Systematic review methodology for development: An example from microfinance

2018 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carina Van Rooyen ◽  
Ruth Stewart ◽  
Thea De Wet
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
International Development ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Systematic Review Methodology ◽  
Development Interventions ◽  
The Us ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Evidence Based Decision Making

Big international development donors such as the UK’s Department for International Development and USAID have recently started using systematic review as a methodology to assess the effectiveness of various development interventions to help them decide what is the ‘best’ intervention to spend money on. Such an approach to evidence-based decision-making has long been practiced in the health sector in the US, UK, and elsewhere but it is relatively new in the development field. In this article we use the case of a systematic review of the impact of microfinance on the poor in sub-Saharan African to indicate how systematic review as a methodology can be used to assess the impact of specific development interventions.

scholarly journals The challenge of bringing evidence in decision-making for public health emergencies: can preparedness reach out to HTA?

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
C E Chronaki ◽  
A Miglietta
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Resource Planning ◽  
Public Health Emergency ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Public Health Emergencies ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Evidence Based Decision Making

Abstract Evidence-based decision-making is central to public health. Implementing evidence-informed actions is most challenging during a public health emergency as in an epidemic, when time is limited, scientific uncertainties and political pressures tend to be high, and reliable data is typically lacking. The process of including data for preparedness and training for evidence-based decision making in public health emergencies is not systematic and is complicated by many barriers as the absence of common digital tools and approaches for resource planning and update of response plans. Health Technology Assessment (HTA) is used with the aim to improve the quality and efficiency of public health interventions and to make healthcare systems more sustainable. Many of today's public health crises are also cross-border, and countries need to collaborate in a systematic and standardized way in order to enhance interoperability to share data and to plan coordinated response. Digital health tools have an important role to play in this setting, facilitating use of knowledge about the population that can potentially affected by the crisis within and across regional and national borders. To strengthen the impact of scientific evidence on decision-making for public health emergency preparedness and response, it is necessary to better define and align mechanisms through which interdisciplinary evidence feeds into decision-making processes during public health emergencies and the context in which these mechanisms operate. Activities and policy development in the HTA network could inform this process. The objective of this presentation is to identify barriers for evidence-based decision making during public health emergencies and discuss how standardization in digital health and HTA processes may help overcome these barriers leading to more effective coordinated and evidence-based public health emergency response.

scholarly journals The impact of antenatal care on neonatal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis

PLoS ONE ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (9) ◽  
pp. e0222566 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tesfalidet Tekelab ◽  
Catherine Chojenta ◽  
Roger Smith ◽  
Deborah Loxton
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Antenatal Care ◽  
Neonatal Mortality ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Impact

Impact of training and professional development on health management and leadership competence

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 354-379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reuben Olugbenga Ayeleke ◽  
Nicola Henri North ◽  
Annette Dunham ◽  
Katharine Ann Wallis
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Health Management ◽  
Mixed Methods Design ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Development Interventions ◽  
Leadership Competence ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Management And Leadership

Purpose Training to improve health management and leadership competence is recommended. However, there is limited evidence showing the impact of training on competence. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the evidence for the impact of training and professional development on health management and leadership competence. Design/methodology/approach A systematic review was conducted using a mixed-methods design. Studies using qualitative, quantitative or mixed-methods design were included. The following electronic databases were searched to October 2018: CENTRAL, CINAHL, EMBASE, ERIC, NEDLINE and PsycINFO. Study eligibility and methodological quality were assessed independently by two review authors. Data from qualitative studies were synthesised using thematic analysis. For quantitative studies, odds ratio (OR) or mean difference (MD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated for each intervention. Where appropriate, qualitative and quantitative data were integrated into a single synthesis using Bayesian methods. Findings In total, 19 studies were identified for inclusion in the review. Training and professional development interventions using flexible, multiple training techniques tailored to organisational contexts can improve individual competence and performance. Such training is typified by a leadership development programme. There was insufficient evidence to determine the effects of interventions on organisational performance. Originality/value This is the first systematic review evaluating the impact of training and professional development interventions on health management and leadership competence.

scholarly journals Food security impacts of industrial crop production in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review of the impact mechanisms

Food Security ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcin Pawel Jarzebski ◽  
Abubakari Ahmed ◽  
Yaw Agyeman Boafo ◽  
Boubacar Siddighi Balde ◽  
Linda Chinangwa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Industrial Crop ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals Congress of Neurological Surgeons Systematic Review and Evidence-Based Guidelines for Pediatric Myelomeningocele: Executive Summary

Neurosurgery ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 85 (3) ◽  
pp. 299-301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine A Mazzola ◽  
Nadege Assassi ◽  
Lissa C Baird ◽  
David F Bauer ◽  
Alexandra D Beier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Spina Bifida ◽  
Task Force ◽  
The United States ◽  
Folic Acid Deficiency ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Executive Summary ◽  
Full Text Review ◽  
Level I ◽  
The Impact

Abstract BACKGROUND The incidence of spina bifida (SB) in the developing world is higher than in the United States because of malnutrition and folic acid deficiency during pregnancy. Advances in technology have made prenatal repair of myelomeningocele (MM) possible. OBJECTIVE The objective of the guidelines are, (1) To create clinical recommendations for best practices, based on a systematic review and analysis of available literature, (2) to obtain multi-disciplinary endorsement of these guidelines from relevant organizations, and (3) to disseminate the educational content to physicians to improve the care of infants with MM. METHODS The Guidelines Task Force developed search terms and strategies used to search PubMed and Embase for literature published between 1966 and September 2016. Strict inclusion/exclusion criteria were used to screen abstracts and to develop a list of relevant articles for full-text review. RESULTS Guidelines authors aimed to systematically review the literature and make evidence based recommendations about the timing of closure after birth, hydrocephalus, the impact of prenatal closure, and the effect of prenatal closure on ambulation ability and tethered spinal cord. Evidence concerning persistent ventriculomegaly and cognitive impairment was also evaluated. Hundreds of abstracts were identified and reviewed for each of the 5 topics. A total of 14 studies met stringent inclusion criteria. CONCLUSION Based on a comprehensive systematic review, a total of 5 clinical practice recommendations were developed, with 1 Level I, 2 Level II and 2 Level III recommendations. The full guideline can be found at https://www.cns.org/guidelines/guidelines-spina-bifida-chapter-1.

Comparative Effects of Foreign Direct Investment from China and Other Sources on Africa’s Economic Growth

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 382-408
Author(s):  
Marvellous Ngundu ◽  
Nicholas Ngepah
Keyword(s):  
Direct Investment ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Jel Classification ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Growth Effects ◽  
Solow Growth Model ◽  
The Us ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Impact

This study examines comparatively the growth effects of FDI from China, the European Union, the US and the rest of Asia in Sub-Saharan Africa for the period 2003–2012. We develop theoretical arguments from the existing literature to show that differences in FDI data sources, methodological and econometric approaches may be part of the explanation for mixed findings of previous empirical studies, precisely on the growth effects of Chinese FDI in Africa. Our results using bilateral FDI data compiled by UNCTAD, the FDI-augmented version of the Solow growth model and the 2SLS estimator indicate a significantly negative direct impact of Chinese FDI on growth in Sub-Saharan Africa while the impact of other FDI sources is statistically insignificant. JEL Classification: B22, E22, F43

scholarly journals Which Diet Has the Least Environmental Impact on Our Planet? A Systematic Review of Vegan, Vegetarian and Omnivorous Diets

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (15) ◽  
pp. 4110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bingli Clark Chai ◽  
Johannes Reidar van der Voort ◽  
Kristina Grofelnik ◽  
Helga Gudny Eliasdottir ◽  
Ines Klöss ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Vegan Diet ◽  
Bibliographic Databases ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Exclusion Criteria ◽  
Dairy Food ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Impact

The food that we consume has a large impact on our environment. The impact varies significantly between different diets. The aim of this systematic review is to address the question: Which diet has the least environmental impact on our planet? A comparison of a vegan, vegetarian and omnivorous diets. This systematic review is based on 16 studies and 18 reviews. The included studies were selected by focusing directly on environmental impacts of human diets. Four electronic bibliographic databases, PubMed, Medline, Scopus and Web of Science were used to conduct a systematic literature search based on fixed inclusion and exclusion criteria. The durations of the studies ranged from 7 days to 27 years. Most were carried out in the US or Europe. Results from our review suggest that the vegan diet is the optimal diet for the environment because, out of all the compared diets, its production results in the lowest level of GHG emissions. Additionally, the reviewed studies indicate the possibility of achieving the same environmental impact as that of the vegan diet, without excluding the meat and dairy food groups, but rather, by reducing them substantially.

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