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Improving access and use of psychotropic medicines : mental health policy and service guidance package

FUNK, Michelle
et al
2005

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This module defines the respective roles of the public, private (for-profit) and NGO (not-for-profit) sectors in the financing and provision of psychotropic medicines. It identifies organizational arrangements in these sectors to meet the objectives of access. The guidance sets an agenda for capacity building and organizational development and provides guidance for prioritizing expenditure and making decisions on resource allocation
Note: This module is part of a guidance package that consists of a series of interrelated user-friendly modules that are designed to address the wide variety of needs and priorities in mental health policy development and service planning. Its recommended for use by policy makers, service planners representatives or associations of families and carers of people with mental disorders

Use of Cost-Effectiveness Analysis in Health-Care Resource Allocation Decision-Making: How Are Cost-Effectiveness Thresholds Expected to Emerge?

EICHLER, Hans-Georg
et al
September 2004

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An overview is presented of the use of cost-effectiveness analysis in healthcare resource allocation decision-making. Threshold figures (i.e. cost per unit of health gain) currently proposed for, or applied to, resource-allocation decisions are reviewed. Disability Adjusted Life-Years (DALY) are mentioned. A table of data provides a summary of cost-effectiveness thresholds and CE ratios in terms of either QALYs (quality-adjusted life-year) or  LYGs (life-year gained). Threshold figures and evolution of thresholds are discussed.

Prevalence, severity and unmet need for treatment of mental disorders in the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys

THE WHO WORLD MENTAL HEALTH SURVEY CONSORTIUM
June 2004

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This article provides estimates of the prevalence, severity, and treatment of mental disorders from the WHO World Mental Health Survey which included data from 14 countries (six less developed, eight developed) by conducting 60,463 face-to-face interviews with adult individuals representing the general population. The article concludes by recommending careful consideration of mild cases and a reallocation of treatment resources; however, it also acknowledges that structural barriers may exist to this reallocation
The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Vol 291, No 21

Debunking the myths in the US global AIDS strategy : an evidence-based analysis

CENTER FOR HEALTH AND GENDER EQUITY (CHANGE)
March 2004

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This key report takes a critical look at the US Global AIDS Strategy. It argues that responses to the crisis are not based upon evidence, but rather upon political and fundamentalist religious ideologies. The US AIDS strategy is critically reviewed section by section and evaluated according to evidence. The core assumptions in the strategy around prevention, treatment and funding mechanisms are challenged by the authors, who draw on evidence and data from a range of scientific and public health literature. The evidence overwhelmingly contradicts the assumptions on which the PEPFAR strategy is based, raising serious questions for those working those working to tackle the crisis

Health systems strengthening and HIV/AIDS : an annotated bibliography and resources

KOLYADA, Lena
March 2004

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This annotated bibliography has been prepared in an effort to provide policy makers, technical personnel and other stakeholders with comprehensive information on the costs of interventions and impact of HIV on health systems. The documents included in the bibliograpy focus on those aspects of the pandemic most related to economic impact, financing and resource allocation, costing, health system strengthening, scaling up antiretroviral therapy, surveillance systems, and programme monitoring and evaluation. The bibliography describes 101 publications describing work done from 1995 onwards as well as a directory of web resources. The bibliography is not a comprehensive reveiw, but is rather intended to highlight current information in the field of HIV and health systems strengthening

South African cities and HIV/AIDS : challenges and responses

SOUTH AFRICAN CITIES NETWORK (SACN)
2004

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This is the first ever assessment on how South Africa's nine largest cities are managing HIV/AIDS. The report summarises the challenges faced by these cities and outlines the innovative responses developed by municipalities and city stakeholders. The report highlights that the most effective programmes have been those that succeeded in transcending the gap between policy development and consistent implementation. The challenges highlighted in the study are likely to become more acute in the near future. The report lists a number of key strategies that cities should adopt in the development of a comprehensive response to HIV/AIDS. These include taking stock of the current HIV/AIDS programmes that are being implemented in the cities; linking HIV programming with other development issues; developing clear guidelines for the mainstreaming of HIV/AIDS; and developing stronger intergovernmental relations with provincial and national government levels

The 10/90 report on health research 2003-2004

GLOBAL FORUM FOR HEALTH RESEARCH
2004

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This report, the fourth since Global Forum for Health Research formed in 1998, covers progress in helping correct the 10/90 gap (that only ten per cent of health research funds are spent on 90 per cent of the world's problems) over the past two years. It focusses on health and health research as sound economic investments; priority setting in health research; progress in measuring the 10/90 gap; research capacity strengthening; information networks in health research; gender; the MDGs and health research; and networks in the priority research areas

The 10/90 report on health research 2003-2004

GLOBAL FORUM FOR HEALTH RESEARCH
2004

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This site contains up-to-date information on progress in helping correct the 10/90 gap in health research. It includes reports from 1999, 2000, 2001/2002 and 2003/2004. The most recent, the fourth since Global Forum for Health Research formed in 1998, covers progress in helping correct the 10/90 gap (that only ten per cent of health research funds are spent on 90 per cent of the world's problems) over the past two years. It focusses on health and health research as sound economic investments; priority setting in health research; progress in measuring the 10/90 gap; research capacity strengthening; information networks in health research; gender; the MDGs and health research; and networks in the priority research areas

Road safety and health

WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY
2004

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This report from the World Health Assembly recognises that road traffic injuries are a public health problem and advocates for prevention initiatives on road safety and health. It highlights 13 recommendations for member states and eight requests to the Director-General. This paper is useful to those interested in road traffic injuries and road safety
World Health Assembly
Geneva, Switzerland
17-22 May 2004
WHA57.10

The determinants of effectiveness : partnerships that deliver : review of the GHP and ‘business’ literature

DRUCE, Nel
HARMER, Andrew
January 2004

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This paper reviews what makes for good practice in governance and operations, and what determines "partnership effectiveness… what factors determine the extent to which the partnership objectives are achieved; and, what makes some partnerships work better and deliver more added value than others. The paper summarizes two literature reviews that were commissioned, aiming to: a) synthesise the evidence for the determinants of effective partnership from the existing evaluation literature for the major GHPs; and b) from the wider business and political science field and finds good (and less good) practices that results in more (or less) effective partnerships"

Study paper No. 6 of the 2004 DFID Study: Global Health Partnerships [GHP]: Assessing the Impact

UK AIDS aid : an analysis of DFID HIV/AIDS expenditure

JANJUA, Harinder
November 2003

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This report collates available evidence to determine how much the UK government is currently spending on HIV/AIDS in developing countries and countries in transition. It points out that a desire to see HIV/AIDS mainstreamed within development work is inconsistent with a desire for clear vertical budget lines. It makes recommendations for future campaign demands and for DFID's statements on its spending

Global equity gauge alliance : reflections on early experiences

McCOY, David
et al
September 2003

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"This paper traces the evolution and working of the Global Equity Gauge Alliance (GEGA) and its efforts to promote health equity...[It] provides examples of strategies for promoting pro-equity policy and social change and reviews experiences and lessons, both in terms of technical success of interventions and in relation to the conceptual development and refinement of the Equity Gauge Strategy..."

Intergovernmental negotiations and decision making at the United Nations : the NGLS guide for NGOs

UNITED NATIONS NON-GOVERNMENTAL LIASON SERVICE (NGLS)
June 2003

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This is an overview of the intergovernmental negotiating and decision making process of the United Nations. It includes chapters on a range of related topics including: a guide to NGO participation, the decision making apparatus, and the follow up and implementation process. This resource would be useful for anyone with an interest in international organisations, intergovernmental negotiations and decision making

Legal frameworks for citizen participation : synthesis report

MCGEE, Rosemary
et al
April 2003

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This report synthesizes the collective learning generated throughout the project of the legal frameworks for citizen participation. It is not a summary of all findings however it is an analysis that presents findings of the overall study about the significance, at supra-national and supra-regional levels, of legal and policy frameworks for citizen participation in local governance. Additional detailed findings can be found in related case studies and regional reports
Research report series

Twenty five years of primary health care : lessons learned and proposals for revitalisation

SANDERS, David
2003

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This report highlights the lessons learned from 25 years of primary health care. It highlights the gains that there have been in health status, but also looks at the setbacks, for example the increased gap between the health of rich and poor, and the resurgence and spread of old communicable diseases and new epidemics. It highlights the mixed progress in implementing primary health care and makes proposals for the revitalisation of primary health care

A manual for CBR planners

THOMAS, Maya
THOMAS, M J
Eds
2003

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This manual for community-based rehabilitation planners has 13 sections and contains a very useful overview of the history of CBR with valuable introductory reading for newcomers to the field. The subsequent six sections cover planning, needs assessment and include suggestions of how to understand local communities and encourage community participation in CBR programmes. The final six sections are concerned with programme management issues; for example, as organising self-help groups, training personnel for CBR, and the sustainability of projects including evaluation and management of change

Participation, relationships and dynamic change : new thinking on evaluating the work of international networks

CHURCH, Madeline
et al
2003

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Gives an overview discussion of the key characteristics of networks, noting that international development increasingly takes a network form. Networks typically put an emphasis on: facilitative leadership; building relationships and trust; light co-ordinating structure that allows decentralisation, autonomy and voluntary participation. However, these are charactersitics that traditional evaluation approaches have not been developed to address. Provides a useful check-list for evaluating networks and suggests some useful practical tools to approach the evaluation of networks, such as: ‘Contributions assessment’ to guage how effectively the network facilitates the circulation of resources, and enables people to make the contribution that they are capable of; ‘Clarification of aims and activities’ (adapted Weaver’s Triangle) tool to clarify how participants perspectives and activities diverge or converge over time; ‘Channels of Participation’ tool to assess how and were members interact in a network and look at changes over time; ‘Monitoring the edges’ to track independent networking stimulated but not through the centre

International consultation to review community-based rehabilitation (CBR)

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
2003

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This document summarises the outcomes of the international consultation. The main conclusions were that human rights play a role in CBR, CBR has to be supported by national governments, various sectors have to cooperate and that UN agencies, governments and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have to promote CBR as a poverty re-education strategy

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