Abstract

Strengthening biostatistical capacity in African health research

Health research activity across Africa has grown substantially over recent decades, driven by expanding research infrastructure, international collaborations, and increasing attention to region-specific health challenges. Despite this progress, many health studies conducted in African settings continue to face serious limitations related to inadequate biostatistical capacity. Deficits in statistical expertise affect multiple stages of the research lifecycle, including study design, sample size determination, data management, statistical analysis, and the interpretation and reporting of findings. These limitations can compromise the validity, transparency, and reproducibility of research outputs, ultimately weakening their contribution to evidence-informed health policy and practice.

This Invited Paper Session addresses the persistent biostatistics gap in African health research and focuses on realistic, practice-oriented strategies to strengthen statistical capacity within diverse research environments. Rather than viewing biostatistics as a purely technical service applied at the end of a study, the session emphasizes its central role as an integral component of high-quality health research practice. Particular attention is paid to the everyday realities faced by African researchers, including shortages of trained biostatisticians, limited access to formal and continuing training, high teaching and service workloads, and the need to conduct analyses within constrained institutional, technological, and funding contexts.

The session will explore how biostatistical capacity gaps arise and are sustained, drawing on practical experiences from African research institutions and health projects. Contributors will reflect on common challenges such as delayed statistical involvement, misalignment between study objectives and analytical methods, and difficulties in meeting increasingly rigorous reporting and editorial standards. Importantly, the discussion will move beyond problem identification to examine feasible and context-sensitive solutions. These include practice-focused training models, embedded biostatistical support within research teams, mentoring of early-career researchers, and strategies for strengthening collaboration between health scientists and biostatisticians.

A key theme of the session is the need for better alignment between statistical analysis, reporting practices, and the expectations of journals, reviewers, and funders. Strengthening this alignment is essential for improving research quality while reducing avoidable delays and rejections in the publication process. The session will also consider how improved biostatistical capacity can enhance research transparency and reproducibility, thereby increasing the credibility and impact of African health research in both regional and global contexts.

The Invited Paper Session is intended for African health researchers, educators, and trainees, as well as journal editors and international collaborators who are engaged in or supporting health research in Africa. By linking an explicit recognition of existing biostatistical gaps with actionable capacity-building approaches, the session aims to contribute to sustainable improvements in research practice and to support the development of a stronger biostatistical culture within African health research systems.