Browsing by Subject "Capacity Building"

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    Open Access
    Building the capacity of policy-makers and planners to strengthen mental health systems in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review
    (2016) Hanlon, Charlotte
    Abstract Background Little is known about the interventions required to build the capacity of mental health policy-makers and planners in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We conducted a systematic review with the primary aim of identifying and synthesizing the evidence base for building the capacity of policy-makers and planners to strengthen mental health systems in LMICs. Methods We searched MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Knowledge, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, LILACS, ScieELO, Google Scholar and Cochrane databases for studies reporting evidence, experience or evaluation of capacity-building of policy-makers, service planners or managers in mental health system strengthening in LMICs. Reports in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French or German were included. Additional papers were identified by hand-searching references and contacting experts and key informants. Database searches yielded 2922 abstracts and 28 additional papers were identified. Following screening, 409 full papers were reviewed, of which 14 fulfilled inclusion criteria for the review. Data were extracted from all included papers and synthesized into a narrative review. Results Only a small number of mental health system-related capacity-building interventions for policy-makers and planners in LMICs were described. Most models of capacity-building combined brief training with longer term mentorship, dialogue and/or the establishment of networks of support. However, rigorous research and evaluation methods were largely absent, with studies being of low quality, limiting the potential to separate mental health system strengthening outcomes from the effects of associated contextual factors. Conclusions This review demonstrates the need for partnership approaches to building the capacity of mental health policy-makers and planners in LMICs, assessed rigorously against pre-specified conceptual frameworks and hypotheses, utilising longitudinal evaluation and mixed quantitative and qualitative approaches.
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    Impact of systematic capacity building on cataract surgical service development in 25 hospitals
    (2017) Judson, Katherine; Courtright, Paul; Ravilla, Thulsiraj; Khanna, Rohit; Bassett, Ken
    BACKGROUND: This study measured the effectiveness and cost of a capacity building intervention in 25 eye hospitals in South Asia, East Africa and Latin America over 4 years. The intervention involved eye care non-governmental organizations or high-performing eye hospitals acting as "mentors" to underperforming eye hospitals- "mentees" in 10 countries. Intervention activities included systematic planning and support for training and key equipment purchases as well as hospital-specific mentoring which focused on strengthening leadership, increasing the volume and equity of community outreach, improving surgical quality and volume, strengthening organizational and financial management and streamlining operational processes. METHODS: This is a before and after observational study of the impact of this multi-dimensional process on hospital and individual productivity and financial sustainability after 4 years. Mentee hospitals reported data monthly using a standardized template. Key indicators included cataract surgery volume, cataract operations per surgeon, the proportion of direct paying cataract surgical patients, intervention program costs per additional surgery and cost per mentor. RESULTS: By the end of the study period, the hospitals experienced a 69% average increase (range: -63% to 690%) in cataract surgical volume over baseline with 12 hospitals showing increases over 100%. Twenty-three hospitals experienced a 59% average increase in the number of cataract surgeries per surgeon with 10 hospitals showing increases over 100%. The proportion of paying patients increased in 8 of the 14 hospitals reporting this data. The average mentoring cost per additional surgery for these 25 hospitals was $5.39. An average of $36,489.99 was spent per mentor per year to support their work with mentees. CONCLUSIONS: The intervention resulted in proportionally similar increases in cataract surgical volume and productivity across diverse settings in three distinct geographic regions. Its wide applicability and moderate cost make it an attractive means to rapidly and substantially increase eye care services to meet VISION2020 goals.