Global health challenges remain among the most pressing issues facing countries today, shaped by frequent disease outbreaks, unequal access to care, and the complex social, economic, and environmental factors that influence well-being. Low- and middle-income countries in particular often face gaps in health system capacity, workforce shortages, and limited access to quality services, making it difficult to prevent and respond to health threats and to ensure equitable outcomes across populations.
Strengthening health systems, tracking and preventing disease outbreak, improving service delivery, and generating reliable evidence are therefore critical to improving health outcomes worldwide.
Our Work
AIR applies rigorous behavioral and social science research, evaluation, and technical assistance to improve health outcomes globally. Aligned with government priorities, AIR focuses on the full spectrum of health and well-being and supports interventions across the life course, from prevention and health promotion to treatment and care delivery.
Within global health, AIR places particular emphasis on nutrition, maternal and child health, and disease surveillance. AIR conducts research on and evaluates programs that strengthen nutrition systems, promote healthy practices, and improve the delivery of services for mothers, infants, and young children. We are also investing our own resources to improving how disease risks are identified and managed.
AIR’s work is underpinned by a set of core methodological approaches that ensure rigor and relevance:
- Mixed-methods evaluations to produce rigorous, user-focused data on program effectiveness;
- Evidence synthesis and systematic reviews to methodically collate and distill global knowledge and inform policy and program design;
- Third-party monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems that help partners track progress, improve implementation, and use data for adaptive decision-making; and
- Data analytics and early warning systems to strengthen health information systems and provide actionable intelligence to promote health security and targeted resource allocation.
Across these areas, AIR is developing and evaluating the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve program design and delivery and support timely, evidence-informed decisions that lead to better health outcomes.
