Research capacities on social determinants of health. Differences: Brazil, Colombia & Mexico.

Objectives: To analyze differences between research capacities on social determinants of health and health inequalities (DSS) between Brazil, Colombia and Mexico based on national science, technology and innovation (SNCTI) and the publications in the period 2005-2012.
Methods: Systematic literature reviews have been conducted and examined in relation SNCTI DSS through consultation of information on national platforms. Semi-structured interviews have conducted with key informants (Brazil), and national forums DSS consultation with key stakeholders (Mexico and Colombia).
Results: The literature search yielded a total of 222 scientific articles on DSS Brazil; 145 in Mexico and 67 in Colombia, the majority of those identified in Brazil and Colombia were published in national journals published primarily in Mexico in foreign journals. The funding amounts vary between countries, in general terms are inadequate.
Conclusions: Our analysis points to the need for greater efforts to articulate the social appropriation of knowledge in DSS in the three countries, which requires further locate strategically DSS national agendas to influence public policy, recognizing and transforming the social determinants of health inequities. Faced with profound social inequalities in health in Latin America, the importance of research on the social determinants of health inequalities and processes of social determination was reaffirmed frequently. Also been recognized methodological and conceptual challenges for research on the DSS due to the complexity of the linkages between social, biological and psychological as well as the forms of property and power. The understanding of these processes and interventions on these have been limited not only by its complexity, but epistemological limitations related to the difficulty of addressing health inequalities mainly socio- historical contexts in which they occur disparities and inequities social