5-SPICE: the application of an original framework for community health worker program design, quality improvement and research agenda setting.

INTRODUCTION: Despite decades of experience with community health workers (CHWs) in a wide variety of global health projects, there is no established conceptual framework that structures how implementers and researchers can understand, study and improve their respective programs based on lessons learned by other CHW programs. OBJECTIVE: To apply an original, non-linear framework and case study method, 5-SPICE, to multiple sister projects of a large, international non-governmental organization (NGO), and other CHW projects. DESIGN: Engaging a large group of implementers, researchers and the best available literature, the 5-SPICE framework was refined and then applied to a selection of CHW programs. Insights gleaned from the case study method were summarized in a tabular format named the '5×5-SPICE charts'. This format graphically lists the ways in which essential CHW program elements interact, both positively and negatively, in the implementation field. RESULTS: The 5×5-SPICE charts reveal a variety of insights that come from a more complex understanding of how essential CHW projects interact and influence each other in their unique context. Some have been well described in the literature previously, while others are exclusive to this article. An analysis of how best to compensate CHWs is also offered as an example of the type of insights that this method may yield. CONCLUSIONS: The 5-SPICE framework is a novel instrument that can be used to guide discussions about CHW projects. Insights from this process can help guide quality improvement efforts, or be used as hypothesis that will form the basis of a program's research agenda. Recent experience with research protocols embedded into successfully implemented projects demonstrates how such hypothesis can be rigorously tested.

How does directly observed therapy work? The mechanisms and impact of a comprehensive directly observed therapy intervention of highly active antiretroviral therapy in Peru.

From December 2005 through August 2008, we provided community-based accompaniment with supervised antiretroviral therapy (CASA) to impoverished individuals starting highly active antiretroviral therapy. Adherence support was provided for 18 months by a community-based team comprised of several nurses and two types of community health workers: field supervisors and directly observed therapy (DOT) volunteers. To complement our quantitative data collection in 2008 using purposive sampling, we conducted two gender-mixed focus group discussions with 13 CASA patient participants and 13 DOT volunteers from Lima, Peru to identify the mediating mechanisms by which CASA improved well-being, and to understand the benefits of the intervention, as perceived by these individuals. Using standard qualitative methods for the review and analysis of transcripts and interview notes, we identified central themes and developed a coding scheme for categorising participants' statements. Two individuals blinded to each other's coding, coded interview transcripts for theme and content from which a third reviewer compared their coding to arbitrate discrepancies. Additional domains were added if necessary and all domains were integrated into a theoretical scheme. Among the forms of support delivered by the CASA team, DOT volunteers reported emotional support, instrumental support, directly observed therapy, building trust, education, advocacy, exercise of moral authority and preparation for transition off CASA support. CASA participants described outcomes of improved adherence, ability to resume social roles, increased self-efficacy, hopefulness, changes in non-HIV-related behaviour, reduced internalised and externalised stigma, as well as ability to disclose. Both sets of focus group participants highlighted remaining challenges after completion of CASA support: stigma in the community, difficulties achieving economic recovery and persistent barriers to health services. Based on our prior quantitative and qualitative outcomes reported here, we argue that DOT of highly active antiretroviral therapy could be designed to optimise psychosocial recovery during the period of DOT.