Clinical practice guidelines within the Southern African Development Community: a descriptive study of the quality of guideline development and concordance with best evidence for five priority diseases

An assessment of variation in quality of hypertension guidelines across income settings using the AGREE II tool

Background

Hypertension affects over one billion people worldwide, posing a significant global health burden. Clinical practice guidelines could play a key role in guiding healthcare providers in improving hypertension management. However, how the quality of hypertension CPGs differs across country income settings is not well understood. This study aims to explore variation in the quality of hypertension CPGs, comparing low-, middle-, and high-income countries, using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II tool.

Methods

A Medline and grey literature search was conducted to identify hypertension CPGs in English from every country from January 2012 to September 2022. Two reviewers independently assessed and scored each CPG against the AGREE II tool. Results were described and the Kruskal-Wallis test was used to test for statistically significant difference in the domain scores across country income groups.

Results

Forty-three CPGs were included for analysis from across income settings. Guidelines from HICs scored higher in four out of the six domains. The highest scoring domain was 4: "clarity and presentation" (median score 83%), the lowest scoring was domain 6 "editorial independence" (median score 0%). Statistically significant differences between income settings were observed for domain 3 "rigour of development" (p <0.001), domain 4 "clarity and presentation" (p = 0.03) and domain 6 "editorial independence" (p = 0.04).

Conclusions

Whilst some variation exists in guideline quality across country income levels, the greatest degree of variation exists across the domains of the AGREE II tool. Global efforts to improve the quality of hypertension guidelines should focus on the transparent statement of editorial independence of guideline committees and apply rigorous replicable methods in the authoring of guidelines. Establishing national and international communities of practice to collaborate across income settings may reduce duplication of resource, allow for shared learning and promote the development of high-quality hypertension CPGs.

Are international guideline recommendations for the management of placenta accreta spectrum applicable in low- and middle-income countries?

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to explore how obstetricians-gynecologists in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) can apply current international clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for the management of placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) in limited resource settings.

METHODS

This was an observational, survey-based study. Clinicians with expertise in managing patients with PAS in LMICs were contacted for their evaluation of the recommendations included in four PAS clinical practice guidelines.

RESULTS

Out of the 158 clinicians contacted, we obtained responses from 65 (41.1%), representing 27 middle income countries (MICs). The results of this survey suggest that the care of PAS patients in middle income countries is very different from what is recommended by international CPGs. Participants in the survey identified that their practice was limited by insufficient availability of hospital infrastructure, low resources of local health systems and lack of trained multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) and this did not enable them to follow CPG recommendations. Two-thirds of the participants surveyed describe the absence of centers of excellence in their country. In over half of the referral hospitals with expertise in managing PAS, there are no MDTs. One-third of patients with intraoperative findings of PAS are managed by the team initially performing the surgery (without additional assistance).

CONCLUSION

The care of patients with PAS in middle income countries frequently deviates from established CPG recommendations largely due to limitations in local resources and infrastructure. New practical guidelines and training programs designed for low resource settings are needed.

Evaluating the impact of the global evidence, local adaptation (GELA) project for enhancing evidence-informed guideline recommendations for newborn and young child health in three African countries: a mixed-methods protocol

BACKGROUND

Poverty-related diseases (PRD) remain amongst the leading causes of death in children under-5 years in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) based on the best available evidence are key to strengthening health systems and helping to enhance equitable health access for children under five. However, the CPG development process is complex and resource-intensive, with substantial scope for improving the process in SSA, which is the goal of the Global Evidence, Local Adaptation (GELA) project. The impact of research on PRD will be maximized through enhancing researchers and decision makers' capacity to use global research to develop locally relevant CPGs in the field of newborn and child health. The project will be implemented in three SSA countries, Malawi, South Africa and Nigeria, over a 3-year period. This research protocol is for the monitoring and evaluation work package of the project. The aim of this work package is to monitor the various GELA project activities and evaluate the influence these may have on evidence-informed decision-making and guideline adaptation capacities and processes. The specific project activities we will monitor include (1) our ongoing engagement with local stakeholders, (2) their capacity needs and development, (3) their understanding and use of evidence from reviews of qualitative research and, (4) their overall views and experiences of the project.

METHODS

We will use a longitudinal, mixed-methods study design, informed by an overarching project Theory of Change. A series of interconnected qualitative and quantitative data collections methods will be used, including knowledge translation tracking sheets and case studies, capacity assessment online surveys, user testing and in-depth interviews, and non-participant observations of project activities. Participants will comprise of project staff, members of the CPG panels and steering committees in Malawi, South Africa and Nigeria, as well as other local stakeholders in these three African countries.

DISCUSSION

Ongoing monitoring and evaluation will help ensure the relationship between researchers and stakeholders is supported from the project start. This can facilitate achievement of common goals and enable researchers in South Africa, Malawi and Nigeria to make adjustments to project activities to maximize stakeholder engagement and research utilization. Ethical approval has been provided by South African Medical Research Council Human Research Ethics Committee (EC015-7/2022); The College of Medicine Research and Ethics Committee, Malawi (P.07/22/3687); National Health Research Ethics Committee of Nigeria (01/01/2007).

Using a priority setting exercise to identify priorities for guidelines on newborn and child health in South Africa, Malawi, and Nigeria

BACKGROUND

Sub-Saharan Africa is the region with the highest under-five mortality rate globally. Child healthcare decisions should be based on rigorously developed evidence-informed guidelines. The Global Evidence, Local Adaptation (GELA) project is enhancing capacity to use global research to develop locally relevant guidelines for newborn and child health in South Africa (SA), Malawi, and Nigeria. The first step in this process was to identify national priorities for newborn and child health guideline development, and this paper describes our approach.

METHODS

We followed a good practice method for priority setting, including stakeholder engagement, online priority setting surveys and consensus meetings, conducted separately in South Africa, Malawi and Nigeria. We established national Steering Groups (SG), comprising 10-13 members representing government, academia, and other stakeholders, identified through existing contacts and references, who helped prioritise initial topics identified by research teams and oversaw the process. Various stakeholders were consulted via online surveys to rate the importance of topics, with results informing consensus meetings with SGs where final priority topics were agreed.

RESULTS

Based on survey results, nine, 10 and 11 topics were identified in SA, Malawi, and Nigeria respectively, which informed consensus meetings. Through voting and discussion within meetings, and further engagement after the meetings, the top three priority topics were identified in each country. In SA, the topics concerned anemia prevention in infants and young children and post-discharge support for caregivers of preterm and LBW babies. In Malawi, they focused on enteral nutrition in critically ill children, diagnosis of childhood cancers in the community, and caring for neonates. In Nigeria, the topics focused on identifying pre-eclampsia in the community, hand hygiene compliance to prevent infections, and enteral nutrition for LBW and preterm infants.

CONCLUSIONS

Through dynamic and iterative stakeholder engagement, we identified three priority topics for guideline development on newborn and child health in SA, Malawi and Nigeria. Topics were specific to contexts, with no overlap, which highlights the importance of contextualised priority setting as well as of the relationships with key decisionmakers who help define the priorities.

Challenges for research uptake for health policymaking and practice in low- and middle-income countries: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

An estimated 85% of research resources are wasted worldwide, while there is growing demand for context-based evidence-informed health policymaking. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), research uptake for health policymaking and practice is even lower, while little is known about the barriers to the translation of health evidence to policy and local implementation. We aimed to compile the current evidence on barriers to uptake of research in health policy and practice in LMICs using scoping review.

METHODS

The scoping review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses-extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) and the Arksey and O'Malley framework. Both published evidence and grey literature on research uptake were systematically searched from major databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, CINAHL (EBSCO), Global Health (Ovid)) and direct Google Scholar. Literature exploring barriers to uptake of research evidence in health policy and practice in LMICs were included and their key findings were synthesized using thematic areas to address the review question.

RESULTS

A total of 4291 publications were retrieved in the initial search, of which 142 were included meeting the eligibility criteria. Overall, research uptake for policymaking and practice in LMICs was very low. The challenges to research uptake were related to lack of understanding of the local contexts, low political priority, poor stakeholder engagement and partnership, resource and capacity constraints, low system response for accountability and lack of communication and dissemination platforms.

CONCLUSION

Important barriers to research uptake, mainly limited contextual understanding and low participation of key stakeholders and ownership, have been identified. Understanding the local research and policy context and participatory evidence production and dissemination may promote research uptake for policy and practice. Institutions that bridge the chasm between knowledge formation, evidence synthesis and translation may play critical role in the translation process.

Evidence-based guidelines for hypertension and diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review

OBJECTIVE

The Collaboration for Evidence-Based Healthcare and Public Health in sub-Saharan Africa (CEBHA+), a research network, aims to build capacities for evidence-based healthcare. Hypertension (HTN) and diabetes mellitus (DM) are two priority areas of the network, both are major causes of burden of disease in this region. This review aimed to: (1) identify existing evidence-based guidelines for HTN and DM, (2) map their recommendations and (3) assess their quality.

SETTING

Sub-Saharan Africa.

DESIGN

Scoping review.

METHODS

Systematic searches for evidence-based guidelines, developed with systematic review of evidence and certainty of evidence assessment, were undertaken in electronic databases and grey literature, and ministries of health of all countries in this region were contacted. Included guidelines were assessed with the Appraisal of Guidelines for research and evaluation II (AGREE-II) tool. Searches were conducted between 7 December 2021 and 14 January 2022. Results are presented descriptively.

RESULTS

66 potentially relevant guidelines were identified, developed in 23, out of 49 sub-Saharan African countries. Of these, only two guidelines (on DM) reported the use of systematic review of evidence and certainty of evidence assessment. Their quality appraisal showed that both have relatively similar scores on domains of AGREE-II, with higher scores on Scope and Purpose and Clarity and Presentation domains, and lower on Stakeholder Involvement, Applicability, Rigour of Development and Editorial independence domains. The overall scores of both guidelines were 50% and 58%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Less than half of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa developed and published their own guidelines for HTN or DM. The quality appraisal showed that the two included guidelines scored relatively low in several crucial domains of AGREE-II. Countries in this region could consider adopting or adapting already published high-quality recommendations, in order to facilitate a more efficient and faster development of much needed trustworthy evidence-based guidance.

Synthesis of clinical practice guideline recommendations for the primary health care of chronic musculoskeletal pain

RATIONALE AND AIMS

The prevalence of chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMSP) is high and rising. The multidimensional impact of CMSP on individuals necessitates multidisciplinary evidence-based strategies to prevent and manage chronic pain. Primary health care (PHC) is the first point of care in many healthcare systems and evidence implementation at this point is important. We aim to describe the process of development of a comprehensive list of evidence-based recommendations derived from different high-quality clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) to inform the PHC healthcare of adults with CMSP.

METHOD

A systematic review was conducted of CPGs that focussed on PHC management of CMSP in adults. CPGs were identified by searching 13 guideline clearinghouses and five online databases. Eligible CPGs were critically appraised using Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation, Version II (AGREE II). A stepwise systematic process was followed to identify a core set of recommendations. This process comprised the following: extract recommendations; analyze recommendations; synthesize recommendations by assimilating similar recommendations; determine the strength of the body of evidence underpinning the recommendations and produce a list of synthesized recommendations.

RESULTS

Six high-quality CPGs were identified, providing 156 recommendations. These were condensed to 42 statements covering topics about the approach to care, assessment, advice and education, referral, pharmacological management, physical therapy, electrotherapy, psychological therapy, complementary therapy and self-management. The set of recommendations encompasses a person-centered approach, collaborative decision making, a biopsychosocial approach, patient education and empowerment towards self-management.

CONCLUSION

The process of developing composite recommendations from multiple CPGs enables end-users to access comprehensive information on managing CMSP in PHC settings that is not available from one singular CPG. The content and evidence base for recommendations varied between CPGs. A similar stepwise process may be used to develop a core set of recommendations for other health conditions, where multiple, diverse CPGs exist.

Collective health research assessment: developing a tool to measure the impact of multistakeholder research initiatives

Background

The need to more collaboratively measure the impact of health research and to do so from multidimensional perspectives has been acknowledged. A scorecard was developed as part of the Collective Research Impact Framework (CRIF), to engage stakeholders in the assessment of the impacts of health research and innovations. The purpose of this study was to describe the developmental process of the MULTI-ACT Master Scorecard (MSC) and how it can be used as a workable tool for collectively assessing future responsible research and innovation measures.

Methods

An extensive review of the health research impact literature and of multistakeholder initiatives resulted in a database of 1556 impact indicators. The MSC was then cocreated by engaging key stakeholders and conducting semi-structured interviews of experts in the field.

Results

The MSC consists of five accountability dimensions: excellence, efficacy, economic, social and patient-reported outcomes. The tool contains 125 potential indicators, classified into 53 impact measurement aspects that are considered the most relevant topics for multistakeholder research and innovation initiatives when assessing their impact on the basis of their mission and their stakeholders’ interests. The scorecard allows the strategic management of multistakeholder research initiatives to demonstrate their impact on people and society. The value of the tool is that it is comprehensive, customizable and easy to use.

Conclusions

The MSC is an example of how the views of society can be taken into account when research impacts are assessed in a more sustainable and balanced way. The engagement of patients and other stakeholders is an integral part of the CRIF, facilitating collaborative decision-making in the design of policies and research agendas. In policy making, the collective approach allows the evaluation perspective to be extended to the needs of society and towards responsible research and innovation. Multidimensionality makes research and innovations more responsive to systemic challenges, and developing more equitable and sustainable health services.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12961-022-00856-9.

The injustice of unfit clinical practice guidelines in low-resource realities

To end the international crisis of preventable deaths in low-income and middle-income countries, evidence-informed and cost-efficient health care is urgently needed, and contextualised clinical practice guidelines are pivotal. However, as exposed by indirect consequences of poorly adapted COVID-19 guidelines, fundamental gaps continue to be reported between international recommendations and realistic best practice. To address this long-standing injustice of leaving health providers without useful guidance, we draw on examples from maternal health and the COVID-19 pandemic. We propose a framework for how global guideline developers can more effectively stratify recommendations for low-resource settings and account for predictable contextual barriers of implementation (eg, human resources) as well as gains and losses (eg, cost-efficiency). Such development of more realistic clinical practice guidelines at the global level will pave the way for simpler and achievable adaptation at local levels. We also urge the development and adaptation of high-quality clinical practice guidelines at national and subnational levels in low-income and middle-income countries through co-creation with end-users, and we encourage global sharing of these experiences.

Guidance we can trust? The status and quality of prehospital clinical guidance in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review

INTRODUCTION

Prehospital care is integral in addressing sub-Saharan Africa's (SSA) high injury and illness burden. Consequently, robust, high-quality prehospital guidance documents are needed to inform care. These guidance documents include, but are not limited to, clinical practice guidelines (CPGs), protocols and algorithms that are contextually appropriate for SSA. However, SSA prehospital guidance mostly originates from the 'Global North,' with limited guidance for Africa by Africans. To strengthen prehospital clinical practice in SSA, we described and appraised all prehospital SSA guidance documents informing clinical decision making.

METHODS

We conducted a scoping review of prehospital-relevant guidance documents, including CPGs, algorithms, protocols and position statements originating from SSA. We performed a comprehensive literature search in various databases (PUBMED and SCOPUS), guideline clearing houses (Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, Trip, and Guidelines International Network), journals, various forms of grey literature and contacted experts. Guidance document screening and data extraction was done independently, in duplicate and reviewed by a third author. Guidance quality was then determined using the AGREE II tool and data were analysed using simple descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

We included 51 guidance documents from 13 countries across SSA after screening 2320 potential documents. The majority of guidance documents lacked an evidence foundation, made recommendations based on expert input, and were predominantly end-user presentations such as algorithms or protocols. Overall, reporting quality was poor, specifically for critical domains such as rigour of development; however, clarity of presentation was generally strong. Guidance topics were focused around resuscitation and common diseases (both communicable and non-communicable) with major gaps identified across a variety of topics; such as mental health for example.

CONCLUSION

The majority of prehospital clinical guidance from SSA provides clinicians with excellent ready to use end-user material. Conversely, most of the guidance documents lack an appropriate evidence foundation and fail to transparently report the guidance development process, highlighting the need to strengthen and build guideline development capacity to promote the transition from eminence-based to evidence-based guidance for prehospital care in SSA. Guideline developers, professional societies and publishers need to be aware of international and local guidance document development and reporting standards in order to produce guidance we can trust.

The path to Family Medicine in Tunisia. Strategic analysis

BACKGROUND

Health system reforms in many countries have shown that the delivery of integrated primary health care services according to family medicine is the most efficient approach to achieve universal health coverage. In Tunisia, the issue is therefore the capacity of our health system to integrate a care approach based on family practice.

AIM

To assess the preparedness to implement family medicine in our country Methodology: this is a qualitative study carried out over a period of 9 months during the year 2017.Based on a WHO protocol addressing the 13 pillars of family practice, our study explores health policy context, actors (using interviews with key informants at national, regional and local level) and health content.

RESULTS

Family practice model is a strategic priority in Tunisia. However, this political recognition suffers from a lack of operationalization, in relation with continuing medical training, registration of patients and families by doctors, referral system, minimum package of essential care/ essential drugs and quality of care monitoring as well as community involvement..

CONCLUSION

Our situation analysis reveals that the delivery of integrated care based on family practice model; enforce to adopt a comprehensive and operational health policy that goes beyond the academic aspects.

Tailored training for physiotherapists on the use of clinical practice guidelines: A mixed methods study

INTRODUCTION

Clinical practice guidelines (CPG) are vehicles for translating evidence into practice, but effective CPG-uptake requires targeted training. This mixed methods research project took a staged evidence-based approach to develop and test a tailored training programme (TTP) that addressed organisational and individual factors influencing CPG-uptake by South African physiotherapists treating patients with low back pain in primary healthcare settings.

METHODS

This multi-stage mixed methods study reports the development, contextualisation and expert content validation of a TTP to improve CPG-uptake. Finally, the TTP was evaluated for its feasibility and acceptability in its current format.

RESULTS

The TTP (delivered online and face-to-face) contained minimal theory, and focussing on practical activities, clinical scenarios and discussions. Pre-TTP, physiotherapists expressed skepticism about the relevance of CPG in daily practice. However, post-TTP they demonstrated improved knowledge, confidence, and commitment to CPG-uptake.

DISCUSSION

The phased-construction of the TTP addressed South African primary healthcare physiotherapists' needs and concerns, using validated evidence-based educational approaches. The TTP content, delivered by podcasts and face-to-face contact, was feasible and acceptable in terms of physiotherapists' time constraints, and it appeared to be effective in improving all outcome domains. This TTP is now ready for intervention to a wider audience.

Enhancing capacity for clinical practice guidelines in South Africa

INTRODUCTION

Use of good quality, evidence-informed and up-to-date clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) has the potential to impact health outcomes. This paper describes the development, implementation and evaluation of a dedicated CPG training course to address the training needs of CPG stakeholders in South Africa.

METHODS

We first reviewed the content and teaching strategies of existing CPG courses. This review consisted of a systematic review of teaching and learning strategies for guideline teams and a document review of existing courses offered by international guideline groups, universities and professional groups. We then strengthened an existing CPG course and evaluated it.

RESULTS

We found no studies on teaching and learning strategies for guideline teams. We identified six CPG courses being offered as full courses (part of a postgraduate degree program) by universities or as independent training for continuing professional education by professional groups. Contents focused on new guideline development. One course included alternative methods of guideline approaches such as contextualization and adaptation. The format varied from face-to-face sessions, to online sessions, group exercises and discussions, seminar format and project based activities. The revised CPG four-month long course that we implemented was designed to be pragmatic, reflective and contextually relevant. It used local guideline examples, authentic tasks, and an online forum for discussions and resources. It covered de novo CPG development, alternative methods of development (adopting, contextualising, adapting), and implementing CPGs. Course evaluation identified strengths and areas for improvement.

CONCLUSION

Dedicated capacity development has potential to positively influence CPG development and implementation.

How are children with cerebral palsy managed in public hospitals of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa?

Background: Medical advances have resulted in the survival of infants who are born prematurely. This makes them at risk of developing neurological manifestations and increases the incidence of children diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP). Physiotherapy plays an important role in the management of children with CP. However, in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) there are challenges for rehabilitation of children presenting with CP due to limited equipment, assistive devices and shortage of health care professionals. The aim of this study was to determine the current physiotherapy management for children presenting with CP in public hospitals of KZNMethods: One hundred and fifty-two physiotherapists were recruited using convenience sampling from different levels of public hospitals in KZN. The design was a cross-sectional study using a survey with a self-designed questionnaire to review current physiotherapy management of CP. The data was analyzed and presented by means of descriptive statisticsResults: Seventy-two participants completed the study indicating a 47.4% response rate with an age range of 31 to 40 years. Thirty-five (48.6%) of participants treated one to ten children with CP each month. Twenty-five (34.7%) used outcome measures to evaluate their CP management. This study showed the most common treatment techniques used by physiotherapists were: postural stabilizing activities - 68 (94.4%); respiratory care - 67 (92.9%); and positioning - 67 (92.9%)Conclusion: Despite challenges by physiotherapists in KZN, the overall management of children with CP was holistic and favorable. The most common treatment approach was postural stabilizing activities with children with CP receiving treatment once a month for 30 minutes.

Comparison of the methodological quality and transparency of Brazilian practice guidelines

This study aims to compare the differences between clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) of the Ministry of Health (MoH) and those of other Brazilian health institutions. A systematic review of Brazilian CPGs was carried out. CPGs with recommendations for the pharmacological treatment of non-communicable disease (NCDs) were included. CPG methodological quality and transparency was independently assessed by 2 reviewers using the AGREE II. CPGs were rated as high, moderate, and low quality (ranging from A to C). Twenty-six CPGs were assessed for quality. MoH CPGs were published more recently, and were of better quality than the others: 6/6 (100%) were rated as Moderate-A. Although CPGs presented a wide range of methodological quality and transparency, MoH CPGs presented better consistency in the preparation method. To avoid confusion and to improve the quality of care within finite resources in Brazil, and to avoid potential bias, conflicts of interest, national CPGs used within SUS should be developed by Conitec with partners who have no conflict of interest.

Extending the RIGHT statement for reporting adapted practice guidelines in healthcare: the RIGHT-Ad@pt Checklist protocol

INTRODUCTION

The adaptation of guidelines is an increasingly used methodology for the efficient development of contextualised recommendations. Nevertheless, there is no specific reporting guidance. The essential Reporting Items of Practice Guidelines in Healthcare (RIGHT) statement could be useful for reporting adapted guidelines, but it does not address all the important aspects of the adaptation process. The objective of our project is to develop an extension of the RIGHT statement for the reporting of adapted guidelines (RIGHT-Ad@pt Checklist).

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

To develop the RIGHT-Ad@pt Checklist, we will use a multistep process that includes: (1) establishment of a Working Group; (2) generation of an initial checklist based on the RIGHT statement; (3) optimisation of the checklist (an initial assessment of adapted guidelines, semistructured interviews, a Delphi consensus survey, an external review by guideline developers and users and a final assessment of adapted guidelines); and (4) approval of the final checklist. At each step of the process, we will calculate absolute frequencies and proportions, use content analysis to summarise and draw conclusions, discuss the results, draft a report and refine the checklist.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

We have obtained a waiver of approval from the Clinical Research Ethics Committee at the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau (Barcelona, Spain). We will disseminate the RIGHT-Ad@pt Checklist by publishing into a peer-reviewed journal, presenting to relevant stakeholders and translating into different languages. We will continuously seek feedback from stakeholders, surveil new relevant evidence and, if necessary, update the checklist.

Evaluation of all African clinical practice guidelines for hypertension: Quality and opportunities for improvement

RATIONALE, AIMS, AND OBJECTIVES

Good-quality clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) provide recommendations based on current best-evidence summaries. Hypertension is a prevalent noncommunicable disease in Africa, with disastrous sequelae (stroke, heart, and kidney disease). Its effective management relies on good quality, current, locally relevant evidence. This paper reports on an all African review of the guidance documents currently informing hypertension management.

METHODS

Attempts were made to contact 62 African countries for formal guidance documents used nationally to inform diagnosis and management of hypertension. Their quality was assessed by using Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation (AGREE) II, scored by 2 independent reviewers. Differences in domain scores were compared between documents written prior to 2011 and 2011 onward. Findings were compared with earlier African CPG reviews.

RESULTS

Guidelines and protocols were provided by 26 countries. Six used country-specific stand-alone hypertension guidelines, and 10 used protocols embedded in Standard Treatment Guidelines for multiple conditions. Six used guidelines developed by the World Health Organization, and 4 indicated ad hoc use of international guidance (US, Portugal, and Brazil). Only 1 guidance document met CPG construction criteria, and none scored well on all AGREE domain scores. The lowest-scoring domain was rigour of development. There was no significant quality difference between pre-2011 and post-2011 guidance documents, and there were variable AGREE II scores for the same CPGs when comparing the African reviews.

CONCLUSIONS

The quality of hypertension guidance used by African nations could be improved. The need for so many guidance documents is questioned. Adopting a common evidence base from international good-quality CPGs and layering it with local contexts offer 1 way to efficiently improve African hypertension CPG quality and implementation.

An innovative method for clinical practice guideline contextualisation for chronic musculoskeletal pain in the South African context

BACKGROUND

Clinical guidelines produced in developed nations may not be appropriate in resource-constrained environments, due to differences in cultural, societal, economic and policy contexts. The purpose of this article is to describe an innovative and resource-efficient method to develop a clinical practice guideline (CPG), using the CPG contextualisation approach.

METHODS

The four phased contextualisation framework was applied to produce a contextualised, multidisciplinary CPG for the primary health care of adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMSP) in the South African context. The four phases were: a contextual analysis, evidence synthesis, contextual integration and external evaluation. Qualitative methodology was used to investigate context factors influencing health care in this environment. A systematic review was conducted to identify current, high-quality CPGs on the topic, and to synthesise a core set of clinical recommendations from the CPGs. Consensus methods were used to integrate context information with recommendations. A multidisciplinary panel of local experts authenticated and contextualised recommendations. The resultant CPG was externally reviewed using a survey.

RESULTS

The results from the contextual analysis phase indicated a wide range of contextual factors that could influence the applicability and implementability of the recommendations, including: the personal characteristics of the patient and clinician, social and environmental circumstances, healthcare interventions available, and healthcare system factors. During phase two, six existent high quality CPGs were identified and a core set of multidisciplinary recommendations were sourced from them. The contextual integration phase produced the validated recommendations, accompanied by its underpinning body of evidence and context specific information. The outcome of phase four (external review) was that the recommendations were confirmed as relevant for the intended setting.

CONCLUSION

CPG contextualisation was found to be a practical approach to develop a contextualised multidisciplinary CPG for the primary health care of adults with CMSP in a South African setting. The contextualisation approach enhanced the integration of multiple stakeholder perspectives and highlighted the importance of considering clinical, social and economic complexities during CPG development. Attention to contextual information is advocated to enhance the uptake of CPG recommendations, particularly in resource constrained settings.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Health Research Ethics Committee of Stellenbosch University, South Africa (S14/01/018); the review protocol was registered on PROSPERO (registration number CRD42015022098 ).

Global emergency care clinical practice guidelines: A landscape analysis

INTRODUCTION

An adaptive guideline development method, as opposed to a de novo guideline development, is dependent on access to existing high-quality up-to-date clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). We described the characteristics and quality of CPGs relevant to prehospital care worldwide, in order to strengthen guideline development in low-resource settings for emergency care.

METHODS

We conducted a descriptive study of a database of international CPGs relevant to emergency care produced by the African Federation for Emergency Medicine (AFEM) CPG project in 2016. Guideline quality was assessed with the AGREE II tool, independently and in duplicate. End-user documents such as protocols, care pathways, and algorithms were excluded. Data were imported, managed, and analysed in STATA 14 and R.

RESULTS

In total, 276 guidelines were included. Less than 2% of CPGs originated from low- and middle income-countries (LMICs); only 15% (n = 38) of guidelines were prehospital specific, and there were no CPGs directly applicable to prehospital care in LMICs. Most guidelines used de novo methods (58%, n = 150) and were produced by professional societies or associations (63%, n = 164), with the minority developed by international bodies (3%, n = 7). National bodies, such as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN), produced higher quality guidelines when compared to international guidelines, professional societies, and clinician/academic-produced guidelines. Guideline quality varied across topics, subpopulations and producers. Resource-constrained guideline developers that cannot afford de novo guideline development have access to an expanding pool of high-quality prehospital guidelines to translate to their local setting.

DISCUSSION

Although some high-quality CPGs exist relevant to emergency care, none directly address the needs of prehospital care in LMICs, especially in Africa. Strengthening guideline development capacity, including adaptive guideline development methods that use existing high-quality CPGs, is a priority.

National stakeholders' perceptions of the processes that inform the development of national clinical practice guidelines for primary healthcare in South Africa

Background

There is increased international focus on improving the rigour of clinical practice guideline (CPG) development practices. However, few empirical studies on CPG development have been conducted in low- and middle-income countries. This paper explores national stakeholders’ perceptions of processes informing CPG development for primary healthcare in South Africa, focusing on both their aspirations and views of what is actually occurring.

Methods

A qualitative study design was employed including individual interviews with 37 South African primary care CPG development role-players. Participants represented various disciplines, sectors and provinces. The data were analysed through thematic analysis and an interpretivist conceptual framework.

Results

Strongly reflecting current international standards, participants identified six ‘aspirational’ processes that they thought should inform South African CPG development, as follows: (1) evidence; (2) stakeholder consultation; (3) transparency; (4) management of interests; (5) communication/co-ordination between CPG development groups; and (6) fit-for-context. While perceptions of a transition towards more robust processes was common, CPG development was seen to face ongoing challenges with regards to all six aspirational processes. Many challenges were attributed to inadequate financial and human resources, which were perceived to hinder capacity to undertake the necessary methodological work, respond to stakeholders’ feedback, and document and share decision-making processes. Challenges were also linked to a complex web of politics, power and interests. The CPG development arena was described as saturated with personal and financial interests, groups competing for authority over specific territories and unequal power dynamics which favour those with the time, resources and authority to make contributions. These were all perceived to affect efforts for transparency, collaboration and inclusivity in CPG development.

Conclusion

While there is strong commitment amongst national stakeholders to advance CPG development processes, a mix of values, politics, power and capacity constraints pose significant challenges. Contrasting perspectives regarding managing interests and how best to adapt to within-country contexts requires further exploration. Dedicated resources for CPG development, standardised systems for managing conflicting interests, and the development of a political environment that fosters collaboration and more equitable inclusion within and between CPG development groups are needed. These initiatives may enhance CPG quality and acceptability, with associated positive impact on patient care.

Next generation clinical guidance for primary care in South Africa - credible, consistent and pragmatic

BACKGROUND

Agreed international development standards underpin high quality de novo clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). There is however, no international consensus on how high quality CPGs should 'look'; or on whether high quality CPGs from one country can be viably implemented elsewhere. Writing de novo CPGs is generally resource-intensive and expensive, making this challenging in resource-poor environments. This paper proposes an alternative, efficient method of producing high quality CPGs in such circumstances, using existing CPGs layered by local knowledge, contexts and products.

METHODS

We undertook a mixed methods case study in South African (SA) primary healthcare (PHC), building on findings from four independent studies. These comprised an overview of international CPG activities; a rapid literature review on international CPG development practices; critical appraisal of 16 purposively-sampled SA PHC CPGs; and additional interrogation of these CPGs regarding how, why and for whom, they had been produced, and how they 'looked'.

RESULTS

Despite a common aim to improve SA PHC healthcare practices, the included CPGs had different, unclear and inconsistent production processes, terminology and evidence presentation styles. None aligned with international quality standards. However many included innovative succinct guidance for end-users (which we classified as evidence-based summary recommendations, patient management tools or protocols). We developed a three-tiered model, a checklist and a glossary of common terms, for more efficient future production of better quality, contextually-relevant, locally-implementable SA PHC CPGs. Tier 1 involves transparent synthesis of existing high quality CPG recommendations; Tier 2 reflects local expertise to layer Tier 1 evidence with local contexts; and Tier 3 comprises tailored locally-relevant end-user guidance.

CONCLUSION

Our model could be relevant for any resource-poor environment. It should reduce effort and costs in finding and synthesising available research evidence, whilst efficiently focusing scant resources on contextually-relevant evidence-based guidance, and implementation.

Evaluating the effects of organizational and educational interventions on adherence to clinical practice guidelines in a low-resource primary-care setting in Kenya

Background

Mid-level care providers serve as the backbone of primary care in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Despite this, research suggests that the quality and consistency of this care is uneven. This study assessed the degree to which a set of four simple, low-cost interventions could improve adherence to a set of clinical quality measures (CQMs) associated with four common health conditions seen in a resource-constrained primary care setting.

Methods

A quasi-experimental, longitudinal study was carried out in three primary care clinics in Nairobi, Kenya from August 2014 to January, 2015. Mid-level clinical officers (COs) at each clinic participated in four interventions aimed at improving CQM adherence. A group of temporary COs acted as a control group. Clinical encounter data were abstracted from eligible medical charts and assessed for CQM adherence. Mixed-effects logistic regression models were then fitted to these data to determine whether adherence to CQMs improved over time, and if this adherence differed by provider type and other characteristics.

Results

Adherence to CQMs increased from 41.4% to 77.1% for COs that took part in the intervention, and dropped slightly from 26.5% to 21.8% for temporary COs over the 6-month study period. This difference was statistically different between treatment groups and suggests that environmental interventions alone cannot change behaviour. Adherence also varied significantly by health condition, but did not vary by provider gender, age or clinic site.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates the potential for low-tech, low-cost interventions to improve the quality of care delivered by mid-level care providers in resource-constrained settings. Given the widespread utilization of mid-level care providers across sub-Saharan Africa, multicomponent interventions such as this one, that consist of simple educational modules and clinic-based feedback sessions, could lead to substantial improvements in the quality of primary care in these settings.

Developing a Clinician Friendly Tool to Identify Useful Clinical Practice Guidelines: G-TRUST

BACKGROUND

Clinicians are faced with a plethora of guidelines. To rate guidelines, they can select from a number of evaluation tools, most of which are long and difficult to apply. The goal of this project was to develop a simple, easy-to-use checklist for clinicians to use to identify trustworthy, relevant, and useful practice guidelines, the Guideline Trustworthiness, Relevance, and Utility Scoring Tool (G-TRUST).

METHODS

A modified Delphi process was used to obtain consensus of experts and guideline developers regarding a checklist of items and their relative impact on guideline quality. We conducted 4 rounds of sampling to refine wording, add and subtract items, and develop a scoring system. Multiple attribute utility analysis was used to develop a weighted utility score for each item to determine scoring.

RESULTS

Twenty-two experts in evidence-based medicine, 17 developers of high-quality guidelines, and 1 consumer representative participated. In rounds 1 and 2, items were rewritten or dropped, and 2 items were added. In round 3, weighted scores were calculated from rankings and relative weights assigned by the expert panel. In the last round, more than 75% of experts indicated 3 of the 8 checklist items to be major indicators of guideline usefulness and, using the AGREE tool as a reference standard, a scoring system was developed to identify guidelines as useful, may not be useful, and not useful.

CONCLUSION

The 8-item G-TRUST is potentially helpful as a tool for clinicians to identify useful guidelines. Further research will focus on its reliability when used by clinicians.

Developing guidelines in low-income and middle-income countries: lessons from Kenya

There are few examples of sustained nationally organised, evidence-informed clinical guidelines development processes in Sub-Saharan Africa. We describe the evolution of efforts from 2005 to 2015 to support evidence-informed decision making to guide admission hospital care practices in Kenya. The approach to conduct reviews, present evidence, and structure and promote transparency of consensus-based procedures for making recommendations improved over four distinct rounds of policy making. Efforts to engage important voices extended from government and academia initially to include multiple professional associations, regulators and practitioners. More than 100 people have been engaged in the decision-making process; an increasing number outside the research team has contributed to the conduct of systematic reviews, and 31 clinical policy recommendations has been developed. Recommendations were incorporated into clinical guideline booklets that have been widely disseminated with a popular knowledge and skills training course. Both helped translate evidence into practice. We contend that these efforts have helped improve the use of evidence to inform policy. The systematic reviews, Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approaches and evidence to decision-making process are well understood by clinicians, and the process has helped create a broad community engaged in evidence translation together with a social or professional norm to use evidence in paediatric care in Kenya. Specific sustained efforts should be made to support capacity and evidence-based decision making in other African settings and clinical disciplines.

Primary care clinical practice guidelines in South Africa: qualitative study exploring perspectives of national stakeholders

BACKGROUND

Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) are common tools in policy and clinical practice informing clinical decisions at the bedside, governance of health facilities, health insurer and government spending, and patient choices. South Africa's health sector is transitioning to a national health insurance system, aiming to build on other primary health care initiatives to transform the previously segregated, inequitable services. Within these plans CPGs are an integral tool for delivering standardised and cost effective care. Currently, there is no accepted standard approach to developing, adapting or implementing CPGs efficiently or effectively in South Africa. We explored the current players; drivers; and the context and processes of primary care CPG development from the perspective of stakeholders operating at national level.

METHODS

We used a qualitative approach. Sampling was initially purposeful, followed by snowballing and further sampling to reach representivity of primary care service providers. Individual in-depth interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. We used thematic content analysis to analyse the data.

RESULTS

We conducted 37 in-depth interviews from June 2014-July 2015. We found CPG development and implementation were hampered by lack of human and funding resources for technical and methodological work; fragmentation between groups, and between national and provincial health sectors; and lack of agreed systems for CPG development and implementation. Some CPG contributors steadfastly work to improve processes aiming to enhance communication, use of evidence, and transparency to ensure credible guidance is produced. Many interviewed had shared values, and were driven to address inequity, however, resource gaps were perceived to create an enabling environment for commercial interests or personal agendas to drive the CPG development process.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings identified strengths and gaps in CPG development processes, and a need for national standards to guide CPG development and implementation. Based on our findings and suggestions from participants, a possible way forward would be for South Africa to have a centrally coordinated CPG unit to address these needs and aspects of fragmentation by devising processes that support collaboration, transparency and credibility across sectors and disciplines. Such an initiative will require adequate resourcing to build capacity and ensure support for the delivery of high quality CPGs for South African primary care.

Results of an Integrative Analysis: A Call for Contextualizing HIV and AIDS Clinical Practice Guidelines to Support Evidence-Based Practice

Background

Practice guidelines aim to improve the standard of care for people living with HIV/AIDS. Successfully implementing guidelines requires tailoring them to populations served and to social and organizational influences on care.

Aims

To examine dimensions of context, which nurses and midwives described as having a significant impact on their care of patients living with HIV/AIDS in Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, and Jamaica and to determine whether HIV/AIDS guidelines include adaptations congruent with these dimensions of context.

Methods

Two sets of data were used. The first came from a qualitative study. In‐depth interviews were conducted with purposively selected nurses, midwives, and nurse managers from 21 districts in four study countries. A coding framework was iteratively developed and themes inductively identified. Context dimensions were derived from these themes. A second data set of published guidelines for HIV/AIDS care was then assembled. Guidelines were identified through Google and PubMed searches. Using a deductive integrative analysis approach, text related to context dimensions was extracted from guidelines and categorized into problem and strategy statements.

Results

Ninety‐six individuals participated in qualitative interviews. Four discrete dimensions of context were identified: health workforce adequacy, workplace exposure risk, workplace consequences for nurses living with HIV/AIDS, and the intersection of work and family life. Guidelines most often acknowledged health human resource constraints and presented mitigation strategies to offset them, and least often discussed workplace consequences and the intersections of family and work life.

Linking Evidence to Action

Guidelines should more consistently acknowledge diverse implementation contexts, propose how recommendations can be adapted to these realities, and suggest what role frontline healthcare providers have in realizing the structural changes necessary for healthier work environments and better patient care. Guideline recommendations should include more explicit advice on adapting their recommendations to different care conditions.

Clinical practice guidelines for the management of chronic musculoskeletal pain in primary healthcare: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Up-to-date, high quality, evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) that are applicable for primary healthcare are vital to optimize services for the population with chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMSP). The study aimed to systematically identify and appraise the available evidence-based CPGs for the management of CMSP in adults presenting in primary healthcare settings.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted. Twelve guideline clearinghouses and six electronic databases were searched for eligible CPGs published between the years 2000 and May 2015. CPGs meeting the inclusion criteria were appraised by three reviewers using the Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II.

RESULTS

Of the 1082 records identified, 34 were eligible, and 12 CPGs were included based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The methodological rigor of CPG development was highly variable, and the median domain score was 66%. The median score for stakeholder involvement was 64%. The lowest median score was obtained for the domain applicability (48%). There was inconsistent use of frameworks to aggregate the level of evidence and the strength of the recommendation in the included CPGs. The scope and content of the included CPGs focussed on opioid prescription.

CONCLUSION

Numerous CPGs that are applicable for the primary healthcare of CMSP exists, varying in their scope and methodological quality. This study highlights specific elements to enhance the development and reporting of CPGs, which may play a role in the uptake of guidelines into clinical practice. These elements include enhanced reporting of methodological aspects, the use of frameworks to enhance decision making processes, the inclusion of patient preferences and values, and the consideration of factors influencing applicability of recommendations.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42015022098 .

Developing the Botswana Primary Care Guideline: an integrated, symptom-based primary care guideline for the adult patient in a resource-limited setting

BACKGROUND

Botswana's health care system is based on a primary care model. Various national guidelines exist for specific diseases. However, most of the guidelines address management at a tertiary level and often appear nonapplicable for the limited resources in primary care facilities. An integrated symptom-based guideline was developed so as to translate the Botswana national guidelines to those applicable in primary care. The Botswana Primary Care Guideline (BPCG) integrates the care of communicable diseases, including HIV/AIDS and noncommunicable diseases, by frontline primary health care workers.

METHODS

The Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana, together with guideline developers from the Knowledge Translation Unit (University of Cape Town) collaborated with the Ministry of Health to develop the guideline. Stakeholder groups were set up to review specific content of the guideline to ensure compliance with Botswana government policy and the essential drug list.

RESULTS

Participants included clinicians, academics, patient advocacy groups, and policymakers from different disciplines, both private and public. Drug-related issues were identified as necessary for implementing recommendations of the guideline. There was consensus by working groups for updating the essential drug list for primary care and expansion of prescribing rights of trained nurse prescribers in primary care within their scope of practice. An integrated guideline incorporating common symptoms of diseases seen in the Botswana primary care setting was developed.

CONCLUSION

The development of the BPCG took a broad consultative approach with buy in from relevant stakeholders. It is anticipated that implementation of the BPCG will translate into better patient outcomes as similar projects elsewhere have done.

Series: Clinical Epidemiology in South Africa. Paper 1: Evidence-based health care and policy in Africa: past, present, and future

Africa has high disease burden and health system challenges but is making progress in recognizing, accepting, and adopting evidence-based health care (EBHC). In this article, we reflect on the developments of the past 2 decades and consider further steps that will help with the translation of reliable research results into the decision making process. There has been a rapid growth in various initiatives to promote EBHC in the African region. These include the conduct and reporting of primary and secondary research, research capacity development and supportive initiatives, access to information, and work with decision makers in getting research into clinical guidelines and health policies. Much, however, still needs to be done to improve the impact on health in the region. A multipronged approach consisting of regionally relevant well-conducted research addressing priority health problems, increased uptake of research in health care policy and practice, dedicated capacity development initiatives to support the conduct as well as use of research, facilitated by wider collaboration, and equitable partnerships will be important. Working together in mutually supporting partnerships is key to advancing both evidence-informed health care practices and better health.

South African clinical practice guidelines quality measured with complex and rapid appraisal instruments

BACKGROUND

Critically appraising the quality of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) is an essential element of evidence implementation. Critical appraisal considers the quality of CPG construction and reporting processes, and the credibility of the body of evidence underpinning recommendations. To date, the focus on CPG critical appraisal has come from researchers and evaluators, using complex appraisal instruments. Rapid critical appraisal is a relatively new approach for CPGs, which targets busy end-users such as service managers and clinicians. This paper compares the findings of two critical appraisal instruments: a rapid instrument (iCAHE) and a complex instrument (AGREE II). They were applied independently to 16 purposively-sampled, heterogeneous South African CPGs, written for eleven primary health care conditions/health areas. Overall scores, and scores in the two instruments' common domains Scope and Purpose, Stakeholder involvement, Underlying evidence/Rigour of Development, Clarity), were compared using Pearson r correlations and intraclass correlation coefficients. CPGs with differences of 10 % or greater between scores were identified and reasons sought for such differences. The time taken to apply the instruments was recorded.

RESULTS

Both instruments identified the generally poor quality of the included CPGs, particularly in Rigour of Development. Correlation and agreement between instrument scores was moderate, and there were no overall significant score differences. Large differences in scores for some CPGs could be explained by differences in instrument construction and focus, and CPG construction. The iCAHE instrument was demonstrably quicker to use than the AGREE II instrument.

CONCLUSIONS

Either instrument could be used with confidence to assess the quality of CPGs. The choice of appraisal instrument depends on the needs and time of end-users. Having an alternative (rapid) critical appraisal tool will potentially encourage busy end-users to identify and use good quality CPGs to inform practice decisions.

Clinical practice guidelines for hypertension in China: a systematic review of the methodological quality

OBJECTIVE

Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) provide clinicians with specific recommendations for practice, but due to the increasing number of CPGs developed by diverse organisations over the past few years, there are concerns about the quality of some CPGs. This paper proposes a systematic review of the methodological quality of the CPGs for hypertension that were developed in China.

DESIGN

A systematic review of CPGs for the management of hypertension in adult patients in China.

DATA RESOURCES

Chinese electronic databases, Chinese guideline websites and Google Scholar were searched, and the reference lists of relevant publications were also screened for additional information. CPGs for the management of hypertension in adult patients were identified. The main characteristics of the CPGs were extracted, and the scaled Appraisal of Guidelines, REsearch and Evaluation II (AGREE II) domain percentages were independently evaluated by two reviewers.

RESULTS

A total of 17 CPGs, with publication dates ranging from 2001 to 2011, were identified. There was considerable variation in the quality of the CPGs across the AGREE II domains. Overall, the domains of 'rigor of development' and 'editorial independence' were poorly addressed, with an average score of 18% and 16%, respectively. Also less well addressed were the 'stakeholder involvement' and 'applicability' domains, for which the average domain scores were 28% and 20%, respectively. The CPGs performance was less problematic in the domains of 'scope and purpose' and 'clarity and presentation', with a median of 41% for both. After considering the domain scores, 8 CPGs could be recommended with modification for use.

CONCLUSIONS

There is considerable room for improvement of the methodological quality of CPGs for hypertension in China. Greater efforts should to be devoted to ensure the explicit and transparent reporting of potential conflicts of interest of stakeholders, and to consider the quality of the evidence and grade recommendations in the CPG development process.

New directions in evidence-based policy research: a critical analysis of the literature

Despite 40 years of research into evidence-based policy (EBP) and a continued drive from both policymakers and researchers to increase research uptake in policy, barriers to the use of evidence are persistently identified in the literature. However, it is not clear what explains this persistence - whether they represent real factors, or if they are artefacts of approaches used to study EBP. Based on an updated review, this paper analyses this literature to explain persistent barriers and facilitators. We critically describe the literature in terms of its theoretical underpinnings, definitions of 'evidence', methods, and underlying assumptions of research in the field, and aim to illuminate the EBP discourse by comparison with approaches from other fields. Much of the research in this area is theoretically naive, focusing primarily on the uptake of research evidence as opposed to evidence defined more broadly, and privileging academics' research priorities over those of policymakers. Little empirical data analysing the processes or impact of evidence use in policy is available to inform researchers or decision-makers. EBP research often assumes that policymakers do not use evidence and that more evidence - meaning research evidence - use would benefit policymakers and populations. We argue that these assumptions are unsupported, biasing much of EBP research. The agenda of 'getting evidence into policy' has side-lined the empirical description and analysis of how research and policy actually interact in vivo. Rather than asking how research evidence can be made more influential, academics should aim to understand what influences and constitutes policy, and produce more critically and theoretically informed studies of decision-making. We question the main assumptions made by EBP researchers, explore the implications of doing so, and propose new directions for EBP research, and health policy.

Systematic monitoring of male circumcision scale-up in Nyanza, Kenya: exploratory factor analysis of service quality instrument and performance ranking

BACKGROUND

Considerable conceptual and operational complexities related to service quality measurements and variability in delivery contexts of scaled-up medical male circumcision, pose real challenges to monitoring implementation of quality and safety. Clarifying latent factors of the quality instruments can enhance contextual applicability and the likelihood that observed service outcomes are appropriately assessed.

OBJECTIVE

To explore factors underlying SYMMACS service quality assessment tool (adopted from the WHO VMMC quality toolkit) and; determine service quality performance using composite quality index derived from the latent factors.

STUDY DESIGN

Using a comparative process evaluation of Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision Scale-Up in Kenya site level data was collected among health facilities providing VMMC over two years. Systematic Monitoring of the Medical Male Circumcision Scale-Up quality instrument was used to assess availability of guidelines, supplies and equipment, infection control, and continuity of care services. Exploratory factor analysis was performed to clarify quality structure.

RESULTS

Fifty four items and 246 responses were analyzed. Based on Eigenvalue >1.00 cut-off, factors 1, 2 & 3 were retained each respectively having eigenvalues of 5.78; 4.29; 2.99. These cumulatively accounted for 29.1% of the total variance (12.9%; 9.5%; 6.7%) with final communality estimates being 13.06. Using a cut-off factor loading value of ≥0.4, fifteen items loading on factor 1, five on factor 2 and one on factor 3 were retained. Factor 1 closely relates to preparedness to deliver safe male circumcisions while factor two depicts skilled task performance and compliance with protocols. Of the 28 facilities, 32% attained between 90th and 95th percentile (excellent); 45% between 50th and 75th percentiles (average) and 14.3% below 25th percentile (poor).

CONCLUSION

the service quality assessment instrument may be simplified to have nearly 20 items that relate more closely to service outcomes. Ranking of facilities and circumcision procedure using a composite index based on these items indicates that majority performed above average.

Knowledge translation: a case study on pneumonia research and clinical guidelines in a low- income country

BACKGROUND

The process and effectiveness of knowledge translation (KT) interventions targeting policymakers are rarely reported. In Cambodia, a low-income country (LIC), an intervention aiming to provide evidence-based knowledge on pneumonia to health authorities was developed to help update pediatric and adult national clinical guidelines. Through a case study, we assessed the effectiveness of this KT intervention, with the goal of identifying the barriers to KT and suggest strategies to facilitate KT in similar settings.

METHODS

An extensive search for all relevant sources of data documenting the processes of updating adult and pediatric pneumonia guidelines was done. Documents included among others, reports, meeting minutes, and email correspondences. The study was conducted in successive phases: an appraisal of the content of both adult and pediatric pneumonia guidelines; an appraisal of the quality of guidelines by independent experts, using the AGREE-II instrument; a description and modeling of the KT process within the guidelines updating system, using the Unified Modeling Language (UML) tools 2.2; and the listing of the barriers and facilitators to KT we identified during the study.

RESULTS

The first appraisal showed that the integration of the KT key messages in pediatric and adult guidelines varied with a better efficiency in the pediatric guidelines. The overall AGREE-II quality assessments scored 37% and 44% for adult and pediatric guidelines, respectively. Scores were lowest for the domains of 'rigor of development' and 'editorial independence.' The UML analysis highlighted that time frames and constraints of the involved stakeholders greatly differed and that there were several missed opportunities to translate on evidence into the adult pneumonia guideline. Seventeen facilitating factors and 18 potential barriers to KT were identified. Main barriers were related to the absence of a clear mandate from the Ministry of Health for the researchers and to a lack of synchronization between knowledge production and policy-making.

CONCLUSIONS

Study findings suggest that stakeholders, both researchers and policy makers planning to update clinical guidelines in LIC may need methodological support to overcome the expected barriers.

Appraisal of guidelines developed by the World Health Organization

OBJECTIVE

To appraise the quality of guidelines developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) that were approved by its Guidelines Review Committee (GRC) and identify strengths and weaknesses in the guideline development process.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional.

METHODS

Three individuals independently assessed GRC-approved WHO guidelines using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II instrument (AGREE II). Scores were standardized across domains and overall quality was determined through consensus.

RESULTS

124 guidelines met inclusion criteria and were assessed. 58 guidelines were recommended for use, 58 were recommended with modifications and eight were not recommended. The highest scoring domains across guidelines were scope and purpose, and clarity of presentation. The recommended guidelines had higher rigor of development and applicability domain scores in comparison to other guidelines. 77% of the guidelines referenced an underlying evidence review and 49% used GRADE to assess the body of evidence or the strength of the recommendation. The domains in need of improvement included stakeholder engagement, editorial independence, and applicability. Guidelines not recommended for use were generally insufficient in their rigor of development.

CONCLUSIONS

WHO guidelines need further improvement, most importantly in the rigor of their development (i.e., use of evidence reviews). Other areas for improvement include increased stakeholder engagement, a more explicit process for recommendation formulation and disclosure of interests, discussion of the facilitators, barriers, resource implications, and criteria for monitoring the outcomes of guideline implementation. WHO guidelines can improve through increased transparency, adherence to the WHO Handbook for Guideline Development, and better oversight by the GRC.

Determinants of implementation of maternal health guidelines in Kosovo: mixed methods study

Background

One of the challenges to implementing clinical practice guidelines is the need to adapt guidelines to the local context and identify barriers to their uptake. Several models of framework are available to consider for use in guideline adaptation.

Methods

We completed a multiphase study to explore the implementation of maternal health guidelines in Kosovo, focusing on determinants of uptake and methods to contextualize for local use. The study involved a survey, individual interviews, focus groups, and a consensus meeting with relevant stakeholders, including clinicians (obstetricians, midwives), managers, researchers, and policy makers from the national Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization office in Pristina, Kosovo.

Results

Participants identified several important barriers to implementation. First, lack of communication between clinicians and ministry representatives was seen as leading to duplication of effort in creating or adapting guidelines, as well as substantial mistrust between clinicians and policy makers. Second, there was a lack of communication across clinical groups that provide obstetric care and a lack of integration across the entire healthcare system, including rural and urban centers. This fragmentation was thought to have directly resulted from the war in 1998 – 1999. Third, the conflict substantially and adversely affected the healthcare infrastructure in Kosovo, which has resulted in an inability to monitor quality of care across the country. Furthermore, the impact on infrastructure has affected the ability to access required medications consistently and to smoothly transfer patients from rural to urban centers. Another issue raised during this project was the appropriateness of including guideline recommendations perceived to be ‘aspirational’.

Conclusions

Implementing clinical practice guidelines in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) requires consideration of several specific barriers. Particularly pertinent to this study were the effects of recent conflict and the resulting fragmentation of healthcare and communication strategies among relevant stakeholders. However, as Kosovo rebuilds and invests in infrastructure after the conflict, there is a tremendous opportunity to create comprehensive, thoughtful strategies to monitor and improve quality of care. To avoid duplication of effort, it may be beneficial for LMICs to share information on assessing barriers as well as on guideline implementation strategies.

Better drug therapy for the children of Africa: current impediments to success and potential strategies for improvement

A commentary is presented on the urgent need for a comprehensive effort to improve the practice of pediatric therapeutics in Africa. A call for action is addressed to a variety of practitioners internationally, many of whom possess skills that could be fruitfully applied to the improvement of health outcomes for African children. Successful engagement with the many challenges requires the complementary effort of researchers in basic and clinical pharmacology and toxicology, nurses, pharmacists, physicians, clinical pharmacologists, clinical pharmacists, and political leaders and civil servants. While a comprehensive or systematic review of the relevant literature has not been attempted, the authors have highlighted promising initiatives driven by international agencies and academic networks. Two African perspectives are presented to reinforce the prospect of child health gains that can be achieved through consistent pursuit of optimal therapy for conditions such as respiratory infection, diarrhea, malaria, and HIV/AIDS. There is an imperative for development of north-south and south-south partnerships that will amplify current research efforts and mobilize existing knowledge concerning pediatric drugs. The overall goal is a multidisciplinary commitment to making essential medicines available at the right time, the right place, and in the right formulation for African children from infancy to adolescence.

Towards health in all policies for childhood obesity prevention

The childhood obesity epidemic can be best tackled by means of an integrated approach, which is enabled by integrated public health policies, or Health in All Policies. Integrated policies are developed through intersectoral collaboration between local government policy makers from health and nonhealth sectors. Such intersectoral collaboration has been proved to be difficult. In this study, we investigated which resources influence intersectoral collaboration. The behavior change wheel framework was used to categorize motivation-, capability-, and opportunity-related resources for intersectoral collaboration. In-depth interviews were held with eight officials representing 10 non-health policy sectors within a local government. Results showed that health and non-health policy sectors did not share policy goals, which decreased motivation for intersectoral collaboration. Awareness of the linkage between health and nonhealth policy sectors was limited, and management was not involved in creating such awareness, which reduced the capability for intersectoral collaboration. Insufficient organizational resources and structures reduced opportunities for intersectoral collaboration. To stimulate intersectoral collaboration to prevent childhood obesity, we recommend that public health professionals should reframe health goals in the terminology of nonhealth policy sectors, that municipal department managers should increase awareness of public health in non-health policy sectors, and that flatter organizational structures should be established.