Evaluating Transformational Adaptation in Smallholder Farming: Insights from an Evidence Review

The literature on smallholder farming and climate change adaptation (CCA) has predominantly investigated the barriers to and determinants of farmer uptake of adaptation interventions. Although useful, this evidence fails to highlight the changes or persistence of adaptation responses over time. Studies usually adopt a narrow focus on incremental actions that provide limited insights into transformative adaptation pathways and how fundamental shifts in policy can address the root causes of vulnerability across different sectors and dimensions. Drawing on an evidence synthesis commissioned by the International Fund for Agricultural Development’s Independent Office of Evaluation, this chapter outlines how lessons from CCA interventions can be transferred via three learning domains that are essential for transformational change: scaling-up (in its multiple forms), knowledge management, and the human-environment nexus. We discuss the implications of our findings on monitoring, evaluation, and learning, highlighting the challenges that evaluators may face in capturing (a) the persistence or durability of transformational pathways, (b) the complexity of “super-wicked” problems, and (c) the relevance of context-dependent dynamics, within a landscape setting. We also address the contribution of evidence reviews to contemporary debates around development policy linked to climate change and agriculture, and the implications and value of such reviews to provide independent scientific rigor and robustness to conventional programmatic evaluations.

An Evidence review of Face Masks against Covid-19

The technology round the usage of mask with the aid of using the general public to hinder COVID-19 transmission is advancing rapidly. In this narrative overview, we expand an analytical framework to study masks utilisation, synthesising the applicable literature to tell more than one areas: populace impact, transmission characteristics, supply control, wearer protection, sociological considerations, and implementation considerations. A number one direction of transmission of COVID-19 is thru breathing debris, and it's far recognised to be transmissible from presymptomatic, paucisymptomatic, and asymptomatic people. Reducing ailment unfold calls for things: proscribing contacts of inflamed people thru bodily distancing and different measures and lowering the transmission chance according to touch. The preponderance of proof shows that masks sporting reduces transmissibility according to touch with the aid of using lowering transmission of inflamed breathing debris in each laboratory and medical contexts. Public masks sporting is handiest at lowering unfold of the virus whilst compliance is high. Given the modern shortages of clinical mask, we advise the adoption of public material masks sporting, as a powerful shape of supply control, along with present hygiene, distancing, and make contact with tracing strategies. Because many breathing debris turn out to be smaller because of evaporation, we advise growing awareness on a formerly unnoticed component of masks utilisation: masks sporting with the aid of using infectious people (“supply control”) with blessings on the populace level, in preference to simplest masks sporting with the aid of using inclined people, which include fitness care workers, with awareness on person outcomes. We advise that public officers and governments strongly inspire the usage of extensive face mask in public, which include the usage of suitable regulation. Policy makers want pressing steering on the usage of mask with the aid of using the overall populace as a device in preventing extreme acute breathing syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the breathing virus that reasons COVID-19. Masks were encouraged as an ability device to address the COVID-19 pandemic for the reason that preliminary outbreak in China (1), even though utilisation all through the outbreak numerous with the aid of using time and location (2). Globally, nations are grappling with translating the proof of public masks sporting to their contexts. These guidelines are being evolved in a complicated decision-making environment, with a unique pandemic, speedy technology of recent research, and exponential boom in instances and deaths in lots of regions. There is presently an international scarcity of N95/FFP2 respirators and surgical mask to be used in hospitals. Simple material mask gift a practical answer to be used with the aid of using the general public. This has been supported with the aid of using maximum fitness bodies. We gift an interdisciplinary narrative overview of the literature at the position of face mask in lowering COVID-19 transmission with inside the community. Keywords: COVID, ECONOMY, MASKS, LIVES, SAFETY, FUTURE

Supporting the Welsh Lifelong Learning System

To assist the Welsh Government in balancing the productivity-related objectives with the societal objectives of lifelong learning, the Wales Centre for Public Policy was asked to conduct an evidence review into lifelong learning. This review aims to inform policy discussions and support the implementation of the Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Bill published on 1st November 2021 which renews the emphasis on lifelong learning in Wales through the establishment of the Commission for Tertiary Education and Research (CTER). The report is structured around key areas of lifelong learning: the context in which it takes place; lifelong learning in visions and strategies; rights and entitlements to lifelong learning; the need to strike the balance between targeting and universal provision; barriers to learning; balancing the economic and social objectives; the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders and lifelong learning governance structures; effective forms of support for learning institutions; and comparing lifelong learning in Wales with other parts of the UK. The report concludes with a set of consolidated recommendations to the Welsh Government.

Abemaciclib With Endocrine Therapy in the Treatment of High-Risk Early Breast Cancer: ASCO Optimal Adjuvant Chemotherapy and Targeted Therapy Guideline Rapid Recommendation Update

ASCO Rapid Recommendations Updates highlight revisions to select ASCO guideline recommendations as a response to the emergence of new and practice-changing data. The rapid updates are supported by an evidence review and follow the guideline development processes outlined in the ASCO Guideline Methodology Manual. The goal of these articles is to disseminate updated recommendations, in a timely manner, to better inform health practitioners and the public on the best available cancer care options.

Is antibiotics overuse justified when immediate intervention is not possible? A rapid evidence review

Introduction: This review revisits clinical use of antibiotics for most common acute oro-dental conditions; we aim to provide evidence governing antibiotics use when access to oral healthcare is not available, as during the ongoing outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Materials and methods: In this rapid review, articles were retrieved after conducting a search on PubMed and Google Scholar. Relevant publications were selected and analyzed. Most recent systematic reviews with/without meta-analyses and societal guidelines were selected. Data were extracted, grouped, and synthesized according to the respective subtopic analysis. Results and discussion: There was evidence supporting the use of antibiotics in common oro-dental conditions as temporary measure when immediate care is not accessible, such as in case of localized oral swellings as well as to prevent post-extraction complications. No sufficient evidence could be found in support of antibiotic use for pain resulting from pulpal origin. Conclusion: Antibiotic use may be justified to defer treatment temporarily or reduce risk of complications in case of localized infection and tooth extraction, when no access to immediate dental care is possible. Graphical abstract:

PP299 A Framework And Analysis Assessing The Impact Of Patient-Centered Outcome Evidence In HTA Appraisals

IntroductionThe importance of patient-centered outcome (PCO) evidence is increasingly recognized, but its inclusion in Health Technology Assessment (HTA) submissions remains inconsistent. We explored the impact of PCO evidence on HTA decision-making.MethodsA framework was developed to assess the impact of PCO evidence (excluding EQ-5D) on HTA appraisals. An impact rating was determined by reviewing company, committee and Evidence Review Group (ERG) opinion. This was applied to publicly available appraisal documents (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence [NICE]: 8; Scottish Medicines Consortium [SMC]: 2) in a pilot study. The framework was then refined and applied to a larger dataset.ResultsPCO evidence had ‘substantial impact’ in 3/8 NICE and 1/2 SMC appraisals, and ‘some impact’ in those remaining. PCO evidence informed the cost-effectiveness model in 2/8 NICE and 1/2 SMC submissions, and was considered superior to EQ-5D evidence in one NICE and one SMC submission. The ERG considered PCO evidence relevant to decision-making in 5/8 NICE appraisals. PCO evidence was mentioned in guidance for 7/10 appraisals (deemed relevant in 5/10). In one assessment, committee comments were notably more favorable than ERG comments. Larger dataset analysis results provided further insights to the pilot study.ConclusionsThe framework allows a systematic approach to evaluating the impact of PCO evidence on HTA appraisals.BL, AP, DGB and NY are employees of Symmetron Ltd, which received funding from Pfizer UK in connection with the development of this manuscript. KH, HT, SLC and JB are employees of Pfizer UK. This study was sponsored by Pfizer UK.

Evidence Review: COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance by Key Influencers in the MENA Region - Teachers and Healthworkers

As COVID-19 vaccines have been deployed and scaled, concerns about vaccine acceptance have emerged. Effective management of the virus requires that communities everywhere buy into the public health measures designed to protect them, including vaccines. Low acceptance presents a serious challenge for achieving sufficient coverage to reduce circulation of the virus and the risk of new variants emerging. Surveys conducted early in the pandemic showed that the Middle East region had one of the lowest COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rates globally. The low acceptance is driven by specific factors in the region and its different countries and populations; these factors need to be taken into account when formulating policy, programmes and interventions. This review synthesises evidence on vaccine acceptance among two key groups in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region: teachers and health workers. It draws from academic studies most of which were cross-sectional studies, largely conducted between February 2020 and June 2021, and grey literature reports, including social listening reports. This review is intended to inform strategies for risk communications and community engagement (RCCE) relating to COVID-19 vaccine uptake, with the aim of boosting confidence in and acceptance of the vaccines among these groups across the region. It is part of the Social Science in Humanitarian Action Platform (SSHAP) series on social science considerations relating to COVID-19 vaccines and was developed for SSHAP by Anthrologica (Nadia Butler and Soha Karam) at the request of the UNICEF MENA Regional Office. It was reviewed by Rose Aynsley (WHO) Amaya Gillespie (UNICEF) and Olivia Tulloch (Anthrologica). The evidence review is the responsibility of SSHAP.