Challenges for research uptake for health policymaking and practice in low- and middle-income countries: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: An estimated 85% of research resources are wasted worldwide, while there is growing demand for context-based evidence-informed health policymaking. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), research uptake for health policymaking and practice is even lower, while little is known about the barriers to the translation of health evidence to policy and local implementation. We aimed to compile the current evidence on barriers to uptake of research in health policy and practice in LMICs using scoping review. METHODS: The scoping review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses-extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) and the Arksey and O'Malley framework. Both published evidence and grey literature on research uptake were systematically searched from major databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, CINAHL (EBSCO), Global Health (Ovid)) and direct Google Scholar. Literature exploring barriers to uptake of research evidence in health policy and practice in LMICs were included and their key findings were synthesized using thematic areas to address the review question. RESULTS: A total of 4291 publications were retrieved in the initial search, of which 142 were included meeting the eligibility criteria. Overall, research uptake for policymaking and practice in LMICs was very low. The challenges to research uptake were related to lack of understanding of the local contexts, low political priority, poor stakeholder engagement and partnership, resource and capacity constraints, low system response for accountability and lack of communication and dissemination platforms. CONCLUSION: Important barriers to research uptake, mainly limited contextual understanding and low participation of key stakeholders and ownership, have been identified. Understanding the local research and policy context and participatory evidence production and dissemination may promote research uptake for policy and practice. Institutions that bridge the chasm between knowledge formation, evidence synthesis and translation may play critical role in the translation process.

Efficacy and cost-effectiveness of task-shared care for people with severe mental disorders in Ethiopia (TaSCS): a single-blind, randomised, controlled, phase 3 non-inferiority trial.

BACKGROUND: There have been no trials of task-shared care (TSC) using WHO's mental health Gap Action Programme for people with severe mental disorders (psychosis or affective disorder) in low-income or middle-income countries. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of TSC compared with enhanced specialist mental health care in rural Ethiopia. METHODS: In this single-blind, phase 3, randomised, controlled, non-inferiority trial, participants had a confirmed diagnosis of a severe mental disorder, recruited from either the community or a local outpatient psychiatric clinic. The intervention was TSC, delivered by supervised, non-physician primary health care workers trained in the mental health Gap Action Programme and working with community health workers. The active comparison group was outpatient psychiatric nurse care augmented with community lay workers (PSY). Our primary endpoint was whether TSC would be non-inferior to PSY at 12 months for the primary outcome of clinical symptom severity using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Expanded version (BPRS-E; non-inferiority margin of 6 points). Randomisation was stratified by health facility using random permuted blocks. Independent clinicians allocated groups using sealed envelopes with concealment and outcome assessors and investigators were masked. We analysed the primary outcome in the modified intention-to-treat group and safety in the per-protocol group. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02308956. FINDINGS: We recruited participants between March 13, 2015 and May 21, 2016. We randomly assigned 329 participants (111 female and 218 male) who were aged 25-72 years and were predominantly of Gurage (198 [60%]), Silte (58 [18%]), and Mareko (53 [16%]) ethnicity. Five participants were found to be ineligible after randomisation, giving a modified intention-to-treat sample of 324. Of these, 12-month assessments were completed in 155 (98%) of 158 in the TSC group and in 158 (95%) of 166 in the PSY group. For the primary outcome, there was no evidence of inferiority of TSC compared with PSY. The mean BPRS-E score was 27·7 (SD 4·7) for TSC and 27·8 (SD 4·6) for PSY, with an adjusted mean difference of 0·06 (90% CI -0·80 to 0·89). Per-protocol analyses (n=291) were similar. There were 47 serious adverse events (18 in the TSC group, 29 in the PSY group), affecting 28 participants. These included 17 episodes of perpetrated violence and seven episodes of violent victimisation leading to injury, ten suicide attempts, six hospital admissions for physical health conditions, four psychiatric admissions, and three deaths (one in the TSC group, two in the PSY group). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for TSC indicated lower cost of -US$299·82 (95% CI -454·95 to -144·69) per unit increase in BPRS-E scores from a health care sector perspective at 12 months. INTERPRETATION: WHO's mental health Gap Action Programme for people with severe mental disorders is as cost-effective as existing specialist models of care and can be implemented effectively and safely by supervised non-specialists in resource-poor settings. FUNDING: US National Institute of Mental Health.

Towards effective and sustainable global academic partnerships through a maturity model informed by the capability approach.

BACKGROUND: Shortage of skilled workforce is a global concern but represents a critical bottleneck to Africa's development. While global academic partnerships have the potential to help tackle this development bottleneck, they are criticised for inadequate attention to equity, impact, and sustainability. We propose a new values-driven partnership model for sustainable and equitable global partnerships that achieve impact. METHOD: The model was based on the authors' experiences of participation in over 30 partnerships and used insights from the Capability Approach. RESULTS: We developed an Academic Partnership Maturity Model, with five levels of maturity, extending from pre-contemplative to mature partnerships. The level of maturity increases depending on the level of freedom, equity, diversity, and agency afforded to the partners. The approach offers a framework for establishing a forward-looking partnership anchored in mutual learning, empowerment, and autonomy. CONCLUSION: This is a pragmatic model limited by the biases of experiential knowledge. Further development of the concept, including metrics and an evaluation tool kit are needed to assist partners and funders.

Moving towards universal health coverage for mental disorders in Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: People with mental disorders in low-income countries are at risk of being left behind during efforts to expand universal health coverage. AIMS: To propose context-relevant strategies for moving towards universal health coverage for people with mental disorders in Ethiopia. METHODS: We conducted a situational analysis to inform a SWOT analysis of coverage of mental health services and financial risk protection, health system characteristics and the macroeconomic and fiscal environment. In-depth interviews were conducted with five national experts on health financing and equity and analysed using a thematic approach. Findings from the situation analysis and qualitative study were used to develop recommended strategies for adequate, fair and sustainable financing of mental health care in Ethiopia. RESULTS: Opportunities for improved financing of mental health care identified from the situation analysis included: a significant mental health burden with evidence from strong local epidemiological data; political commitment to address that burden; a health system with mechanisms for integrating mental health into primary care; and a favourable macro-fiscal environment for investment in human capabilities. Balanced against this were constraints of low current general government health expenditure, low numbers of mental health specialists, weak capacity to plan and implement mental health programmes and low population demand for mental health care. All key informants referred to the under-investment in mental health care in Ethiopia. Respondents emphasised opportunities afforded by positive rates of economic growth in the country and the expansion of community-based health insurance, as well as the need to ensure full implementation of existing task-sharing programmes for mental health care, integrate mental health into other priority programmes and strengthen advocacy to ensure mental health is given due attention. CONCLUSION: Expansion of public health insurance, leveraging resources from high-priority SDG-related programmes and implementing existing plans to support task-shared mental health care are key steps towards universal health coverage for mental disorders in Ethiopia. However, external donors also need to deliver on commitments to include mental health within development funding. Future researchers and planners can apply this approach to other countries of sub-Saharan Africa and identify common strategies for sustainable and equitable financing of mental health care.