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Lazarus MD, Gouda-Vossos A, Ziebell A, Parasnis J, Mujumdar S, Brand G. Mapping Educational uncertainty stimuli to support health professions educators' in developing learner uncertainty tolerance. ADVANCES IN HEALTH SCIENCES EDUCATION : THEORY AND PRACTICE 2024:10.1007/s10459-024-10345-z. [PMID: 38869782 DOI: 10.1007/s10459-024-10345-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Uncertainty is a feature of healthcare practice. In recognition of this, multiple health profession governing bodies identify uncertainty tolerance as a healthcare graduate attribute and evaluate uncertainty tolerance within new graduate cohorts. While it is clear that uncertainty tolerance development for healthcare learners is valued, gaps remain for practically addressing this within healthcare curricula. Guiding frameworks for practical approaches supporting uncertainty tolerance development in healthcare learners remains sparse, particularly outside of medicine and in certain geographical locations. As uncertainty tolerance is increasingly recognised as being, at least in part, state-based (e.g. contextually changeable)- a broader understanding of teaching practices supporting uncertainty tolerance development in diverse health professions is warranted. This study explored educators' teaching practices for purposefully stimulating learners' uncertainty tolerance. Semi-structured interviews investigated how academics at a single institution, from diverse fields and health professions, stimulate uncertainty across multiple learning contexts. Framework analysis identified three themes for stimulating uncertainty: Purposeful questioning, Forecasting uncertainty, and Placing learners in unfamiliar environments, with characterisation of these themes (and related subthemes) also described. Many of the identified themes align with aspects of existing learning theories suggesting that curricular frameworks supporting learner uncertainty tolerance development may be informed by theories beyond the boundaries of health professions education research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle D Lazarus
- Centre for Human Anatomy Education, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Monash Centre for Scholarship in Health Education, Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Amany Gouda-Vossos
- Centre for Human Anatomy Education, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Angela Ziebell
- School of Life and Environmental Science, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood, Vic, 3125, Australia
| | - Jaai Parasnis
- Department of Economics, Monash University, Wellington Rd, Clayton, VIC, 3180, Australia
| | - Swati Mujumdar
- School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Vic, 3180, Australia
| | - Gabrielle Brand
- Monash Centre for Scholarship in Health Education, Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Monash University, 47-49 Moorooduc Highway, Frankston, VIC, 3199, Australia
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Niang M, Alami H, Gagnon MP, Dupéré S. A conceptualisation of scale-up and sustainability of social innovations in global health: a narrative review and integrative framework for action. Glob Health Action 2023; 16:2230813. [PMID: 37459240 DOI: 10.1080/16549716.2023.2230813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The scale-up and sustainability of social innovations for health have received increased interest in global health research in recent years; however, these ambiguous concepts are poorly defined and insufficiently theorised and studied. Researchers, policymakers, and practitioners lack conceptual clarity and integrated frameworks for the scale-up and sustainability of global health innovations. Often, the frameworks developed are conceived in a linear and deterministic or consequentialist vision of the diffusion of innovations. This approach limits the consideration of complexity in scaling up and sustaining innovations. OBJECTIVE By using a systems theory lens and conducting a narrative review, this manuscript aims to produce an evidence-based integrative conceptual framework for the scale-up and sustainability of global health innovations. METHOD We conducted a hermeneutic narrative review to synthetise different definitions of scale-up and sustainability to model an integrative definition of these concepts for global health. We have summarised the literature on the determinants that influence the conditions for innovation success or failure while noting the interconnections between internal and external innovation environments. RESULTS The internal innovation environment includes innovation characteristics (effectiveness and testability, monitoring and evaluation systems, simplification processes, resource requirements) and organisational characteristics (leadership and governance, organisational change, and organisational viability). The external innovation environment refers to receptive and transformative environments; the values, cultures, norms, and practices of individuals, communities, organisations, and systems; and other contextual characteristics relevant to innovation development. CONCLUSION From these syntheses, we proposed an interconnected framework for action to better guide innovation researchers, practitioners, and policymakers in incorporating complexity and systemic interactions between internal and external innovation environments in global health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marietou Niang
- Department of Social Work and Psychosociology, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Lévis, QC, Canada
| | - Hassane Alami
- Department of Health Management, Evaluation and Policy, School of Public Health, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Sophie Dupéré
- Faculty of Nursing Science, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
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Odendaal W, Chetty T, Tomlinson M, Goga A, Singh Y, Kauchali S, Marshall C, Hunt X. "If you work alone on this project, you can't reach your target": unpacking the leader's role in well-performing teams in a maternal and neonatal quality improvement programme in South Africa, before and during COVID-19. BMC Health Serv Res 2023; 23:1382. [PMID: 38066525 PMCID: PMC10709890 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-023-10378-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The South African National Department of Health developed a quality improvement (QI) programme to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality and still births. The programme was implemented between 2018 and 2022 in 21 purposively selected public health facilities. We conducted a process evaluation to describe the characteristics and skills of the QI team leaders of well-performing teams. The evaluation was conducted in 15 of the 21 facilities. Facilities were purposively selected and comprised semi-structured interviews with leaders at three time points; reviewing of QI documentation; and 37 intermittently conducted semi-structured interviews with the QI advisors, being QI technical experts who supported the teams. These interviews focused on participants' experiences and perceptions of how the teams performed, and performance barriers and enablers. Thematic data analysis was conducted using Atlas.ti. Variation in team performance was associated with leaders' attributes and skills. However, the COVID-19 pandemic also affected team functioning. Well-performing teams had leaders who effectively navigated COVID-19 and other challenges, who embraced QI and had sound QI skills. These leaders cultivated trust by taking responsibility for failures, correcting members' mistakes in encouraging ways, and setting high standards of care. Moreover, they promoted programme ownership among members by delegating tasks. Given the critical role leaders play in team performance and thus in the outcomes of QI programmes, efforts should focus on leader selection, training, and support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willem Odendaal
- HIV and Other Infectious Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Francie Van Zijl Drive, Parow Valley, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.
- Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, Francie Van Zijl Drive, Tygerberg, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.
| | - Terusha Chetty
- HIV and Other Infectious Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Francie Van Zijl Drive, Parow Valley, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
- Discipline of Public Health Medicine, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
| | - Mark Tomlinson
- Institute for Life Course Health Research, Stellenbosch University, Franzi Van Zijl Drive, Tygerberg, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queens University, Belfast, UK
| | - Ameena Goga
- HIV and Other Infectious Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Francie Van Zijl Drive, Parow Valley, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Pretoria, Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - Yages Singh
- HIV and Other Infectious Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Francie Van Zijl Drive, Parow Valley, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
| | - Shuaib Kauchali
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Nelson Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Carol Marshall
- South African National Department of Health, Voortrekker Road, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - Xanthe Hunt
- Institute for Life Course Health Research, Stellenbosch University, Franzi Van Zijl Drive, Tygerberg, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
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Mazuecos FJ, De-Juanas Oliva Á, Rodríguez-Bravo AE, Páez Gallego J. The Social Values of Nursing Staff and the Perceived Quality of Their Professional Lives. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:2720. [PMID: 37893794 PMCID: PMC10606655 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11202720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
This study's main purpose involves exploring the relationship between the social values of nursing staff and the perception they have of their professional lives. A further aim is to examine how their terms of employment and tenure of service relate to the quality of their careers and their social values. The research consisted of a non-experimental quantitative approach of a descriptive nature involving 380 nursing staff at four public hospitals in Madrid (Spain). The values were appraised by means of the Schwarz Value Survey (SVS) and the quality of their careers was measured through the Quality of Professional Life (QPL-35) questionnaire. The results reveal significant correlations between the two, highlighting the significance of such values as universalism, benevolence, achievement and power depending on their terms of employment, on the one hand, and all the values in the Schwartz model according to the length of their tenure on the other. The findings suggest that terms of employment and tenure are significantly related to the axiological profile of nursing staff and the quality of their professional lives. This study provides major empirical evidence that contributes to our understanding of how social values and the quality of professional lives are interwoven within the field of nursing in Spain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Javier Mazuecos
- Faculty of Education, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Calle Juan del Rosal 14, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (F.J.M.); (A.E.R.-B.)
| | - Ángel De-Juanas Oliva
- Faculty of Education, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Calle Juan del Rosal 14, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (F.J.M.); (A.E.R.-B.)
| | - Ana Eva Rodríguez-Bravo
- Faculty of Education, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Calle Juan del Rosal 14, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (F.J.M.); (A.E.R.-B.)
| | - Javier Páez Gallego
- Faculty of Law, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Calle del Obispo Trejo, 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
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Edelman A, Topp SM. Translating, Contexting, and Institutionalising Knowledge Translation Practices in Northern Australia: Some Reflections Comment on "Sustaining Knowledge Translation Practices: A Critical Interpretive Synthesis". Int J Health Policy Manag 2023; 12:7587. [PMID: 37579403 PMCID: PMC10461882 DOI: 10.34172/ijhpm.2023.7587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023] Open
Abstract
In this commentary, we reflect on how the three processes of translating, contexting, and institutionalising knowledge translation (KT) practices, as introduced in a critical interpretive synthesis on sustaining KT, might be drawn on to improve KT sustainability in the northern Australian health system, and some likely challenges. The synthesis provides a useful reminder that health systems are social systems and offers an analytical framework against which to map approaches that aim to align knowledge production and utilisation. By positioning "places" of knowledge utilisation and actor roles and networks as key to KT sustainability, the framework also offers the potential to draw attention to non-clinical settings, actors, and relationships that are central to improving health, but that may be historically neglected in KT research and scholarship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Edelman
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
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Hong SY, Lim JH. Why is Success of South Korea's Covid-19 Response Fading? INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH AND HEALTH SERVICES 2023:27551938231165154. [PMID: 36942355 PMCID: PMC10033500 DOI: 10.1177/27551938231165154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
South Korea demonstrated its ability to respond effectively with rapid policy measures and implementation in the early stages of the pandemic. However, at the end of second year of the pandemic, South Korea reached a peak in its number of daily new cases. Why didn't South Korea maintain the initial successful performance? To answer the question, this study examined South Korea's pandemic response process through Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS), focusing on actors' behavior according to the phase transition. We found that the South Korean government failed to interact with the rapidly evolving public due to the different evolving pace. Dissonance between the government and the public resulted in distrust, fatigue, and resistance to the government's policy among people. From the case study of South Korea, this study emphasizes that not only individual governments, but also the international community, should anticipate and interact with the rapidly evolving public to prepare for the pandemic and post-pandemic era.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung Yeun Hong
- Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Engineering, 443857Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ji Hye Lim
- Assistant Professor, Global Affairs, 448655George Mason University Korea, Incheon, South Korea
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Sewankambo NK, Kutyabami P. Empowering local research ethics review of antibacterial mass administration research. Infect Dis Poverty 2022; 11:103. [PMID: 36171611 PMCID: PMC9516823 DOI: 10.1186/s40249-022-01031-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent studies using mass drug administration (MDA) of antibiotics to entire communities have focused global attention on the unique ethical challenges of MDA of antibiotics in research and public health interventions. However, there is no specific guidance for Research Ethics Committees (RECs) or Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) to review such trials. We surveyed the literature to identify the unique ethical challenges and to strengthen the competencies of RECs or IRBs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in their ethical reviews of these trials. METHODS We employed a desk review. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, combining terms for "mass drug administration" with terms for "research ethics committees," "institutional review boards," and "ethics." We reviewed citations of search results to retrieve additional articles. Only articles published and indexed in the above databases up to 6 January 2022 in English were included. Abstracts (without full articles), books and articles that had exclusive veterinary and environmental focus were excluded. We synthesized the literature to identify particularly challenging ethical issues relevant to antibacterial MDA trials in LMICs. RESULTS The most challenging ethical issues can be categorised into four broad domains: determining the social value of MDA, assessing risks and benefits, engaging all stakeholders meaningfully, and study design-related ethical challenges. These four domains interact and impact each other. Together, they reveal the need for RECs/IRBs to review MDA studies through a broader lens than that of clinical trials per se. From our findings, we propose a framework to guide the RECs and IRBs in LMICs to perform the initial and continuing review of antibiotic MDA trials. We also recommend strengthening the competencies of LMIC RECs or IRBs through ongoing training and collaboration with RECs or IRBs from high-income countries. CONCLUSIONS REC/IRB review of research using MDA of antibiotics plays a critical role in assuring the ethical conduct of MDA studies. Local RECs/IRBs should be empowered to review MDA studies comprehensively and competently in order to advance scientific knowledge about MDA and promote improved global health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelson K Sewankambo
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, P. O. Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda.
| | - Paul Kutyabami
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, P. O. Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda
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Sheikh K, Peters D, Agyepong IA, Abimbola S, Ghaffar A, Swaminathan S. Learning is a means to progress and empowerment for health systems. BMJ Glob Health 2022; 7:bmjgh-2022-010572. [PMID: 36130795 PMCID: PMC9490602 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2022-010572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kabir Sheikh
- Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, World Health Organization, Geneve, Switzerland
| | - David Peters
- Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Irene Akua Agyepong
- Dodowa Health Research Centre, Ghana Health Service, Accra, Greater Accra, Ghana
| | - Seye Abimbola
- School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Abdul Ghaffar
- Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, World Health Organization, Geneve, Switzerland
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Ramani S, Parashar R, Roy N, Kullu A, Gaitonde R, Ananthakrishnan R, Arora S, Mishra S, Pitre A, Saluja D, Srinivasan A, Uppal A, Bose P, Yellappa V, Kumar S. How to work with intangible software in public health systems: some experiences from India. Health Res Policy Syst 2022; 20:52. [PMID: 35525941 PMCID: PMC9077882 DOI: 10.1186/s12961-022-00848-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
This commentary focuses on "intangible software", defined as the range of ideas, norms, values and issues of power or trust that affect the performance of health systems. While the need to work with intangible software within health systems is increasingly being recognized, the practical hows of doing so have been given less attention. In this commentary, we, a team of researchers and implementers from India, have tried to deliberate on these hows through a practice lens. We engage with four questions of current relevance to intangible software in the field of health policy and systems research (HPSR): (1) Is it possible to rewire intangible software in health systems? (2) What approaches have been attempted in the Indian public health system to rewire intangibles? (3) Have such approaches been evaluated? (4) What practical lessons can we offer from our experience on rewiring intangibles? From our perspective, approaches to rewiring intangible software recognize that people in health systems are capable of visioning, thinking, adapting to and leading change. These approaches attempt to challenge the often-unchallenged power hierarchies in health systems by allowing people to engage deeply with widely accepted norms and routinized actions. In this commentary, we have reported on such approaches from India under six categories: approaches intended to enable visioning and leading; approaches targeted at engaging with evidence better; approaches intended to help health workers navigate contextual complexities; approaches intended to build the cultural competence; approaches that recognize and reward performance; and approaches targeted at enabling collaborative work and breaking power hierarchies. Our collective experiences suggest that intangible software interventions work best when they are codesigned with various stakeholders, are contextually adapted in an iterative manner and are implemented in conjunction with structural improvements. Also, such interventions require long-term investments. Based on our experiences, we highlight the need for the following: (1) fostering more dialogue on this category of interventions among all stakeholders for cross-learning; (2) evaluating and publishing evidence on such interventions in nonconventional ways, with a focus on participatory learning; and (3) building ecosystems that allow experiential learnings on such interventions to be shared.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Rakhal Gaitonde
- Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695011 India
| | - Ramya Ananthakrishnan
- Resource Group for Education and Advocacy for Community Health (REACH), Chennai, India
| | - Sanjida Arora
- Center for Enquiry into Health and Allied Themes, Santacruz East, Mumbai, 400055 India
| | | | - Amita Pitre
- Gender Justice, Oxfam India, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Anupama Srinivasan
- Resource Group for Education and Advocacy for Community Health (REACH), Chennai, India
| | | | | | | | - Sanjeev Kumar
- Health Systems Transformation Platform, New Delhi, India
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Lall D, Balachandra SS, Prabhu P, Kumar D, Mokashi T, Devadasan N. Lessons for the Design of Comprehensive Primary Healthcare in India: A Qualitative Study. JOURNAL OF HEALTH MANAGEMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/09720634221076238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Health systems with strong comprehensive primary health care (CPHC) are known to result in better health outcomes for people. In India, there is a recent push to strengthen CPHC through Ayushman Bharat. This study aimed to document lessons from successful CPHC initiatives in rural and urban India using a qualitative case study approach. A total of 72 CPHC initiatives were identified through desk review and 12 of these were studied as cases. The following two main models of CPHC delivery were seen in India: (a) a hospital or health centre with outreach and (b) social franchising model, prevalent in rural and urban contexts, respectively. Themes identified were related to organisation of services, workforce, financing and challenges in practice. Services being comprehensive, dialoguing with the community, addressing social determinants were themes under organisation of services. There is need for more generalists and training health professionals towards CPHC. Financing of CPHC especially in the rural context remains a major challenge and cannot be sustained with user fees. Leadership, values, team-based care and organisational culture play a vital role in the delivery of good quality CPHC. These findings contribute to the literature on what works and why, which could be used to design CPHC in India.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorothy Lall
- Department of Community Health, Christian Medical College Vellore, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh, India
- Institute of Public Health, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | | | - Priya Prabhu
- Institute of Public Health, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | | | | | - N Devadasan
- Institute of Public Health, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
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Garcia G, Crenner C. Comparing International Experiences With Electronic Health Records Among Emergency Medicine Physicians in the United States and Norway: Semistructured Interview Study. JMIR Hum Factors 2022; 9:e28762. [PMID: 34994702 PMCID: PMC8783275 DOI: 10.2196/28762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 08/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The variability in physicians’ attitudes regarding electronic health records (EHRs) is widely recognized. Both human and technological factors contribute to user satisfaction. This exploratory study considers these variables by comparing emergency medicine physician experiences with EHRs in the United States and Norway. Objective This study is unique as it aims to compare individual experiences with EHRs. It creates an opportunity to expand perspective, challenge the unknown, and explore how this technology affects clinicians globally. Research often highlights the challenge that health information technology has created for users: Are the negative consequences of this technology shared among countries? Does it affect medical practice? What determines user satisfaction? Can this be measured internationally? Do specific factors account for similarities or differences? This study begins by investigating these questions by comparing cohort experiences. Fundamental differences between nations will also be addressed. Methods We used semistructured, participant-driven, in-depth interviews (N=12) for data collection in conjunction with ethnographic observations. The conversations were recorded and transcribed. Texts were then analyzed using NVivo software (QSR International) to develop codes for direct comparison among countries. Comprehensive understanding of the data required triangulation, specifically using thematic and interpretive phenomenological analysis. Narrative analysis ensured appropriate context of the NVivo (QSR International) query results. Results Each interview resulted in mixed discussions regarding the benefits and disadvantages of EHRs. All the physicians recognized health care’s dependence on this technology. In Norway, physicians perceived more benefits compared with those based in the United States. Americans reported fewer benefits and disproportionally high disadvantages. Both cohorts believed that EHRs have increased user workload. However, this was mentioned 2.6 times more frequently by Americans (United States [n=40] vs Norway [n=15]). Financial influences regarding health information technology use were of great concern for American physicians but rarely mentioned among Norwegian physicians (United States [n=37] vs Norway [n=6]). Technology dysfunctions were the most common complaint from Norwegian physicians. Participants from each country noted increased frustration among older colleagues. Conclusions Despite differences spanning geographical, organizational, and cultural boundaries, much is to be learned by comparing individual experiences. Both cohorts experienced EHR-related frustrations, although etiology differed. The overall number of complaints was significantly higher among American physicians. This study augments the idea that policy, regulation, and administration have compelling influence on user experience. Global EHR optimization requires additional investigation, and these results help to establish a foundation for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gracie Garcia
- Department of History and Philosophy of Medicine, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Christopher Crenner
- Department of History and Philosophy of Medicine, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS, United States
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Pahlman K, Fehross A, Fox GJ, Silva DS. Ethical health security in the age of antimicrobial resistance. BMJ Glob Health 2022; 7:e007407. [PMID: 34996766 PMCID: PMC8743836 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2021-007407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Owing to its potential human, social and economic costs, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is frequently referred to as a threat to health security. Simultaneously, health security and the preservation of antimicrobials are often described as a global public good. However, how the term 'public good' is used in the context of health security, and the values that underpin it, remains ambiguous. Policymaking is never value-free, and a better examination of such values is critical to understanding how issues such as AMR are problematised and how policy decisions are informed. DESIGN We used McDougall's version of critical interpretive synthesis to capture the recurring concepts and arguments within public policy, political science and applied ethics literature on AMR. Articles were analysed by identifying recurring ideas and developing themes across the literature. RESULTS A total of 77 papers were included in our review. In the context of health security and AMR, the concept of 'public good' appears to be used interchangeably with 'common good', reflecting confusion, but sometimes meaningful differences, regarding how antimicrobials, as a good, are conceived. Main approaches to addressing AMR are statism, globalism and regionalism, which appeal to different values in guiding policymakers. Common justificatory values underpinning preservation of antimicrobials as a public good were prevention of harm, solidarity, justice and rights. CONCLUSION The findings suggest that within the literature there is a lack of conceptual clarity as to whether antimicrobials constitute a public good or a common good. Moreover, the way in which antimicrobials are conceived and the approaches through which AMR as a threat to health security is addressed appear to be grounded in values that are often implicit. Being explicit about the values that underpin AMR and health security is not simply an intellectual exercise but has very real policy and programmatic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kari Pahlman
- Sydney Health Ethics, School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Anson Fehross
- Sydney Health Ethics, School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Greg J Fox
- Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Diego S Silva
- Sydney Health Ethics, School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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How performance targets can ingrain a culture of 'performing out': An ethnography of two Indian primary healthcare facilities. Soc Sci Med 2021; 300:114489. [PMID: 34702616 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 10/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Low- and middle-income country health systems often apply decontextualised and unrealistic performance targets to facilities. This can lead to empty compliance and 'performing out', whereby managers and providers manipulate or inflate data to create the false impression of a functional system. While this is a well-recognised pitfall of audit-style performance accountability processes, the social processes by which these practices emerge has not been well described in the literature. In this paper, with a focus on maternal and newborn care, we seek to better understand how and why the practices of 'performing out' occur, and their implications for health system functioning, organisational culture, and quality of care. We do this through a focused facility ethnography undertaken in two primary healthcare facilities in an eastern Indian state, anonymised as Esma, where practices of 'performing out' are prevalent. We draw on the understanding that health systems are complex adaptive systems encompassing both hardware and software elements, where individual behavioural practices are an outcome of the system as a whole. To unpack how the dynamic interactions between system elements and agents influence individual behaviours, we draw upon the sociological theories of practice of Bourdieu, encompassing the concepts of field, habitus, and capital. This lens helps illustrate how resource scarcity, unyielding application of unrealistic targets with punitive sanctions for non-achievement, and complex power dynamics lead system actors to manipulate data and create documentation to show the achievement of targets that were not actually met. The practices of 'performing out' are shaped by, and in turn shape, the organisational culture of the facilities, with perverse behaviour becoming part of an entrenched habitus - the 'dispositions' of agents that guide behaviour and thinking. In the longer term, the habituation of 'performing out' contributes to a systemic orientation toward sub-par performance, undermining quality of care.
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Saleh BM, Aly EM, Hafiz M, Abdel Gawad RM, El Kheir-Mataria WA, Salama M. Ethical Dimensions of Public Health Actions and Policies With Special Focus on COVID-19. Front Public Health 2021; 9:649918. [PMID: 34409003 PMCID: PMC8365183 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.649918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
During pandemics, the ethicists, public health professionals, and human rights advocates raise a red flag about different public health actions that should, at best, be addressed through integrated, global policies. How to rationalize the healthcare resources and prioritize the cases is not a recent challenge but the serious concern about that is how to achieve this while not increasing the vulnerability of the disadvantaged population. Healthcare professionals use different scoring systems as a part of their decision-making so the medical teams and triage committees can allocate resources for predictable health outcomes and prognosis as well as to appropriately triage the patients accordingly. However, the value of the existing scoring systems to manage COVID-19 cases is not well-established yet. Part of this problem includes managing non-COVID patients with chronic medical conditions like non-communicable diseases and addressing their medical needs during the pandemic complex context in a way to avoid worsening their conditions and, on the other hand, avoid hindering the establishment of comprehensive standards for dealing with COVID-19. In this article, we discuss this dilemma as well as how preexisting ethical standards were challenged by COVID-19. We also discuss how monitoring the consistent application of ethical standards during the medical trials of new medications, vaccines, or unproven medical interventions is also a critical issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Basma M. Saleh
- Institute of Global Health and Human Ecology, School of Science and Engineering, The American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Eman Mohamed Aly
- Institute of Global Health and Human Ecology, School of Science and Engineering, The American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Marwa Hafiz
- Institute of Global Health and Human Ecology, School of Science and Engineering, The American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Rana M. Abdel Gawad
- Institute of Global Health and Human Ecology, School of Science and Engineering, The American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Wafa Abu El Kheir-Mataria
- Institute of Global Health and Human Ecology, School of Science and Engineering, The American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mohamed Salama
- Institute of Global Health and Human Ecology, School of Science and Engineering, The American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt
- Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
- Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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Whyle EB, Olivier J. Towards an Explanation of the Social Value of Health Systems: An Interpretive Synthesis. Int J Health Policy Manag 2021; 10:414-429. [PMID: 32861236 PMCID: PMC9056134 DOI: 10.34172/ijhpm.2020.159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Health systems are complex social systems, and values constitute a central dimension of their complexity. Values are commonly understood as key drivers of health system change, operating across all health systems components and functions. Moreover, health systems are understood to influence and generate social values, presenting an opportunity to harness health systems to build stronger, more cohesive societies. However, there is little investigation (theoretical, conceptual, or empirical) on social values in health policy and systems research (HPSR), particularly regarding the capacity of health systems to influence and generate social values. This study develops an explanatory theory for the 'social value of health systems.' METHODS We present the results of an interpretive synthesis of HPSR literature on social values, drawing on a qualitative systematic review, focusing on claims about the relationship between 'health systems' and 'social values.' We combined relational claims extracted from the literature under a common framework in order to generate new explanatory theory. RESULTS We identify four mechanisms by which health systems are considered to contribute social value to society: Health systems can: (1) offer a unifying national ideal and build social cohesion, (2) influence and legitimise popular attitudes about rights and entitlements with regard to healthcare and inform citizen's understanding of state responsibilities, (3) strengthen trust in the state and legitimise state authority, and (4) communicate the extent to which the state values various population groups. CONCLUSION We conclude that, using a systems-thinking and complex adaptive systems perspective, the above mechanisms can be explained as emergent properties of the dynamic network of values-based connections operating within health systems. We also demonstrate that this theory accounts for how HPSR authors write about the relationship between health systems and social values. Finally, we offer lessons for researchers and policy-makers seeking to bring about values-based change in health systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor Beth Whyle
- Health Policy and Systems Division, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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Abimbola S. The uses of knowledge in global health. BMJ Glob Health 2021; 6:bmjgh-2021-005802. [PMID: 33820807 PMCID: PMC8030475 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2021-005802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Seye Abimbola
- School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia .,Julius Global Health, University Medical Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Khan G, Kagwanja N, Whyle E, Gilson L, Molyneux S, Schaay N, Tsofa B, Barasa E, Olivier J. Health system responsiveness: a systematic evidence mapping review of the global literature. Int J Equity Health 2021; 20:112. [PMID: 33933078 PMCID: PMC8088654 DOI: 10.1186/s12939-021-01447-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The World Health Organisation framed responsiveness, fair financing and equity as intrinsic goals of health systems. However, of the three, responsiveness received significantly less attention. Responsiveness is essential to strengthen systems' functioning; provide equitable and accountable services; and to protect the rights of citizens. There is an urgency to make systems more responsive, but our understanding of responsiveness is limited. We therefore sought to map existing evidence on health system responsiveness. METHODS A mixed method systemized evidence mapping review was conducted. We searched PubMed, EbscoHost, and Google Scholar. Published and grey literature; conceptual and empirical publications; published between 2000 and 2020 and English language texts were included. We screened titles and abstracts of 1119 publications and 870 full texts. RESULTS Six hundred twenty-one publications were included in the review. Evidence mapping shows substantially more publications between 2011 and 2020 (n = 462/621) than earlier periods. Most of the publications were from Europe (n = 139), with more publications relating to High Income Countries (n = 241) than Low-to-Middle Income Countries (n = 217). Most were empirical studies (n = 424/621) utilized quantitative methodologies (n = 232), while qualitative (n = 127) and mixed methods (n = 63) were more rare. Thematic analysis revealed eight primary conceptualizations of 'health system responsiveness', which can be fitted into three dominant categorizations: 1) unidirectional user-service interface; 2) responsiveness as feedback loops between users and the health system; and 3) responsiveness as accountability between public and the system. CONCLUSIONS This evidence map shows a substantial body of available literature on health system responsiveness, but also reveals evidential gaps requiring further development, including: a clear definition and body of theory of responsiveness; the implementation and effectiveness of feedback loops; the systems responses to this feedback; context-specific mechanism-implementation experiences, particularly, of LMIC and fragile-and conflict affected states; and responsiveness as it relates to health equity, minority and vulnerable populations. Theoretical development is required, we suggest separating ideas of services and systems responsiveness, applying a stronger systems lens in future work. Further agenda-setting and resourcing of bridging work on health system responsiveness is suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gadija Khan
- School of Public Health and Family Medicine, Health Policy and Systems Division, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Nancy Kagwanja
- Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)-Wellcome-Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Eleanor Whyle
- School of Public Health and Family Medicine, Health Policy and Systems Division, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Lucy Gilson
- School of Public Health and Family Medicine, Health Policy and Systems Division, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Sassy Molyneux
- Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)-Wellcome-Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Center for Tropical medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Nikki Schaay
- University of the Western Cape, School of Public Health, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Benjamin Tsofa
- Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)-Wellcome-Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Edwine Barasa
- Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)-Wellcome-Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Center for Tropical medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jill Olivier
- School of Public Health and Family Medicine, Health Policy and Systems Division, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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