Integrating quasi-experimental and inductive designs in evaluation: A case study of the impact of free bus travel on public health

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread globally and is currently having a damaging impact on nearly all countries in the world. The implementation of stringent measures to stop COVID-19 dissemination had an influence on healthcare services and associated procedures, possibly causing antibiotic consumption fluctuations. This paper aims to evaluate the immediate and long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on antibiotic prescribing trends in outpatient care of the Portuguese public health sector, including in primary healthcare centers and hospitals, as well as on specific antibiotic groups known to be closely associated with increased resistance. Segmented regression analysis with interrupted time series data was used to analyze whether the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact in antibiotic prescribing tendencies at a national level. The outcomes from this quasi-experimental approach demonstrate that, at the beginning of the pandemic, a significant, immediate decrease in the overall antibiotic prescribing trends was noticed in the context of outpatient care in Portugal, followed by a statistically non-significant fall over the long term. The data also showed a significant reduction in the prescription of particular antibiotic classes (antibiotics from the Watch group, 3rd-generation cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, and clarithromycin) upon COVID-19 emergence. These findings revealed an important disruption in antibiotics prescribing caused by the current public health emergency.

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ANALYSES OF THE IMPACT OF BUILT ENVIRONMENT FACTORS OF SMALL PUBLIC GREEN SPACES ON PUBLIC HEALTH —A CASE STUDY ON THE OLD CITY CENTER OF NANJING, JIANGSU PROVINCE

Landscape Architecture Frontiers ◽

10.15302/j-laf-1-020036 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (5) ◽

pp. 76

Author(s):

Peng GUAN ◽

Xiaodong XU ◽

Ning XU ◽

Wei WANG

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Built Environment ◽

Jiangsu Province ◽

Green Spaces ◽

City Center ◽

Environment Factors ◽

Old City ◽

The Impact

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Uncharted waters: LNG as a marine fuel in Australasia

The APPEA Journal ◽

10.1071/aj16083 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 57 (2) ◽

pp. 434

Author(s):

Rob Duncanson ◽

Walter P. Purio

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Southern Hemisphere ◽

Emerging Market ◽

Maritime Industry ◽

Marine Fuel ◽

Global Context ◽

Energy Independence ◽

Lng Fuel ◽

The Impact

This paper explores the emerging market for liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a marine fuel, with a particular focus on the market in Australasia. While LNG as a marine fuel is a growing market in the northern hemisphere, slower rates of adoption of LNG fuel technologies in maritime industry are evident in the southern hemisphere. This paper aims to ground the Australasian LNG marine fuel market in a global context and to explore opportunities for Australia to lead the region in developing and adopting LNG as a marine fuel. This paper looks at the key drivers behind championing LNG as a marine fuel, focusing on four main areas of impact; economy, environment, public health and innovation. This paper uses Australia as a case study for the adoption of LNG as a marine fuel in the southern hemisphere. It considers the opportunities presented by LNG as a marine fuel to assist Australia in: achieving energy independence; reducing the impact of air pollution from ships on the environment and public health; and positioning Australia as an innovative leader in LNG as a marine fuel.

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The Impact of a National Earthquake Campaign on Public Preparedness: 2011 Campaign in Israel as a Case Study

Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness ◽

10.1017/dmp.2014.58 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 138-144 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Gilead Shenhar ◽

Irina Radomislensky ◽

Michael Rozenfeld ◽

Kobi Peleg

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Representative Sample ◽

Strong Earthquake ◽

Public Health Preparedness ◽

Israeli Population ◽

Israeli Government ◽

The Impact

AbstractObjectiveThe most effective way to reduce the number of expected victims and amount of damage from earthquakes is by effective preparedness. The Israeli government launched a national campaign to change its citizens’ behavior. This study assessed the effectiveness of the campaign on the Israeli population.MethodsThe survey was conducted 2 weeks after the campaign ended. It was based on a randomly selected representative sample of the adult Israeli population.ResultsOf the 42% of the Israeli public exposed to the campaign, 37% estimated that a strong earthquake might occur in Israel during the coming years. Only 23% of those who were exposed to the campaign (9% of the Israeli public) said that the campaign improved their awareness; 76% reported that after their exposure to the campaign they did nothing to prepare. However, exposure to the campaign significantly increased the knowledge of dealing with earthquakes (30% vs 21% among those not exposed).ConclusionsAlthough the campaign increased knowledge and awareness, it did not achieve the goal of improving public preparedness. The campaign was not effective by itself, and it should be part of a multiyear activity. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2015;9:138-144)

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The Effect of Blended Learning on the Achievement in a Physics Course of Students of a Dentistry College: A Case Study at Ajman University

The Electronic Journal of e-Learning ◽

10.34190/ejel.19.1.1992 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Najeh Rajeh Alsalhi ◽

Mohd Eltahir ◽

Elmuez Dawi ◽

Atef Abdelkader ◽

Samer Zyoud

Keyword(s):

Blended Learning ◽

Control Group ◽

Validity And Reliability ◽

Control Groups ◽

Case Study Design ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

Physics Course ◽

The Impact ◽

Experimental Group

This study aims to investigate the impact of the use of blended learning on the achievement of Dentistry College students on a physics course at Ajman University. It compares the results of different ways of teaching the ‘Practical physics course’. The study was conducted using a quasi-experimental case study design. The participants of the study were 116 students, divided into two groups: one an experimental group (n = 59) and the other a control group (n = 57). An achievement test was designed to confirm the study’s validity and reliability. SPSS was used to analyze the data. The findings revealed that there were statistically significant differences between the experimental and the control groups, in favor of the experimental group. Moreover, the findings also revealed that achievement varied according to the gender of the students in the experimental group (in favor of females). The study recommends further research into the use of blended learning in higher education institutions.

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A case study of new approaches to address health inequalities: Due North five years on

British Medical Bulletin ◽

10.1093/bmb/ldz037 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 132 (1) ◽

pp. 17-31

Author(s):

Paul W Johnstone

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Local Government ◽

Health Inequalities ◽

Annual Reports ◽

New Approaches ◽

The North ◽

New Public Health ◽

The Impact ◽

Deprived Areas

Abstract Introduction When local councils took on responsibility for public health in England in 2013, leaders from across the north of England met to consider the scale of the challenge. As a result, Public Health England commissioned the Due North Report which outlined new approaches in tackling health inequalities. This second paper outlines what has been learnt in five years as a case study. This includes influencing devolution deals and new elected city mayors, planning for economic growth in deprived areas and developing community asset-based approaches. The paper outlines a new framework for place-based planning to reduce health inequalities. Sources of data Data was gathered from annual reports from north of England directors of public health, Office for National Statistics, Public Health England’s fingertips database and regional and national publications and strategies such as the Northern Powerhouse. Areas of agreement Devolution to English cities and councils as ‘places’ is a new opportunity to address local needs and inequalities. Due North has supported a new public health narrative which locates health action in the most fundamental determinants—how local economies are planned, jobs created and power is to be transferred to communities and connects reducing years of premature ill health to increased economic productivity. Community asset approaches to empower local leaders and entrepreneurs can be effective ways to achieve change. Areas of controversy The north–south divide in health is not closing and may be worsening. Different ways of working between local government, health and business sectors can inhibit in working together and with communities. Growing points Place-based working with devolved powers can help move away from top down and silo working, empower local government and support communities. Linking policies on health inequalities to economic planning can address upstream determinants such as poverty, homelessness and unsafe environments. Areas timely for developing research More research is needed on; (i) addressing inequalities at scale for interventions to influence community-led change and prosperity in deprived areas, and (ii) the impact of devolution policy on population health particularly for deprived areas and marginalised group. Discussion and conclusions Commissioning high profile reports like Due North is influential in supporting new approaches in reducing inequality of health through local government, elected mayors; and working with deprived communities. This second paper describes progress and lessons.

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To disinvest or invest? The role of programme budgeting and marginal analysis (PBMA) for economic evaluation and prioritization between public health interventions

Applied Health Economics for Public Health Practice and Research ◽

10.1093/med/9780198737483.003.0014 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 312-340

Author(s):

Joanna M. Charles ◽

Rhiannon T. Edwards

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Resource Allocation ◽

Local Population ◽

Health Improvement ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Marginal Analysis ◽

The Impact ◽

Allocation Decisions

This chapter describes the application of programme budgeting and marginal analysis (PBMA) as an evidence-based framework to make resource allocation decisions such as whether to invest or disinvest in certain services, products, or interventions. This evidence-based eight-step decision-making process can help decision-makers to maximize the impact of healthcare resources on the health needs of a local population. Programme budgeting is an appraisal of past resource allocation in specified programmes or services with a view to tracking future resource allocation in those same programmes or services. Marginal analysis is the appraisal of the added benefits and added costs of a proposed investment or the lost benefits and lower costs of a proposed disinvestment. This chapter pays particular attention to the use of the PBMA framework to appraise a national health improvement budget as a case study to illustrate the methods practical application in public health.

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The effect of enhanced public–private partnerships on Maternal, Newborn and child Health Services and outcomes in Nairobi–Kenya: the PAMANECH quasi-experimental research protocol

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2014-006608 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 4 (10) ◽

pp. e006608 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Pauline Bakibinga ◽

Remare Ettarh ◽

Abdhalah K Ziraba ◽

Catherine Kyobutungi ◽

Eva Kamande ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Child Health ◽

Health Services ◽

Health Facilities ◽

Public Private Partnerships ◽

Quality Healthcare ◽

Newborn And Child Health ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

The Impact ◽

And Child Health

IntroductionRapid urbanisation in Kenya has resulted in growth of slums in urban centres, characterised by poverty, inadequate social services and poor health outcomes. The government's initiatives to improve access to quality healthcare for mothers and children are largely limited to public health facilities, which are few and/or inaccessible in underserved areas such as the slums. The ‘Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health’ (PAMANECH) project is being implemented in two Nairobi slums, Viwandani and Korogocho, to assess the impact of strengthening public–private partnerships for the delivery of healthcare on the health of mothers, newborns and young children in two informal settlements in Kenya.Methods and analysisThis is a quasi-experimental study; our approach is to support private as well as public health providers and the community to enhance access to and demand for quality healthcare services. Key activities include: infrastructural upgrade of selected Private Not-For-Profit health facilities operating in the two slums, building capacity for healthcare providers as well as the Health Management Teams in Nairobi, facilitating provision of supportive supervision by the local health authorities and forming networks of Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) to create demand for health services. To assess the impact of the intervention, the study is utilising multiple data sources using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. A baseline survey was conducted in 2013 and an end-line survey will be conducted at least 1 year after full implementation of the intervention. Systematic monitoring and documentation of the intervention is on-going to strengthen the case for causal inference.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval for the study was obtained from the Kenya Medical Research Institute. Key messages from the results will be packaged and widely disseminated through workshops, conference presentations, reports, factsheets and academic publications to facilitate uptake by policymakers.Protocol registration numberKEMRI- NON-SSC-PROTOCOL No. 393.

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