Determining Contextual Factors for a Heart Failure Self-Care Intervention: A Consensus Delphi Study (ACHIEVE)

There is a rising recognition of the crucial role self-care plays in managing heart failure (HF). Yet patients often have difficulties implementing ongoing self-care recommendations into their daily lives. There is also recognition of the importance of theory for successful intervention design, and understanding of key factors for implementation so interventions fit a given context. Local key stakeholders can provide valuable insights to help understand relevant context-specific factors for intervention implementation. This study sought to engage stakeholders to explore and determine relevant contextual factors needed to design and facilitate successful implementation of an HF self-care intervention in the German health care system. A ranking-type Delphi approach was used to establish consensus from stakeholders (i.e., clinicians, patients, policymakers/potential funders) regarding eight factors (content, interventionist, target group, location, mode of delivery, intensity, duration, and format) to adequately define the components and implementation strategy of the intervention. Seventeen participants were invited to participate in the first Delphi round. A response rate of 94% (16/17) was achieved and maintained for all three Delphi rounds. Stakeholder consensus determined that nurses specializing in HF are the most appropriate interventionists, target groups should include patients and carers, and the intervention should occur in an outpatient HF clinic, be a mixture of group and individual training sessions, and last for 30 minutes. Sessions should take place more frequently in the beginning and less often over time. Local stakeholders can help determine contextual factors that must be taken into account for successful delivery of an intervention. This enables the intervention to be developed and applied based on these factors, to make it suitable for the target context and to enhance participation to achieve the desired outcomes.

Key Stakeholders' Perspectives on Implementation and Scale up of HIV Self-Testing in Rwanda

INTRODUCTION

The World Health Organisation recommends HIV self-testing as an alternative testing method to help reach underserved populations, such as men in sub-Saharan Africa. Successful implementation and scale-up of HIV self-testing (HIVST) in Rwanda relies heavily on relevant stakeholders' involvement. We sought to explore HIVST key stakeholders' perceptions of the implementation and scale-up of HIVST in Rwanda.

METHOD

We conducted in-depth interviews with personnel involved in HIV response projects in Rwanda between September and November 2019. We purposively sampled and interviewed 13 national-level key stakeholders from the Ministry of Health, Rwanda Biomedical Center, non-governmental organizations and HIV clinics at tertiary health facilities in Kigali. We used a thematic approach to analysis with a coding framework guided by Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (intervention characteristics, inner setting, outer setting, characteristics of individuals involved in the implementation and the implementation process).

RESULTS

Key stakeholders perceived HIVST as a potentially effective initiative, which can be used in order to ensure that there is an improvement in uptake of testing services, especially for underserved populations in Rwanda. The following challenges for implementation and scale-up of HIVST were revealed: lack of awareness of the kits, high cost of the self-test kits, and concerns on results interpretation. Key stakeholders identified the following as prerequisites to the successful implementation and scale-up of HIVST in Rwanda; creation of awareness, training those involved in the implementation process, regulation of the selling of the self-test kits, reduction of the costs of acquiring the self-test kits through the provision of subsidies, and ensuring consistent availability of the self-test kits.

CONCLUSIONS

Key stakeholders expressed confidence in HIVST's ability to improve the uptake of HIV testing services. However, they reported challenges, which need to be addressed to ensure successful implementation and scale-up of the HIVST. There is a need for further research incorporating lower level stakeholders to fully understand HIVST implementation and scale-up challenges and strategies to inform policy.