers, children, and adolescents.

Maternal, Child, and Neonatal Health

• Investigate the factors contributing to rising maternal, neonatal, and child mortality in different regions, with a special focus on geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas and IPs.
• Evaluate the effectiveness and accessibility of reproductive, maternal, neonatal, and child health services across the country.
• Assess the impact of health policies and programs on maternal, neonatal, and child health outcomes.

Immunization

• Evaluate the availability, coverage, and effectiveness of immunization programs for under-5 children in different regions.
• Factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy and acceptance in various communities.
• Assess the impact of health education and promotion strategies on improving immunization coverage.
• Examine the potential of technological innovations, such as digital health interventions, in improving the delivery and monitoring of immunization services.

Mental Health

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.

Nutrition and Food Security

Ensuring that all individuals have access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life.

Food Security, Product Development, and Emerging Technologies

• Developing innovative agricultural techniques to increase food production.
• Studying the impact of climate change on food security.
• Development of functional foods.
• Creating new food products that are both nutritious and appealing.
• Exploring the use of technology in improving food distribution and reducing food waste.

Nutrition and Food Safety

• The impact of dietary habits on health outcomes.
• Developing educational programs to promote healthy eating.
• Investigating the prevalence of food borne illnesses and strategies to prevent them.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of food safety regulations.

Addressing All Forms of Malnutrition Across Life Stages

• Identifying the causes of various forms of malnutrition.
• Developing interventions to improve nutritional status.
• The impact of malnutrition on health and development across different life stages.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of policies and programs aimed at reducing malnutrition.

Multisectoral Nutrition Interventions

Developing strategies to coordinate efforts across sectors to improve nutrition and evaluating the effectiveness of multisectoral interventions in reducing malnutrition and promoting health.

Sexual and Reproductive Health

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.

source: National Unified Health Research Agenda (NUHRA)