African stakeholders' views of research options to improve nutritional status in sub-Saharan Africa
Conclusion Research funders should redirect research funds in Africa towards the priorities identified by giving precedence to develop the evidence for effective community nutrition interventions. Expanding research funding in behavioural and ecological nutrition was also valued and require multi-disciplinary collaborations between nutritionists, social scientists, agricultural and climate change scientists. (Source: Health Policy and Planning)
Source: Health Policy and Planning - August 4, 2015 Category: Health Management Authors: Holdsworth, M., Kruger, A., Nago, E., Lachat, C., Mamiro, P., Smit, K., Garimoi-Orach, C., Kameli, Y., Roberfroid, D., Kolsteren, P. Tags: Original articles Source Type: research
Evidence of horizontal and vertical interactions in health care spending in the Philippines
This article examines whether within a decentralized system of health care spending, local government units in developing countries have any incentive to compete with one another. The existence of spatial competition, whether horizontal or vertical, is tested in the case of Philippines using local government health expenditures data. Results indicate that health spending is characterized by a strong positive interaction between municipalities, consistent with the existence of a horizontal fiscal interaction. However, the results provide less support for the existence of vertical externalities, with the interaction of munic...
Source: Health Policy and Planning - August 4, 2015 Category: Health Management Authors: Kelekar, U., Llanto, G. Tags: Original articles Source Type: research
Whole-of-government approaches to NCDs: the case of the Philippines Interagency Committee--Tobacco
This article examines these issues through a case study concerning the interagency mechanism that the Philippine government currently utilizes to govern tobacco control, the Interagency Committee—Tobacco (IAC-T). We conducted key informant interviews (n = 33) with government officials, and representatives from civil society organizations, health professional associations and intergovernmental organizations. We targeted informants who have been involved in the work of the IAC-T and/or tobacco control policy more broadly. We also analysed public documents to contribute to our analysis of the structure, functioning and ...
Source: Health Policy and Planning - August 4, 2015 Category: Health Management Authors: Lencucha, R., Drope, J., Chavez, J. J. Tags: Original articles Source Type: research
Data quality assessment in the routine health information system: an application of the Lot Quality Assurance Sampling in Benin
This study examined data quality in the Routine Health Information System in Benin in 2012 and carried out a cross-sectional evaluation of the quality of the data using the Lot Quality Assurance Sampling method. The results confirm the insufficient quality of the data based on three criteria: completeness, reliability and accuracy. However, differences can be seen as the shortcomings are less significant for financial data and for immunization data. The method is simple, fast and can be proposed for current use at operational level as a data quality control tool during the production stage. (Source: Health Policy and Planning)
Source: Health Policy and Planning - August 4, 2015 Category: Health Management Authors: Glele Ahanhanzo, Y., Ouendo, E.-M., Kpozehouen, A., Leveque, A., Makoutode, M., Dramaix-Wilmet, M. Tags: Original articles Source Type: research
A profile of women at the highest risk of maternal death in Pakistan
This study uses data from the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2006–07 to develop a profile of the poorest women in Pakistan in order to understand demand-side barriers to accessing maternal health care. The study shows stark differences in human capital, material and demographic resources between the poorest women and other women. It illustrates how these differences translate into low levels of service utilization among the poorest women. The purpose of the study is to stimulate a discussion of both the difficulty and the importance of reaching the poorest women with high-quality maternal health interventions...
Source: Health Policy and Planning - August 4, 2015 Category: Health Management Authors: Agha, S. Tags: Original articles Source Type: research
Can the health system deliver? Determinants of rural Liberians' confidence in health care
Conclusions Respondents’ experiences with the health care system had a greater correlation with their confidence in obtaining needed health care than proximity or quality of medical equipment in health clinics. Despite pro-poor policies guiding health system reconstruction, poor and less educated individuals have less confidence that the health system can meet their health needs. (Source: Health Policy and Planning)
Source: Health Policy and Planning - August 4, 2015 Category: Health Management Authors: Svoronos, T., Macauley, R. J., Kruk, M. E. Tags: Original articles Source Type: research
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Source: Health Policy and Planning - August 4, 2015 Category: Health Management Tags: Spanish Abstracts Source Type: research
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Source: Health Policy and Planning - August 4, 2015 Category: Health Management Tags: French Abstracts Source Type: research
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Source: Health Policy and Planning - August 4, 2015 Category: Health Management Tags: Chinese Abstracts Source Type: research
Highlighting the evidence gap: how cost-effective are interventions to improve early childhood nutrition and development?
This article highlights the need for further evidence relevant to low- and middle-income countries. To facilitate comparison of cost-effectiveness between studies, and between contexts where appropriate, a move towards a common outcome measure such as the cost per disability-adjusted life years averted is advocated. Finally, given the increasing number of combined nutrition and stimulation interventions being tested, there is a significant need for evidence of cost-effectiveness for combined programmes. This too would be facilitated by the use of a common outcome measure able to pool the impact of both nutrition and stimul...
Source: Health Policy and Planning - June 1, 2015 Category: Health Management Authors: Batura, N., Hill, Z., Haghparast-Bidgoli, H., Lingam, R., Colbourn, T., Kim, S., Sikander, S., Pulkki-Brannstrom, A.-M., Rahman, A., Kirkwood, B., Skordis-Worrall, J. Tags: Review Source Type: research
Crossing institutional boundaries: mapping the policy process for improved control of endemic and neglected zoonoses in sub-Saharan Africa
The recent adoption of the World Health Assembly Resolution 66.12 for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in May 2013 is an important turning point for advocacy regarding a number of endemic zoonotic infections, defined by the World Health Organization as the neglected zoonotic diseases (NZDs). In addition to NTD-listed zoonoses such as rabies, echinococcosis (hydatid disease), leishmaniasis, Human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) and Taenia solium cysticercosis, the NZDs also include important bacterial zoonoses such as anthrax, bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis. To date, analysis of the processes that priorit...
Source: Health Policy and Planning - June 1, 2015 Category: Health Management Authors: Okello, A., Welburn, S., Smith, J. Tags: Original articles Source Type: research
Collaboratively reframing mental health for integration of HIV care in Ethiopia
Conclusions An integration model based on collaboratively developing processes that fit the generalist setting shows promise as a method for incorporating complex, multi-faceted interventions into general medical settings. Formal evaluations will be needed to compare the quality of care provided with more traditional approaches and to determine the resources required to sustain quality over time. (Source: Health Policy and Planning)
Source: Health Policy and Planning - June 1, 2015 Category: Health Management Authors: Wissow, L. S., Tegegn, T., Asheber, K., McNabb, M., Weldegebreal, T., Jerene, D., Ruff, A. Tags: Original articles Source Type: research
Socioeconomic factors differentiating healthcare utilization of cyclone survivors in rural Bangladesh: a case study of cyclone Sidr
Conclusions Para-professionals, qualified allopath and drugstore salespeople are the primary vehicles for providing healthcare services to population at risk of cyclone. Therefore, there is a need for more medical training for these primary healthcare providers in rural Bangladesh. (Source: Health Policy and Planning)
Source: Health Policy and Planning - June 1, 2015 Category: Health Management Authors: Uddin, J., Mazur, R. E. Tags: Original articles Source Type: research
The impact of stakeholder values and power relations on community-based health insurance coverage: qualitative evidence from three Senegalese case studies
In this study, the hypothesis is proposed that values and power relations inherent in social networks of CBHI stakeholders can explain levels of CBHI coverage. To test this, three case studies constituting Senegalese CBHI schemes were studied. Transcripts of interviews with 64 CBHI stakeholders were analysed using inductive coding. The five most important themes pertaining to social values and power relations were: voluntarism, trust, solidarity, political engagement and social movements. Analysis of these themes raises a number of policy and implementation challenges for expanding CBHI coverage. First is the need to subsi...
Source: Health Policy and Planning - June 1, 2015 Category: Health Management Authors: Mladovsky, P., Ndiaye, P., Ndiaye, A., Criel, B. Tags: Original articles Source Type: research
The drive for universal healthcare in South Africa: views from private general practitioners
This study therefore analyses the dynamics and potential success of the reforms by directly examining the perceptions of the SA medical profession, in particular private-sector GPs. It draws on a conceptual framework which argues that understanding human motivation and behaviour is essential for the successful design of social policy. Seventy-six interviews were conducted with clinicians in the Eastern Cape Province in 2012. The findings suggest that the SA government will face significant challenges in garnering the support of private GPs. Concerns revolved around remuneration, state control, increased workload, clinical ...
Source: Health Policy and Planning - June 1, 2015 Category: Health Management Authors: Surender, R., Van Niekerk, R., Hannah, B., Allan, L., Shung-King, M. Tags: Original articles Source Type: research
