Table 5 Overview of the different types of evidence used in the OptimizeMNH guidance development process
What type of evidence did we use? | Which part of the DECIDE evidence-to-decision framework was it used to address? | What type of evidence did it consider? |
|---|---|---|
Systematic reviews of effectiveness | - What are the benefits and harms of the different task-shifting options? | The reviews primarily included randomised trials of task-shifting interventions. In some reviews, non-randomised study designs were also included. |
Qualitative evidence syntheses | - Is the task-shifting option acceptable to most stakeholders? - Is the task-shifting option feasible to implement? | The qualitative evidence syntheses included primary studies of task-shifting that had used qualitative methods for data collection and for data analysis |
Multi-country case study syntheses | - Is the task-shifting option acceptable to most stakeholders? - Is the task-shifting option feasible to implement? | The multi-country case study syntheses reviewed evaluations and studies of large-scale programmes designed to optimise the health workforce in LMICs. Evaluation reports, programme guidelines and published studies were gathered for each selected country programme |
Primary research | - Is the task-shifting option acceptable to most stakeholders? - Is the task-shifting option feasible to implement? | The primary research involved qualitative thematic analysis of messages submitted to two email discussion forums. The forums focus on the healthcare information needs of frontline health workers and citizens in LMICs and how these needs can be met and also include discussion of diverse aspects of health systems. |