Bridging the gap between the science and service of HIV prevention: transferring effective research-based HIV prevention interventions to community AIDS service providers.
(1/22)
OBJECTIVES: AIDS service organizations (ASOs) rarely have access to the information needed to implement research-based HIV prevention interventions for their clients. We compared the effectiveness of 3 dissemination strategies for transferring HIV prevention models from the research arena to community providers of HIV prevention services. METHODS: Interviews were conducted with the directors of 74 ASOs to assess current HIV prevention services. ASOs were randomized to programs that provided (1) technical assistance manuals describing how to implement research-based HIV prevention interventions, (2) manuals plus a staff training workshop on how to conduct the implementation, or (3) manuals, the training workshop, and follow-up telephone consultation calls. Follow-up interviews determined whether the intervention model had been adopted. RESULTS: The dissemination package that provided ASOs with implementation manuals, staff training workshops, and follow-up consultation resulted in more frequent adoption and use of the research-based HIV prevention intervention for gay men, women, and other client populations. CONCLUSIONS: Strategies are needed to quickly transfer research-based HIV prevention methods to community providers of HIV prevention services. Active collaboration between researchers and service agencies results in more successful program adoption than distribution of implementation packages alone. (+info)
Key components of a statewide Healthy Communities effort.
(2/22)
The Healthy Cities/Healthy Communities movement is in its second decade. Examples of both successful and unsuccessful Healthy Communities efforts can be found in large and small communities across the country. What are the key components of a successful effort? Movement leaders from California, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina as well as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention have contributed their collective experience to identifying the key components of a statewide Healthy Communities effort. Assessing the degree to which a state has these key components in place can help the state take steps to assure support for Healthy Communities. (+info)
Systemic capacity building: a hierarchy of needs.
(3/22)
'Capacity building' is the objective of many development programmes and a component of most others. However, satisfactory definitions continue to elude us, and it is widely suspected of being too broad a concept to be useful. Too often it becomes merely a euphemism referring to little more than training. This paper argues that it is more important to address systemic capacity building, identifying a pyramid of nine separate but interdependent components. These form a four-tier hierarchy of capacity building needs: (1) structures, systems and roles, (2) staff and facilities, (3) skills, and (4) tools. Emphasizing systemic capacity building would improve diagnosis of sectoral shortcomings in specific locations, improve project/programme design and monitoring, and lead to more effective use of resources. Based on extensive action research in 25 States, experience from India is presented to illustrate how the concept of the capacity building pyramid has been put to practical use. (+info)
Using technical assistance to strengthen tobacco control capacity: evaluation findings from the Tobacco Technical Assistance Consortium.
(4/22)
Immediately following the Master Settlement Agreement of 1998 and the corresponding growth of new and existing tobacco control programs, it became clear that tobacco prevention and control organizations required technical assistance to help them carry out their missions. The Tobacco Technical Assistance Consortium (TTAC) was established at the Rollins School of Public Health in 2001 to provide tailored technical assistance services to meet the needs of the expanded workforce and to build tobacco control capacity. To understand whether and how TTAC's technical assistance enhanced capacity, TTAC conducted an evaluation of its services through semi-structured telephone interviews with the primary contacts and one to two additional informants for each of 48 technical assistance services provided over an 18-month period. The majority of respondents reported they had increased knowledge and skills in tobacco control, strengthened leadership skills, developed or strengthened partnerships with other tobacco control organizations, and changed the way they practice tobacco control following the assistance. More modest improvements were noted in the areas of increased organizational support and policy change at the local or state level. (+info)
Developing cancer control capacity in state and local public health agencies.
(5/22)
In 1986, the National Cancer Institute began a major grant program to enhance the technical capabilities of public health departments in cancer prevention and control. This effort, commonly referred to as "capacity building" for cancer control, provided funding to support eight State and one local health department. The program focused on developing the knowledge and skills of health department personnel to implement intervention programs in such areas as smoking cessation, diet modification, and breast and cervical cancer screening. The grants ranged from 2 to 5 years in length, with funding of $125,000 to $1.6 million per grant. The total for the program was $7.4 million. While the priorities set for these grants were nominally similar, their capacity building activities in cancer prevention and control evolved into unique interventions reflecting the individual needs and priorities of each State or locality. Their experiences illustrate that technical development for planning, implementing, and evaluating cancer prevention and control programs is a complex process that must occur at multiple levels, regardless of overall approach. Factors found to contribute to successful implementation of technical development programs include* commitment of the organization's leadership to provide adequate support for staff and activities and to keep cancer prevention and control on the organizational agenda,* the existence of appropriate data to monitor and evaluate programs,* appropriately trained staff,* building linkages with State and community agencies and coalitions to guide community action,* an established plan or process for achieving cancer control objectives,* access to the advice of and participation of individual cancer and health experts,* an informed State legislature,* diffusion of cancer prevention and control efforts,and* the ability to obtain funds needed for future activities. (+info)
Enhancing community-based organizations' capacity for HIV/AIDS education and prevention.
(6/22)
Evaluating healthcare information technology outside of academia: observations from the national resource center for healthcare information technology at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
(7/22)
Improving childhood immunisation coverage rates--evaluation of a divisional program.
(8/22)
BACKGROUND: In contrast to generally high childhood immunisation coverage rates across Australia, general practices in central Sydney (New South Wales) have a below average coverage rate. To address this, Central Sydney GP Network undertook a project that involved visiting practices with less than 90% coverage and provided guidance and support to increase coverage. METHODS: The intervention was evaluated using quantitative and qualitative methods. The quantitative component analysed practice coverage rate data from the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register. The qualitative component included semistructured interviews with general practitioners and practice staff. RESULTS: Quantitative analysis showed that rates for a number of practices with initial coverage between 80-90% increased to more than 90% during the intervention. The qualitative component highlighted patient and practice related issues around coverage and reporting. DISCUSSION: Many practice related coverage and reporting issues were identified; the majority are modifiable and thus practices can be targeted to improve coverage. However, some patient related issues are complex and not easily addressed. (+info)