Objective:

To analyze the contributions of the analytical governance framework in health systems policies study.

Materials and methods:

A literature review was published on health governance in the EBSCO host databases. During a period covered from 2007 to 2017, there were used descriptors of governance and health systems. Eight items were selected at the end of the search. They were classified as methodological (n = 5), governance studies (n = 2) and systematic reviews (n = 1).

Results:

The review resulted in contributions in the scope of the definition, perspective, categories of study and indicators. Definitions included elements such as actors, standards, processes, and decision making. The perspectives used for governance were: analytical, prescriptive and combined. The categories of study are the problems, actors, rules, nodal points and processes. The indicators used were objects of study, Actors-power, instrumentation and values.

Conclusions:

The application of an analytical framework in governance provides information to identify decision-making spaces. An analytical framework of governance complements information and allows a categorization that includes the diversity of actors and their power resources. Studies in various domains have demonstrated the usefulness of using an analytical framework of governance in the study of policies in health systems.