Wednesday, August 1, 2012

[EQ] Postdoctoral Fellowships - Health Policy and Systems Research (HPSR) for the Collaboration for Health Systems Analysis and Innovation (CHESAI)

Postdoctoral Fellowships
 - Health Policy and Systems Research (HPSR) for the Collaboration for Health Systems Analysis and Innovation (CHESAI)

CHESAI is a four year collaborative endeavour between the University of Cape Town (UCT) and the University of Western Cape (UWC), Schools of Public Health, funded by the Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

This call is for TWO such Fellowships to commence January 2013

Closing date for applications: 15th October 2012

Website: http://bit.ly/PmbK6X

This collaboration is based on the understanding that Health Policy and Systems Research (HPSR) is an emerging field within the broader terrain of health research, with conceptual and methodological foundations that require substantial development.

The overall aim for CHESAI is, therefore, to contribute to expanding and strengthening the health policy and systems knowledge base in Africa through building an intellectual hub for HPSR in Cape Town, South Africa, creating spaces for engagements between researchers and practitioners, supporting African HSPR capacity development and sharing/disseminating HPSR conceptual and methodological innovations.

The successful candidates will be required to register at the University of Cape Town OR the University of the Western Cape in January 2013.

They will join the CHESAI team, led by Profs Lucy Gilson and Uta Lehmann

Contact details for submission of applications and for enquiries -Jill Olivier and Thubelihle Mathole (UWC) at chesai.mail@gmail.com


Selection of short-listed candidates will be made by the principal investigators and a sub-committee of academics from both institutions and IDRC representatives, and eligible applicants will be notified of the result of their applications by the end of November 2012.

 

KMC/2012/HSS
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This message from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO/WHO, is part of an effort to disseminate
information Related to: Equity; Health inequality; Socioeconomic inequality in health; Socioeconomic
health differentials; Gender; Violence; Poverty; Health Economics; Health Legislation; Ethnicity; Ethics;
Information Technology - Virtual libraries; Research & Science issues.  [DD/ KMC Area]
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[EQ] Tools for Implementing an Evidence-Based Approach in Public Health Practice - EBPH

Tools for Implementing an Evidence-Based Approach in Public Health Practice

Julie A. Jacobs, Prevention Research Center in St. Louis, Brown School, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri
Ellen Jones, School of Health Related Professions, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi
Barbara A. Gabella, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Denver, Colorado
Bonnie Spring, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
Ross C. Brownson, Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri


Prev Chronic Dis 2012;9:110324. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd9.110324. July 20th, 2012

Available online at: http://bit.ly/NaFy70

“…..Increasing disease rates, limited funding, and the ever-growing scientific basis for intervention demand the use of proven strategies to improve population health. Public health practitioners must be ready to implement an evidence-based approach in their work to meet health goals and sustain necessary resources.

We researched easily accessible and time-efficient tools for implementing an evidence-based public health (EBPH) approach to improve population health. Several tools have been developed to meet Evidence-Based Approach in Public Health Practice EBPH needs, including free online resources in the following topic areas: training and planning tools, US health surveillance, policy tracking and surveillance, systematic reviews and evidence-based guidelines, economic evaluation, and gray literature.

Key elements of Evidence-Based Approach in Public Health Practice EBPH are engaging the community in assessment and decision making; using data and information systems systematically; making decisions on the basis of the best available peer-reviewed evidence (both quantitative and qualitative); applying program-planning frameworks (often based in health-behavior theory); conducting sound evaluation; and disseminating what is learned….”

“…..Selected Tools and Resources for Evidence-Based Public Health (EBPH) 

Training tools 

Evidence-Based Public Health (http://prcstl.wustl.edu/EBPH/Pages/ EvidenceBasedPublicHealthCourse.aspx). Features slides from the course developed by the Prevention Research Center in St. Louis.Evidence-Based Behavioral Project Training Portal (www.ebbp.org). Nine modules illustrate the evidence-based practice process for both individual and population-based approaches. Continuing education credits are available for social workers, psychologists, physicians, and nurses.Evidence-Based Public Health Online Course (http://ebph.ihrp.uic.edu). Produced through the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Institute for Health Research and Policy, this online course provides an overview of the EBPH process and includes additional resources and short quizzes. 

Planning tools 

Cancer Control P.L.A.N.E.T. (http://cancercontrolplanet.cancer.gov). The P.L.A.N.E.T. portal walks practitioners through an evidence-based process for cancer control, providing easy access to data and evidence-based resources. Topics include diet/nutrition, physical activity, tobacco control, and more. Step 4 includes practical details on interventions such as time and resources required and suitable settings. The Community Tool Box (http://ctb.ku.edu). This comprehensive resource offers more than 7,000 pages of practical guidance on a wide range of skills essential for promoting community health. Tool kits (under “Do the Work” tab) provide outlines, examples, and links to tools for topics such as community assessment and evaluation.


Community Health Assessment and Group Evaluation (CHANGE) Tool and Action Guide (www.cdc.gov/healthycommunitiesprogram/ tools/change.htm). Developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this tool focuses on assessment and planning. It provides Microsoft Excel (Microsoft, Redmond, Washington) templates for collecting data in 5 sectors: community-at-large, community institutions/organizations, health care, school, and worksite.
It is recommended for prioritizing action planning and tracking annual progress in key policy and environmental strategies. 

Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships (MAPP) (www.naccho.org/topics/infrastructure/mapp/index.cfm).

The MAPP model, developed by the National Association of County and City Health Officials, guides practitioners through a complete planning process, from beginning organizational steps through assessment and action planning, implementation, and evaluation. The website contains a comprehensive user handbook, a clearinghouse of resources, and stories from the field. 

YMCA Community Healthy Living Index (www.ymca.net/communityhealthylivingindeX). This site provides assessment tools and planning guides for 6 key community settings: after-school child care sites, early childhood programs, neighborhoods, schools, worksites, and the community at large. 

CDC Program Evaluation (www.cdc.gov/eval/index.htm). This site contains step-by-step manuals and other evaluation resources, including the CDC Framework for Program Evaluation. 

US surveillance systems 

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) (www.cdc.gov/brfss). BRFSS tracks health conditions and risk behaviors annually, using a standard core questionnaire that allows state-specific data to be compared across strata. An interactive menu generates prevalence and trend data by age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, and income level. The SMART (Selected Metropolitan/Micropolitan Area Risk Trends) project provides local data for selected cities and counties. 

CDC WONDER (http://wonder.cdc.gov/). CDC WONDER (Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research) provides a single point of access to public health surveillance data and a wide variety of CDC reports, guidelines, and reference materials. Data sets available for query include mortality, natality, cancer incidence, HIV/AIDS, and more. 

Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) (www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/yrbs). YRBSS monitors priority health-risk behaviors and the prevalence of obesity and asthma among youth and young adults in the United States

County Health Rankings (www.countyhealthrankings.org/). Counties in each of the 50 states are ranked according to surveillance data on health outcomes and a broad range of health factors. For each state, data can be downloaded as a Microsoft Excel file; links for relevant state-specific data websites are provided. 

Policy tracking and surveillance 

National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) (www.ncsl.org/). NCSL provides access to current state and federal legislation and a comprehensive list of state documents, including state statutes, constitutions, legislative audits, and research reports. 

Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity (www.yaleruddcenter.org/). This site provides a legislation database for federal and state policies on food policy and obesity topics such as breastfeeding, body mass index screenings, and school nutrition. 

State Cancer Legislative Database Program (www.scld-nci.net/). The National Cancer Institute maintains this database of state cancer-related health policy. 

Systematic reviews and evidence-based guidelines 

Guide to Community Preventive Services (the Community Guide) (www.thecommunityguide.org). The Task Force on Community Preventive Services has systematically reviewed more than 200 interventions to produce evidence-based recommendations on population-level interventions. Topics currently include adolescent health, alcohol, asthma, birth defects, cancer, diabetes, health communication, health equity, HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy, mental health, motor vehicle injury, nutrition, obesity, oral health, physical activity, the social environment, tobacco use, vaccines, violence, and worksite health. 

The Cochrane Library (www.cochrane.org). More than 5,000 systematic reviews are published in the Cochrane Library, including clinical and population-based interventions and economic evaluations. The Cochrane Public Health Group produces reviews on the effects of population-level interventions (www.ph.cochrane.org). 

The Campbell Collaboration (www.campbellcollaboration.org). This international research network produces systematic reviews in education, crime and justice, and social welfare. 

Economic evaluation

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Registry (https://research.tufts-nemc.org/cear4/home.aspX). This registry offers detailed information on nearly 3,000 cost-effectiveness analyses covering a wide array of diseases and intervention types. ….

 

KMC/2012/HSS
Twitter
http://twitter.com/eqpaho


 *      *     *
This message from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO/WHO, is part of an effort to disseminate
information Related to: Equity; Health inequality; Socioeconomic inequality in health; Socioeconomic
health differentials; Gender; Violence; Poverty; Health Economics; Health Legislation; Ethnicity; Ethics;
Information Technology - Virtual libraries; Research & Science issues.  [DD/ KMC Area]
Washington DC USA

“Materials provided in this electronic list are provided "as is". Unless expressly stated otherwise, the findings
and interpretations included in the Materials are those of the authors and not necessarily of The Pan American
Health Organization PAHO/WHO or its country members”.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PAHO/WHO Website
Equity List - Archives - Join/remove: http://listserv.paho.org/Archives/equidad.html
Twitter http://twitter.com/eqpaho



IMPORTANT: This transmission is for use by the intended
recipient and it may contain privileged, proprietary or
confidential information. If you are not the intended
recipient or a person responsible for delivering this
transmission to the intended recipient, you may not
disclose, copy or distribute this transmission or take
any action in reliance on it. If you received this transmission
in error, please dispose of and delete this transmission.

Thank you.