Managing interdisciplinary health research - Theoretical and practical aspects

Interdisciplinary health research can offer valuable evidence for health care managers. However, there are specific challenges regarding the management of such projects. Based on 7 years of experience from a project in western Kenya, the authors point to the need for a sufficient time horizon, a high level of communication, equity between the disciplines and the identification of appropriate evaluation criteria as issues to be considered. The theoretical framework of Rosenfield was modified to comply with the complexities of field management.