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Shewade HD, Frederick A, Kalyanasundaram M, Chadwick J, Kiruthika G, Rajasekar TD, Gayathri K, Vijayaprabha R, Sabarinathan R, Shivakumar SVBY, Jeyashree K, Bhavani PK, Aarthi S, Suma KV, Pathinathan DP, Parthasarathy R, Nivetha MB, Thampi JG, Chidambaram D, Bhatnagar T, Lokesh S, Devika S, Laux TS, Viswanathan S, Sridhar R, Krishnamoorthy K, Sakthivel M, Karunakaran S, Rajkumar S, Ramachandran M, Kanagaraj KD, Kaleeswari M, Durai VP, Saravanan R, Sugantha A, Khan SZHM, Sangeetha P, Vasudevan R, Nedunchezhian R, Sankari M, Jeevanandam N, Ganapathy S, Rajasekaran V, Mathavi T, Rajaprakash AR, Murali L, Pugal U, Sundaralingam K, Savithri S, Vellasamy S, Dheenadayal D, Ashok P, Jayasree K, Sudhakar R, Rajan KP, Tharageshwari N, Chokkalingam D, Anandrajkumar SM, Selvavinayagam TS, Padmapriyadarsini C, Ramachandran R, Murhekar MV. --Eleven tips for operational researchers working with health programmes: our experience based on implementing differentiated tuberculosis care in south India. Glob Health Action 2023; 16:2161231. [PMID: 36621943 PMCID: PMC9833404 DOI: 10.1080/16549716.2022.2161231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to the workload and lack of a critical mass of trained operational researchers within their ranks, health systems and programmes may not be able to dedicate sufficient time to conducting operational research (OR). Hence, they may need the technical support of operational researchers from research/academic organisations. Additionally, there is a knowledge gap regarding implementing differentiated tuberculosis (TB) care in programme settings. In this 'how we did it' paper, we share our experience of implementing a differentiated TB care model along with an inbuilt OR component in Tamil Nadu, a southern state in India. This was a health system initiative through a collaboration of the State TB cell with the Indian Council of Medical Research institutes and the World Health Organisation country office in India. The learnings are in the form of eleven tips: four broad principles (OR on priority areas and make it a health system initiative, implement simple and holistic ideas, embed OR within routine programme settings, aim for long-term engagement), four related to strategic planning (big team of investigators, joint leadership, decentralised decision-making, working in advance) and three about implementation planning (conducting pilots, smart use of e-tools and operational research publications at frequent intervals). These may act as a guide for other Indian states, high TB burden countries that want to implement differentiated care, and for operational researchers in providing technical assistance for strengthening implementation and conducting OR in health systems and programmes (TB or other health programmes). Following these tips may increase the chances of i) an enriching engagement, ii) policy/practice change, and iii) sustainable implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hemant Deepak Shewade
- ICMR – National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai, India,CONTACT Hemant Deepak Shewade ; Department of Health Research, Government of India, ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology, R-127, Second Main Road, TNHB, Ayapakkam, Chennai600077, India
| | | | | | | | - G. Kiruthika
- ICMR – National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai, India
| | | | - K. Gayathri
- ICMR – National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai, India
| | | | | | | | | | - P. K. Bhavani
- ICMR – National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis, Chennai, India
| | - S. Aarthi
- State TB Cell, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
| | - K. V. Suma
- The WHO Country Office for India, New Delhi, India
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - S. Lokesh
- ICMR – National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai, India
| | | | | | - Stalin Viswanathan
- Department of Medicine, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India
| | - R. Sridhar
- Government Hospital of Thoracic Medicine, Tambaram, India
| | - K. Krishnamoorthy
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital, Tirunelveli, India
| | - M. Sakthivel
- Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
| | - S. Karunakaran
- Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
| | - S. Rajkumar
- Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
| | - M. Ramachandran
- Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
| | - K. D. Kanagaraj
- Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
| | - M. Kaleeswari
- Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
| | - V. P. Durai
- Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
| | - R. Saravanan
- Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
| | - A. Sugantha
- Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
| | | | - P. Sangeetha
- Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
| | - R. Vasudevan
- Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
| | - R. Nedunchezhian
- Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
| | - M. Sankari
- Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
| | - N. Jeevanandam
- Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
| | - S. Ganapathy
- Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
| | - V. Rajasekaran
- Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
| | - T. Mathavi
- Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
| | - A. R. Rajaprakash
- Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
| | - Lakshmi Murali
- Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
| | - U. Pugal
- Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
| | - K. Sundaralingam
- Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
| | - S. Savithri
- Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
| | - S. Vellasamy
- Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
| | - D. Dheenadayal
- Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
| | - P. Ashok
- Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
| | - K. Jayasree
- Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
| | - R. Sudhakar
- Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
| | - K. P. Rajan
- Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
| | | | | | | | - T. S. Selvavinayagam
- Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
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Kumar AM, Harries AD, Satyanarayana S, Thekkur P, Shewade HD, Zachariah R. What is operational research and how can national tuberculosis programmes in low- and middle-income countries use it to end TB? Indian J Tuberc 2020; 67:S23-S32. [PMID: 33308668 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijtb.2020.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Despite considerable progress over the years, tuberculosis (TB) still remains the top cause of death among the infectious diseases and has devastating socio-economic consequences for people in low- and middle-income countries. To add to this, the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened delivery of TB care across the globe. As a global community, we have committed to end the TB epidemic by 2030. The World Health Organization has framed a strategy to achieve this goal which consists of three pillars namely i) integrated patient-centred care and prevention, ii) bold policies and systems and iii) intensified research and innovation. An analysis of the performance of national tuberculosis programmes (NTPs) across the globe against the ten priority indicators recommended for monitoring the end TB strategy show that there are huge gaps at every step in the cascade of care of TB patients. In our view, these gaps reflect suboptimal implementation of existing strategies known to be efficacious and operational research (OR) is one of the best available tools to plug the gaps. In this paper, we define what operational research is and how it differs from other kinds of research. We also share our views and experiences about how operational research can be used by NTPs to identify implementation gaps and their reasons, and develop and test possible solutions - which are then integrated to make changes to policy and practice and eventually improve programme outcomes. OR can be defined as research into interventions, strategies and tools which produces practical useable knowledge that can be used to enhance the quality, coverage, effectiveness and efficiency of disease control programmes, health services or health systems in which the research is conducted. The key steps in integrating operational research in the NTPs include: i) securing political commitment reflected by inclusion of OR in the national strategic plans of NTPs and earmarked funding, ii) having a critical mass of dedicated and trained human resources in OR within the NTP, iii) setting research priorities and steering the direction of research in the country, iv) using output-oriented models of capacity building such as the Structured Operational Research Training Initiative (SORT IT) model and building communities of practice, v) harnessing existing capacity in the country by forging partnerships with academia, vi) NTP-led nationwide, multicentre OR studies, vii) providing access to anonymized patient and programme surveillance data, vii) creating a forum for evidence dissemination and fostering policy change and ix) monitoring and accountability. In conclusion, ending the TB epidemic will not be possible without new tools (diagnostics, drugs, vaccines) and a multi-sectoral response involving stakeholders beyond the health ministry, including private providers, patients and communities. However, timely conduct of operational research to fine-tune programme implementation and ensuring proper deployment of new tools will be equally crucial to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of interventions and ultimately contribute towards ending TB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajay Mv Kumar
- International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), Paris, France; The Union South-East Asia Office, New Delhi, India; Yenepoya Medical College, Yenepoya (Deemed to Be University), Mangalore, India.
| | - Anthony D Harries
- International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), Paris, France; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Srinath Satyanarayana
- International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), Paris, France; The Union South-East Asia Office, New Delhi, India
| | - Pruthu Thekkur
- International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), Paris, France; The Union South-East Asia Office, New Delhi, India
| | - Hemant D Shewade
- International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), Paris, France; The Union South-East Asia Office, New Delhi, India
| | - Rony Zachariah
- Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Disease (TDR), World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
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Harries AD, Kumar AMV, Satyanarayana S, Thekkur P, Lin Y, Dlodlo RA, Zachariah R. How Can Operational Research Help to Eliminate Tuberculosis in the Asia Pacific Region? Trop Med Infect Dis 2019; 4:E47. [PMID: 30875884 PMCID: PMC6473929 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed4010047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Revised: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Broad multi-sectoral action is required to end the tuberculosis (TB) epidemic by 2030 and this includes National TB Programmes (NTPs) fully delivering on quality-assured diagnostic, treatment and preventive services. Large implementation gaps currently exist in the delivery of these services, which can be addressed and closed through the discipline of operational research. This paper outlines the TB disease burden and disease-control programme implementation gaps in the Asia-Pacific region; discusses the key priority areas in diagnosis, treatment and prevention where operational research can be used to make a difference; and finally provides guidance about how best to embed operational research within a TB programme setting. Achieving internationally agreed milestones and targets for case finding and treatment requires the NTP to be streamlined and efficient in the delivery of its services, and operational research provides the necessary evidence-based knowledge and support to allow this to happen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony D Harries
- International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, 68 Boulevard Saint Michel, 75006 Paris, France.
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK.
| | - Ajay M V Kumar
- International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, 68 Boulevard Saint Michel, 75006 Paris, France.
- International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, South-East Asia Office, C-6 Qutub Institutional Area, New Delhi 110016, India.
- Yenepoya Medical College, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), University Road, Deralakatte, Mangalore 575018, India.
| | - Srinath Satyanarayana
- International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, 68 Boulevard Saint Michel, 75006 Paris, France.
- International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, South-East Asia Office, C-6 Qutub Institutional Area, New Delhi 110016, India.
| | - Pruthu Thekkur
- International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, 68 Boulevard Saint Michel, 75006 Paris, France.
- International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, South-East Asia Office, C-6 Qutub Institutional Area, New Delhi 110016, India.
| | - Yan Lin
- International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, 68 Boulevard Saint Michel, 75006 Paris, France.
- International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, No.1 Xindong Road, Beijing 100600, China.
| | - Riitta A Dlodlo
- International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, 68 Boulevard Saint Michel, 75006 Paris, France.
| | - Rony Zachariah
- Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Disease (TDR), World Health Organization, Avenue Appia 20, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland.
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Ade S, Affolabi D, Adjobimey M, Ade G, Anagonou S, Kumar AMV, Harries AD. Operational research within the national tuberculosis control programme in Benin. BMC Res Notes 2017; 10:651. [PMID: 29187248 PMCID: PMC5708179 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-017-2987-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2016] [Accepted: 11/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To document whether the placement of operational research (OR) fellows within disease control programmes in low and middle income countries leads to the implementation of operational research and improvements in policy and practice. RESULT In 2012, an OR fellow was placed within the National TB Programme, Benin, to strengthen the implementation of operational research. From 2012 to 2015, eight OR projects were implemented, of which three contributed to changes in programme practice and five provided information which was not previously available from quarterly/annual reports. Two of these projects-one on the burden and treatment outcomes of childhood TB and one on tracing patients who had discontinued treatment-are discussed in more detail. OR should be strongly encouraged within national TB programme settings and an OR fellow facilitates this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serge Ade
- Faculté de Médecine, Université de Parakou, Parakou, Benin. .,Programme National Contre la Tuberculose, 02BP: 8022, Cotonou, Benin. .,International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Paris, France.
| | - Dissou Affolabi
- Programme National Contre la Tuberculose, 02BP: 8022, Cotonou, Benin
| | - Mênonli Adjobimey
- Programme National Contre la Tuberculose, 02BP: 8022, Cotonou, Benin
| | - Gabriel Ade
- Programme National Contre la Tuberculose, 02BP: 8022, Cotonou, Benin
| | - Sévérin Anagonou
- Programme National Contre la Tuberculose, 02BP: 8022, Cotonou, Benin
| | - Ajay M V Kumar
- International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Paris, France.,International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, South-East Asia Office, New Delhi, India
| | - Anthony D Harries
- International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Paris, France.,London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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Hoa NB, Nhung NV, Kumar AMV, Harries AD. The effects of placing an operational research fellow within the Viet Nam National Tuberculosis Programme. Public Health Action 2016; 6:273-276. [PMID: 28123967 DOI: 10.5588/pha.16.0044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Accepted: 08/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
In April 2009, an operational research fellow was placed within the Viet Nam National Tuberculosis Control Programme (NTP). Over the 6 years from 2010 to 2015, the OR fellow co-authored 21 tuberculosis research papers (as principal author in 15 [71%]). This constituted 23% of the 91 tuberculosis papers published in Viet Nam during this period. Of the 21 published papers, 16 (76%) contributed to changes in policy (n = 8) and practice (n = 8), and these in turn improved programme performance. Many papers also contributed important evidence for better programme planning. Highly motivated OR fellows embedded within NTPs can facilitate high-quality research and research uptake.
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Affiliation(s)
- N B Hoa
- National Tuberculosis Programme Viet Nam, Hanoi, Viet Nam ; Centre for Operational Research, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), Paris, France
| | - N V Nhung
- National Tuberculosis Programme Viet Nam, Hanoi, Viet Nam ; Viet Nam Association Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Hanoi, Viet Nam
| | - A M V Kumar
- Centre for Operational Research, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), Paris, France ; The Union South-East Asia Regional Office, New Delhi, India
| | - A D Harries
- Centre for Operational Research, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), Paris, France ; Department of Clinical Research, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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