Effective vaccine management through social behavior change communication: Exploring solutions using a participatory action research approach in the Solomon Islands

Addressing vaccine management bottlenecks, including high vaccine wastage rates, has traditionally been addressed through health worker training and other didactic methods of technical assistance or support as required. It has been shown, though, that the high level of technical skills, expertise, and responsibility required in vaccine handling and management cannot be achieved by mere didactic learning. While gains have been made in vaccine management and handling with these approaches, there remain challenges of high vaccine wastage rates and poor vaccine management practices across the board. Interestingly, approaching vaccine management through social behavior change has not been documented. Through Participatory Action Research (PAR), which is increasingly being used in health sciences, we explore an attempt at strengthening vaccine management and thus reducing high vaccine wastage rates by working together with health workers to identify plausible, realistic solutions to vaccine management through social behavior change. Select health workers directly involved with the immunization program in the four major provinces of the Solomon Islands were identified purposively to use action media and come up with concepts and materials for social behavior change communication that will have an impact on effective vaccine management and reducing wastages. This is the first documented use of such methodology in addressing vaccine management issues.     

The role of National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups (NITAG) in strengthening health system governance: Lessons from three middle-income countries—Argentina,Jordan, and South Africa (2017–2018)

IntroductionToward the Global Vaccine Action Plan 2020 goal, almost 90% of countries have established a National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG). However, little is known about NITAG's contributions to governance.MethodsIn 2017–2018, a two-step, qualitative retrospective study was conducted. Jordan (JO), Argentina (AR), and South Africa (SA) were selected owing to government-financed NITAGs from middle-income countries (MICs), geographic diversity, and a vaccine introduction with NITAG support. Country case studies were developed, collecting data through desk review and face-to-face key informant interviews (KIIs) from Ministry of Health (MoH) and NITAG. Case studies were analyzed together, to assess governance applying the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies framework focusing on transparency, accountability, participation, integrity, and policy capacity (TAPIC).ResultsDocument review and 53 KII (22 AR, 20 SA, 11 JO) showed NITAGs played a pivotal role as advisors promoting a culture of evidence-informed policies. NITAGs strengthened governance, although practices varied among countries. Meetings were conducted behind-closed-doors, participation restricted to members, only in one country agendas, and recommendations were public (AR). To increase participation, policy capacity, and transparency, countries considered adding experts in communications, advocacy, and economics. AR and SA contemplated including community members. NITAGs functioned autonomously from the government, with no established internal or external monitoring or supervision. NITAG meeting minutes allowed the review of integrity, adherence to terms of reference, standard operating procedures, and conflict of interest (CoI). For the most part, NITAGs abided by their mandates. Significant issues were related to the level of MoH support and oversight of CoI declaration and documentation.ConclusionsSystematically implementing governance approaches could improve processes, better tailor policies, and implementation. The long-term survival and resilience of NITAGs in these countries showed they play a significant role in strengthening governance. Lessons learned could be useful to those promoting country-driven evidence-informed decision-making.     

European survey of hepatitis B vaccination policies for healthcare workers: An updated overview

BackgroundThe risk of transmission of bloodborne pathogens, including hepatitis B virus (HBV) to healthcare workers (HCWs) is well known. In 2005 we performed a survey on HBV prevention in HCWs in the European Union (EU). An update of the 2005 survey deemed necessary as an EU Council Directive (2010/32/EU) on sharps injuries was to be implemented into national legislation by 11 May 2013 and more countries were starting universal HBV vaccination.MethodsWe performed an electronic survey in 2016, among national representatives from the Occupational Medicine section of the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS), to find out how policies have been put into practice in the European Union countries (plus Norway and Switzerland). The data were updated in 2019.ResultsAnswers were received from 21 countries (among them 19 EU Member States), representing 78% of the population and 60% of HCWs in the EU-28. HBV vaccination was mandatory for medical and nursing staff in 10 countries; for other paramedical staff, medical and nursing students in 9 countries; for paramedical students in 8 countries; for cleaning staff in 7 countries; and for technical staff in 5 countries; it was recommended in all but one of other countries. Serotesting before vaccination was done in 7 countries. The vaccination schedule most often used was 0, 1, 6 months (18countries), monovalent HBV vaccine was used in 14 countries, and combined (HAV + HBV) vaccine in 11 countries. Serotesting after vaccination was done in 18 countries and boosters were recommended in 14 countries. A non-responder policy was present in 18 countries. HBV vaccination coverage (5 countries) was 70–95%. Sharps injuries were reported in 13 countries, nationwide in 7 of them; European-wide reporting was not mentioned by respondents.DiscussionThese results show the variation in the implementation of EU legislation in the participating countries. More consultation between actors at EU level, including enhancing medical surveillance in occupational medicine could help to optimise policies in European countries in order to further reduce HBV transmission to HCWs.     

武汉市新型冠状病毒肺炎防控政策工具研究

目的 分析新冠疫情防控政策工具组合,剖析本次疫情防控政策的特点、规律及局限,为未来应对突发公共卫生事件提供参考。方法 采用内容分析法,基于政策工具、政策目标、政策阶段三个维度对2020年1月20日- 3月18日针对武汉市疫情发布的政策文本进行分析。结果 政策工具以强制性为主、混合型次之、自愿性最少,占比依次为71.9%、25.47%、2.63%;不同阶段政策工具、政策目标分布失衡。结论 部分混合型和自愿性政策应用不足,需优化工具组合以取长补短;政策演变缺乏系统规划,需对重大疫情防控政策工具进行整体谋划和系统重塑;自愿性工具有待深入开发,应加快推进社会力量疫情参与机制和慈善应急协调机制建设。     

中国医疗不良事件报告与质量改进的分析研究

文章分析了来自国家卫生健康委员会医政医管局收集的82万例不良事件报告中最常见的三项错误,该三项错误占82万例不良事件的53％;还介绍了抽样医院主动报告的五类不良事件,以及国家药品不良事件反应网络监测中心的药品与器械不良事件报告。介绍了北京中卫云医疗数据分析与应用研究院100万例误诊报告的简要内容,简要列举了6个典型误诊病例。介绍了中国政府主要的质量政策以及通过医院评审工作落实政策,改善医院管理的做法,引用《柳叶刀》杂志对中国医疗状况的评价,说明质量政策与医院评审对提升医疗服务安全质量是有效的。同时指出要警惕新发疾病,减少误诊,关注新技术、新材料、新药品应用时可能出现新的不安全事件,以实现高质量发展的目标。     

公益性和积极性视角下我国公立医院绩效考核政策分析

目的对我国公立医院绩效考核政策进行评述,为推动我国公立医院绩效考核提供参考。方法从宏观、中观、微观3个层面,按照坚持公益性、调动积极性和提升群众获得感三个方面,从利益相关者角度进行绩效考核政策分析。结果宏观层面将公立医院综合改革纳入绩效考核,中观层面建立健全绩效考核指标体系,对院长年度工作进行考评,微观层面主要是以服务质量和效率为核心。坚持公益性要建立健全以公益性质为核心的绩效考核体系,调动积极性要充分发挥绩效考核的激励、导向作用,提升群众获得感主要是控制医疗费用。利益相关者在公立医院绩效考核中利益损益各有不同。结论宏观层面顶层设计不够清晰,需建立健全行政能力考核机制;中观层面多部门治理协调性不足,需要加强部门联动性;微观层面绩效考核配套政策缺位,需落实考核指标的范围和内容。     

家庭医生政策执行方式的行为逻辑

本文采用扎根理论,利用2017—2018年上海3家社区卫生服务中心的访谈材料,从执行者行为的微观角度归纳并构建家庭医生如何选择政策执行方式的理论解释。研究归纳了家庭医生相关政策的执行中存在的三类政策执行方式:忠实执行、积极变通和消极变通。这三类政策执行方式因政策与情境契合度(简称契合度)的不同而区分。其中契合度较高时,容易发生忠实执行,即完全忠实于政策设计的执行方式;当政策与情境有不契合时,执行成本升高,出于职责观念和行政压力,执行者首先使用积极变通来降低执行成本,用自由裁量权在操作中对政策作修补和本土化,从而实现政策初衷;消极变通因任务契合度过低且具有强制性而产生,消极变通中出现了目标替代,仅表面应付上级考核指标,降低了执行成本、维护了岗位利益。结论:政策执行方式的行为逻辑可以通过契合度、职责观念、执行成本三个因素得到解释。本文整体、平衡地关注了消极与积极的政策变通,弥补以往研究只关注消极变通的不足;建议应完善决策制度保证基层执行者的决策参与,从而提升决策质量。     

杭州市社区居民对家庭医生签约服务政策认知情况的调查

目的:了解杭州市社区居民对家庭医生签约服务政策的认知情况,分析其影响因素,为更好的落实家庭医生签约服务政策提供建议。方法:采用分层随机抽样的方法,选取杭州市下城区、江干区和拱墅区三个行政区,每个行政区抽样选取6个社区,每个社区随机入户调查50户家庭。调查数据使用Epidata 3.0软件录入。运用描述性分析、χ~2检验及Logistic回归分析进行统计分析。结果:杭州市签约居民对家庭医生签约服务政策的知晓率为44.9%,不同年龄、职业类型、文化程度、医保类型、个人健康水平的认知差异具有统计学意义(P0.05);对服务内容最了解的一项是门诊医保起付标准降低300元;了解签约服务政策的途径主要是社区宣传;多因素Logistic回归分析发现,年龄、职业类型、是否具有城乡居民基本医疗保险和个人健康水平对认知度有影响。居民签约与否对慢病长处方政策的认知度差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:杭州市社区居民,尤其是年轻群体,对家庭医生签约服务政策的认知度有待提高;签约居民的认知度高于未签约居民。建议应提高宣传效果,发挥签约人群的"口碑"带动作用,加大对政策内容的解释力度。     

The national implementation of 'Proactive Health Support' in Denmark since 2017: Expectations and challenges for the telephone-based self-management program

In Denmark, as in many other Western countries, a small group of people are major hospital users and account for a large proportion of health care spending. Proactive Health Support (PaHS) is the first national Danish program that aims to reduce health care consumption targeting people at risk of becoming major users of health services. PaHS was part of the government's The sooner—the better national health policy, which includes a focus on policy programs targeting the weakest and most complex chronic patients at risk of high health care consumption. PaHS is a telephone-based self-management support program that uses a prediction model to identify people at high risk of acute hospital admissions. Reducing preventable hospital admissions and enhancing quality of life are central policy goals. The Danish policy was inspired by a Swedish policy program, and PaHS has been implemented based on policy transfer with political expectations that the Swedish results can be replicated in Denmark. The effects of PaHS are currently under study, and time will show whether expectations can be met. This paper discusses institutional conditions and expectations related to replicating a policy program and its outcomes. In addition, it highlights implementation issues that may affect the success of the policy program.     

Transforming maternity care: obstetric partnerships as a policy instrument for integration

Increasing continuity in Dutch maternity care is considered pivotal to improve safety and client-centeredness. Closer collaboration between the historically relatively autonomous professionals and organizations in maternity care is deemed conditional to reach this goal, both by maternity care professionals and policy makers. Governmental policy therefore strives for organizational and financial integration. One of the policy measures has been to stimulate interprofessional and interorganizational collaboration through local obstetric partnerships. This study aimed to gain insight into whether this policy measure supported professionals in reaching the policy aim of increasing integration in the maternity care system. We therefore conducted 73 semistructured interviews with maternity care professionals in the region Northwest Netherlands, from 2014 to 2016. Respondents expressed much willingness to intensify interprofessional and interorganizational collaboration and experienced obstetric partnerships as contributing to this. As such, stimulating integration through obstetric partnerships can be considered a suitable policy measure. However, collaborating within the partnerships simultaneously highlighted deep-rooted dividing structures (organizational, educational, legal, financial) in the maternity care system, especially at the systemic level. These were experienced to hinder collaboration, but difficult for the professionals to influence, as they lacked knowledge, skills, resources and mandate. A lack of clear and timely guidance and support from policy, counterbalancing these barriers, limited partnerships' potential to unify professionals and integrate their services.