ANDORRA AS A LIVING LAB? THE INSCI EXAMPLE

TL;DR

This paper shows how Andorra improved its health research by joining an international spinal cord injury survey, offering a model for small countries to participate without compromising standards.

Contribution

Demonstrates that small countries like Andorra can enhance health research capacity through international collaboration without sacrificing methodological rigor.

Findings

Andorra's participation in the InSCI survey improved its health research capacity and governmental support.

Small countries can collect valuable health data through international studies while maintaining methodological standards.

The example supports WHO recommendations for improving health research in low-population countries.

Abstract

In light of the persistent concern identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) that small population countries tend to be ignored in international health research, preventing them from developing research capacity, this paper describes the participation of Andorra in an international spinal cord injury survey (InSCI) and resulting benefits.

Descriptive analysis of Andorra’s health research situation and participation in InSCI.

Andorra has successfully participated in an international survey improving health research capacity and governmental support.

In line with WHO recommendations to improve small country health research capacity, and specifically to improve their health information collection capacity, the described participation of Andorra in an international health survey demonstrates how this capacity can be improved without sacrificing methodological restrictions.

Because of their low population, small countries of the world tend not to participate in international health research, preventing them from developing their research capacity and gaining access to valuable comparative health data. The recent example of Andorra and its participation in an international spinal cord injury survey (InSCI) is described here to make the argument that the needs of these small countries to improve their health research capacity, and to collect valuable population data, can be addressed through active participation in international studies without diluting the methodological rigour of these studies.