Achievements of the Cochrane Iran Associate Centre: Lessons Learned
Bita
Mesgarpour
Cochrane Iran Associate Centre, National Institute for Medical research
Development (NIMAD), Tehran, Iran
author
Sara
Aghababa
Cochrane Iran Associate Centre, National Institute for Medical research
Development (NIMAD), Tehran, Iran
author
Hamid Reza
Baradaran
Endocrine Research Center, Institute of
Endocrinology and Metabolism, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran,
Iran
author
Payam
Kabiri
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health,
Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
author
Ali
Kabir
Minimally Invasive
Surgery Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
author
Ahmad
Sofi-Mahmudi
Cochrane Iran Associate Centre, National Institute for Medical research
Development (NIMAD), Tehran, Iran
author
Ali Akbar
Haghdoost
Social Determinants of Health Research Centre, Institute for Futures Studies in
Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
author
text
article
2020
eng
Healthcare decision-making is a process that mainly depends on evidence and involves increasing numbers of stakeholders, including the consumers. Cochrane evidence responds to this challenge by identifying, appraising, integrating and synthesizing high-quality evidence. Recently, a collaborative effort has been initiated in Iran with Cochrane to establish a representative local entity. A variety of multifaceted interventions were conducted according to Cochrane’s strategy to 2020, such as producing evidence, making Cochrane evidence accessible, advocating for evidence and building an effective and sustainable organization. In this report, the authors present the two and half year performance and achievements of Cochrane Iran based on a comprehensive and systematic approach. This case might be an example of health diplomacy, which is initiated by a successful international collaboration and proceed with recognizing the importance of adherence to the strategic action plans and goals.
International Journal of Health Policy and Management
Kerman University of Medical Sciences
2322-5939
9
v.
6
no.
2020
222
228
https://www.ijhpm.com/article_3720_2fdfda6669c9a7b4470a08a9f9a41198.pdf
dx.doi.org/10.15171/ijhpm.2019.122
“Sell an Ox” - The Price of Cure for Hepatitis C in Two Countries
Ora
Paltiel
School of Public Health, Hadassah-Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
Israel
author
Workagegnehu
Hailu
Department of Internal Medicine, Gondar University Hospital, University
of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
author
Zenahebezu
Abay
Department of Internal Medicine, Gondar University Hospital, University
of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
author
Avram Mark
Clarfield
Medical School for International Health, Ben
Gurion University, Beersheva, Israel
author
Martin
McKee
Department of Public Health & Policy,
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
author
text
article
2020
eng
Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, associated with severe liver disease and cancer, affects 70 million people worldwide. New treatments with direct-acting-antivirals offer cure for about 95% of affected individuals; however, treatment costs may be prohibitive in both the poorest and richest nations. Opting for cure may require sacrificing essential household assets. We highlight the financial dilemmas involved, drawing parallels between Ethiopia and the United States, countries where universal health coverage does not yet exist. The World Health Organization (WHO) declaration for HCV eradication by 2030 will only become reality if universal access to efficacious and affordable treatment is guaranteed for everyone.
International Journal of Health Policy and Management
Kerman University of Medical Sciences
2322-5939
9
v.
6
no.
2020
229
232
https://www.ijhpm.com/article_3721_729ac6da6ce8b1a9cc83367610e1cad9.pdf
dx.doi.org/10.15171/ijhpm.2019.135
How to Work Collaboratively Within the Health System: Workshop Summary and Facilitator Reflection
Christine E.
Cassidy
School of Nursing, Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS,
Canada
author
Sarah
Bowen
Applied Research and Evaluation Consultant, Halifax, NS, Canada
author
Guillaume
Fontaine
Faculty of Nursing, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
author
Élizabeth
Côté-Boileau
Faculty of Medicine
and Health Sciences Research, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC,
Canada
author
Ingrid
Botting
Health Services Integration,
Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
author
text
article
2020
eng
Effectiveness in health services research requires development of specific knowledge and skills for working in partnership with health system decision-makers. In an initial effort to frame capacity-building activities for researchers, we designed a workshop on working collaboratively within the health system. The workshop, based on recent research exploring health system experience and perspectives on research collaborations, was trialed at the annual Canadian Health Services and Policy Research (CAHSPR) conference in May 2019. Participants reported positive evaluations of the workshop. However, further efforts should target health services researchers that may not be as motivated to develop skills in collaborative research. Additional attention to equipping researchers with the skills needed to work in partnerships is recommended, including approaches and materials that avoid oversimplification of complex challenges.
International Journal of Health Policy and Management
Kerman University of Medical Sciences
2322-5939
9
v.
6
no.
2020
233
239
https://www.ijhpm.com/article_3717_4c8fde54404b436ca9190f5845bf3fae.pdf
dx.doi.org/10.15171/ijhpm.2019.131
Health-Seeking Behaviors and its Determinants: A Facility-Based Cross-Sectional Study in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
Gulifeiya
Abuduxike
Medical Faculty, Near East University, Nicosia,TRNC, Turkey
author
Özen
Aşut
Medical Faculty, Near East University, Nicosia,TRNC, Turkey
author
Songül Acar
Vaizoğlu
Medical Faculty, Near East University, Nicosia,TRNC, Turkey
author
Sanda
Cali
Medical Faculty, Near East University, Nicosia,TRNC, Turkey
author
text
article
2020
eng
Background Understanding health-seeking behaviors and determining factors help governments to adequately allocate and manage existing health resources. The aim of the study was to examine the health-seeking behaviors of people in using public and private health facilities and to assess the factors that influence healthcare utilization in Northern Cyprus. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2 polyclinics among 507 people using a structured intervieweradministered questionnaire. Health-seeking behaviors were measured using four indicators including routine medical check-ups, preferences of healthcare facilities, admission while having health problems, and refusal of health services while ill. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression analyses were done to explore factors influencing the use of health services. Results About 77.3% of the participants reported to have visited health centers while they had any health problems. More than half (51.7%) of them had a routine medical check-up during the previous year, while 12.2% of them had refused to seek healthcare when they felt ill during the last five years. Of all, 39.1% of them reported preferring private health services. Current smokers (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.17-3.14), having chronic diseases (AOR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.95-2.16), having poor perceptions on health (AOR = 2.33; 95% CI: 1.563.48), and spending less on health during the last three months (AOR = 2.08, 95% CI: 1.43- 3.01) had about twice the odds of having routine checkups. Higher education (AOR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.38-2.55) was shown to be a positive predictor for the health-seeking behaviors, whereas having self-care problems (AOR = 0.18, 95% CI: 0.08-0.40) and having a moderate-income (AOR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.57-0.81) were inversely associated with seeking healthcare. Conclusion The utilization of public and private health sectors revealed evident disparities in the socio-economic characteristics of participants. The health-seeking behaviors were determined by need factors including chronic disease status and having poor health perception and also by enabling factors such as education, income, insurance status and ability to pay by oneself. These findings highlight the need for further nationwide studies and provide evidence for specific strategies to reduce the socioeconomic inequalities in the use of healthcare services.
International Journal of Health Policy and Management
Kerman University of Medical Sciences
2322-5939
9
v.
6
no.
2020
240
249
https://www.ijhpm.com/article_3701_311cd7f77849b289f7ca016efc1884c5.pdf
dx.doi.org/10.15171/ijhpm.2019.106
Designing an Optimum Fiscal Policy for Tobacco to Maximise the Tax Revenue, Social Savings and the Net Monetary Benefits in Sri Lanka
Sathira Kasun
Perera
University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
author
Bharat Phani
Vaikuntam
University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
author
Denny
John
Campbell Collaboration, New Delhi, India
author
Buddhika
Senanayake
The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
author
text
article
2020
eng
Background Fiscal policy targeting tobacco control is identified as the most effective strategy for rapid control of tobacco use. An optimum fiscal policy to estimate the percentage taxation that will maximise the government tax revenue, social savings and the net monetary benefit has not been empirically designed before in Sri Lanka. Methods A model was developed using Microsoft Excel 2016, utilizing up-to-date published evidence on the cigarette sales, current fiscal policy, social cost of tobacco use, consumer response and the price elasticity of cigarettes. Univariate estimates on the expected revenue from tobacco tax, average annual social savings and the net monetary benefit were predicted for different levels of tobacco taxation. A deterministic sensitivity analysis was performed covering all possibilities. The percentage taxation maximizing the government tax revenue and the net monetary benefit were identified. Results It was estimated that a further 30% tax increase from the 2019 baseline will generate approximately LKR 3544 million per year of additional tax revenue for the government while saving LKR 28 069 million per annum as social savings. A fiscal elevation of 50% will produce identical annual tax revenue to that of 2018, while securing a social saving of more than LKR 47 600 million per annum. The maximum net monetary benefit is achievable at an overnight tax increase of 90% from the baseline, however with a short-term compromise in tax revenue. Conclusion The well-defined thresholds take tobacco taxation advocacy in Sri Lanka a step forward and will assist the government in taking an informed decision on its fiscal policy for cigarettes.
International Journal of Health Policy and Management
Kerman University of Medical Sciences
2322-5939
9
v.
6
no.
2020
250
256
https://www.ijhpm.com/article_3707_66e316d8a1061e719af14892d79ccdf4.pdf
dx.doi.org/10.15171/ijhpm.2019.114
Changing the Conversation, Why We Need to Reframe Corruption as a Public Health Issue; Comment on “We Need to Talk About Corruption in Health Systems”
David
Clarke
World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva, Switzerland
author
text
article
2020
eng
There has been slow progress with finding practical solutions to health systems corruption, a topic that has long languished in policy-makers “too difficult tray.” Efforts to achieve universal health coverage (UHC) provide a new imperative for addressing the long-standing problem of corruption in health systems making fighting corruption at all levels and in all its forms a priority. In response, health system corruption should be classified as a risk to public health and addressed by adopting a public health approach. Taking a public health approach to health systems corruption could promote a new paradigm for working on health system anti-corruption efforts. A public health approach could increase the space for policy dialogue about corruption, focus work to address corruption on prevention, help generate and disseminate evidence about effective interventions strategies, and because of its focus on multisectoral action would provide new opportunities for promoting cooperation on anti-corruption work across multiple agencies and sectors. Using a public health approach to tackle health system corruption could help address the current inertia around the topic and create a new positive mindset among policy-makers who would come to see corruption as a manageable public health problem rather than an intractable one.
International Journal of Health Policy and Management
Kerman University of Medical Sciences
2322-5939
9
v.
6
no.
2020
257
259
https://www.ijhpm.com/article_3705_64d0209e26b2064620333849ff525948.pdf
dx.doi.org/10.15171/ijhpm.2019.124
Modeling in Early Stages of Technology Development: Is an Iterative Approach Needed?; Comment on “Problems and Promises of Health Technologies: The Role of Early Health Economic Modeling”
Michael F.
Drummond
University of York, York, UK
author
text
article
2020
eng
A recent paper by Grutters et al makes the case for early health economic modeling in the development of health technologies. A number of examples of the value of early modeling are given, with analyses being performed at different stages in the development of several non-drug health technologies. This commentary acknowledges the contribution of the paper by Grutters et al and argues for an iterative and integrated approach to early modeling, assessing the cost-effectiveness of the technology, the value of future research and the interaction with the manufacturer’s pricing and revenue expectations.
International Journal of Health Policy and Management
Kerman University of Medical Sciences
2322-5939
9
v.
6
no.
2020
260
262
https://www.ijhpm.com/article_3709_b084a2a80bc10707eef39f0731ecd738.pdf
dx.doi.org/10.15171/ijhpm.2019.118
Use of Evidence-Informed Deliberative Processes – Learning by Doing; Comment on “Use of Evidence-informed Deliberative Processes by Health Technology Assessment Agencies Around the Globe”
Anthony J.
Culyer
Centre for Health Economics and Department of Economics & Related Studies, University of York, York, UK
author
text
article
2020
eng
The article by Oortwijn, Jansen, and Baltussen (OJB) is much more important than it appears because, in the absence of any good general theory of “evidence-informed deliberative processes” (EDP) and limited evidence of how they might be shaped and work in institutionalising health technology assessment (HTA), the best approach seems to be to accumulate the experience of a variety of countries, preferably systematically, from which some general principles might subsequently be inferred. This comment reinforces their arguments and provides a further example.
International Journal of Health Policy and Management
Kerman University of Medical Sciences
2322-5939
9
v.
6
no.
2020
263
265
https://www.ijhpm.com/article_3710_af2df3c26a8ff318274ac190ea9749d3.pdf
dx.doi.org/10.15171/ijhpm.2019.116