Advancing the WHO-INTEGRATE Framework as a Tool for Evidence-Informed, Deliberative Decision-Making Processes: Exploring the Views of Developers and Users of WHO Guidelines.

Background: Decision-making on matters of public health and health policy is a deeply value-laden process. The World Health Organization (WHO)-INTEGRATE framework was proposed as a new evidence-to-decision (EtD) framework to support guideline development from a complexity perspective, notably in relation to public health and health system interventions, and with a foundation in WHO norms and values. This study was conducted as part of the development of the framework to assess its comprehensiveness and usefulness for public health and health policy decision-making.

The moral perils of conditional cash transfer programmes and their significance for policy: a meta-ethnography of the ethical debate.

Conditional cash transfer (CCT) is a compelling policy alternative for reducing poverty and improving health, and its effectiveness is promising. CCT programmes have been widely deployed across geographical, economic and political contexts, but not without contestation. Critics argue that CCTs may result in infringements on freedom and dignity, gender discrimination and disempowerment and power imbalances between programme providers and beneficiaries.

The WHO-INTEGRATE evidence to decision framework version 1.0: integrating WHO norms and values and a complexity perspective.

Introduction: Evidence-to-decision (EtD) frameworks intend to ensure that all criteria of relevance to a health decision are systematically considered. This paper, part of a series commissioned by the WHO, reports on the development of an EtD framework that is rooted in WHO norms and values, reflective of the changing global health landscape, and suitable for a range of interventions and complexity features. We also sought to assess the value of this framework to decision-makers at global and national levels, and to facilitate uptake through suggestions on how to prioritise criteria and methods to collect evidence.

Prognostic factors of prolonged disability in patients with chronic low back pain and lumbar degeneration in primary care: a cohort study.

Study Design: A cohort study with 1-year follow-up.

Objective: To identify prognostic factors in patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain (LBP).

Summary Of Background Data: The factors (e.

Can lay health workers increase the uptake of childhood immunisation? Systematic review and typology.

Objectives: Lay health workers (LHWs) are used in many settings to increase immunisation uptake among children. However, little is known about the effectiveness of these interventions. The objective of this review was to assess the effects of LHW interventions on childhood immunisation uptake.

Still too little qualitative research to shed light on results from reviews of effectiveness trials: a case study of a Cochrane review on the use of lay health workers.

Background: Qualitative research is used increasingly alongside trials of complex interventions to explore processes, contextual factors, or intervention characteristics that may have influenced trial outcomes. Qualitative research conducted alongside trials can also be used to shed light on the results of systematic reviews of effectiveness by looking for factors that can help explain heterogeneous results across trials. In a Cochrane review on the effects of using lay health workers on maternal and child health and infectious disease control, we identified 82 trials.

Effect of glucosamine on pain-related disability in patients with chronic low back pain and degenerative lumbar osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial.

Context: Chronic low back pain (LBP) with degenerative lumbar osteoarthritis (OA) is widespread in the adult population. Although glucosamine is increasingly used by patients with chronic LBP, little is known about its effect in this setting.

Objective: To investigate the effect of glucosamine in patients with chronic LBP and degenerative lumbar OA.

The female community health volunteer programme in Nepal: decision makers' perceptions of volunteerism, payment and other incentives.

The Female Community Health Volunteer (FCHV) Programme in Nepal has existed since the late 1980s and includes almost 50,000 volunteers. Although volunteer programmes are widely thought to be characterised by high attrition levels, the FCHV Programme loses fewer than 5% of its volunteers annually. The degree to which decision makers understand community health worker motivations and match these with appropriate incentives is likely to influence programme sustainability.

Lay health workers in primary and community health care for maternal and child health and the management of infectious diseases.

Background: Lay health workers (LHWs) are widely used to provide care for a broad range of health issues. Little is known, however, about the effectiveness of LHW interventions.

Objectives: To assess the effects of LHW interventions in primary and community health care on maternal and child health and the management of infectious diseases.

Are vaccination programmes delivered by lay health workers cost-effective? A systematic review.

Background: A recently updated Cochrane systematic review on the effects of lay or community health workers (LHWs) in primary and community health care concluded that LHW interventions could lead to promising benefits in the promotion of childhood vaccination uptake. However, understanding of the costs and cost-effectiveness of involving LHWs in vaccination programmes remains poor. This paper reviews the costs and cost-effectiveness of vaccination programme interventions involving LHWs.

Back pain and health policy research: the what, why, how, who, and when.

Study Design: A background literature, supported by discussion and outcomes on the subject of Health Policy and Back Pain, from the Fifth International Forum on Low Back Pain Research in Primary Care, in Montreal in May 2002.

Summary Of Background Data: A multitude of randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews have been completed in the field of back pain research. There has been limited health policy research in the field of back pain but a greater amount of health policy research in other medical fields.

Blind faith? The effects of promoting active sick leave for back pain patients: a cluster-randomized controlled trial.

Study Design: A cluster-randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of two strategies to increase the use of active sick leave (ASL) among patients with low back pain (LBP) on improved return to work and quality of life.

Summary Of Background Data: Active sick leave is an option provided by the Norwegian National Insurance Administration that enables employees to return to modified duties at the workplace with 100% of normal wages.

Active sick leave for patients with back pain: all the players onside, but still no action.

Study Design: Semistructured interviews, group discussions, and a mailed survey.

Objective: To identify barriers to the use of active sick leave (ASL) and to design an intervention to improve the use of ASL by patients with low back pain.

Summary Of Background Data: ASL was introduced in Norway in 1993 to encourage people on sick leave to return to modified work.

A randomized controlled trial of two strategies to implement active sick leave for patients with low back pain.

Study Design: Cluster randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of two strategies to improve the use of active sick leave (ASL) for patients with low back pain.

Summary Of Background Data: ASL is a public sickness benefit scheme offered to promote early return to modified work for temporarily disabled workers.