[Health research priorities in Colombia from the researchers' point of view].

Colombia lacks experience in identifying health research priorities. A project for identifying health research priorities was begun in 2004 (meaning those arising from weighting and ordering health and disease problems which could be mainly resolved by research and knowledge). The Global Forum for Health Research combined matrix method, and other methods, was used as reference for developing projects and putting two main methodological paths into practice: designing and applying a method for qualitatively and quantitatively weighting and ordering health research problems and building consensus with researchers and scientific community representatives.

[The other epidemiologic transition: landmarks in the development of risk factor epidemiology in Colombia].

The history of risk factor epidemiology is detailed as it emerged in Colombia as well as more recent developments. The origins of risk factor epidemiology are described in the context of the national health situation of the mid-20th century, when changes were occurring in the profiles of infectious and nutritional diseases in comparison to chronic diseases and traumatisms. The main achievements in the history of national risk factor epidemiology are described, including: the studies on endemic goiter, gastric and uterine cervical cancers, adverse effects of child undernourishment, and the institution of local health surveys.