Implementation science protocol for a participatory, theory-informed implementation research programme in the context of health system strengthening in sub-Saharan Africa (ASSET-ImplementER)

Nadine Seward; Jamie Murdoch; Charlotte Hanlon; Ricardo Araya; Wei Gao; Richard Harding; Crick Lund; Saba Hinrichs-Krapels; Rosie Mayston; Muralikrishnan Kartha; Martin Prince; Jane Sandall; Graham Thornicroft; Ruth Verhey; Nick Sevdalis

doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2021-048742

Implementation science protocol for a participatory, theory-informed implementation research programme in the context of health system strengthening in sub-Saharan Africa (ASSET-ImplementER)

Nadine Seward, Jamie Murdoch, Charlotte Hanlon, Ricardo Araya, Wei Gao, Richard Harding, Crick Lund, Saba Hinrichs-Krapels, Rosie Mayston, Muralikrishnan Kartha, Martin Prince, Jane Sandall, Graham Thornicroft, Ruth Verhey, Nick Sevdalis

Zimbabwe AIDS Prevention Project, Department of Community Medicine, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe ; Zimbabwe Ministry of Health, Harare Central Hospital, ST 14 Southern, Harare, Zimbabwe.
King's College London

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

6 Citations (Scopus)

109 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: ASSET (Health System Strengthening in sub-Saharan Africa) is a health system strengthening (HSS) programme involving eight work-packages (ie, a research study that addresses a specific need for HSS) that aims to develop solutions that support high-quality care. Here we present the protocol for the implementation science (IS) theme within ASSET (ASSET-ImplmentER) that aims to understand what HSS interventions work, for whom and how, and how IS methodologies can be adapted to improve the HSS interventions within resource-poor contexts.

SETTINGS: Publicly funded health facilities in rural and urban areas in in Ethiopia, South Africa, Sierra Leone, and Zimbabwe.

PARTICIPANTS: Research staff including principal investigators, coinvestigators, field staff, PhD students, and research assistants.

INTERVENTIONS: Work-packages use a mixed-methods effectiveness-effectiveness hybrid designs. At the end of the pre-implementation phase, a workshop is held whereby the IS theme, jointly with ASSET work-packages apply IS determinant frameworks to research findings to identify factors that influence the effectiveness of delivering evidence-informed care. Determinants are used to select a set of HSS interventions for further evaluation, where work-packages also theorise selective mechanisms.In the piloting and rolling implementation phase, work-packages pilot the HSS interventions. An iterative process then begins involving evaluation, reflection and adaptation. Throughout this phase, IS determinant frameworks are applied to monitor and identify barriers/enablers to implementation. Selective mechanisms of action are also investigated. Implementation outcomes are evaluated using qualitative and quantitative methods. The psychometric properties of outcome measures including acceptability, appropriateness and feasibility are also evaluated. In a final workshop, work-packages come together, to reflect and explore the utility of the selected IS methods and provide suggestions for future use.Structured templates are used to organise and analyse common and heterogeneous patterns across work-packages. Qualitative data are analysed using thematic analysis and quantitative data are analysed using means and proportions.

CONCLUSIONS: We use a novel combination of IS methods at a programmatic level to facilitate comparisons of determinants and mechanisms that influence the effectiveness of HSS interventions in achieving implementation outcomes across different contexts. The study also contributes conceptual development and clarification at the underdeveloped interface of IS, HSS and global health.The ASSET-ImplementER theme is considered minimal risk as we only interview researchers involved in the different work-packages. To this effect we have received approval from King's College London Ethics Committee for research that is considered minimal risk (Reference number: MRA-20/21-21772).

Original language	English
Article number	e048742
Pages (from-to)	e048742
Journal	BMJ Open
Volume	11
Issue number	7
Early online date	8 Jul 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-048742
Publication status	Published - 8 Jul 2021

Keywords

Ethiopia
Humans
Implementation Science
London
Sierra Leone
South Africa
Zimbabwe

Access to Document

10.1136/bmjopen-2021-048742Licence: CC BY

Seward_BMJOpen_2021_ImpSci protocolFinal published version, 1.13 MB

Cite this

Seward, N., Murdoch, J., Hanlon, C., Araya, R., Gao, W., Harding, R., Lund, C., Hinrichs-Krapels, S., Mayston, R., Kartha, M., Prince, M., Sandall, J., Thornicroft, G., Verhey, R., & Sevdalis, N. (2021). Implementation science protocol for a participatory, theory-informed implementation research programme in the context of health system strengthening in sub-Saharan Africa (ASSET-ImplementER). BMJ Open, 11(7), e048742. Article e048742. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-048742

@article{fd9c158a06ba4eb88180101d2a205465,

title = "Implementation science protocol for a participatory, theory-informed implementation research programme in the context of health system strengthening in sub-Saharan Africa (ASSET-ImplementER)",

abstract = "OBJECTIVES: ASSET (Health System Strengthening in sub-Saharan Africa) is a health system strengthening (HSS) programme involving eight work-packages (ie, a research study that addresses a specific need for HSS) that aims to develop solutions that support high-quality care. Here we present the protocol for the implementation science (IS) theme within ASSET (ASSET-ImplmentER) that aims to understand what HSS interventions work, for whom and how, and how IS methodologies can be adapted to improve the HSS interventions within resource-poor contexts.SETTINGS: Publicly funded health facilities in rural and urban areas in in Ethiopia, South Africa, Sierra Leone, and Zimbabwe.PARTICIPANTS: Research staff including principal investigators, coinvestigators, field staff, PhD students, and research assistants.INTERVENTIONS: Work-packages use a mixed-methods effectiveness-effectiveness hybrid designs. At the end of the pre-implementation phase, a workshop is held whereby the IS theme, jointly with ASSET work-packages apply IS determinant frameworks to research findings to identify factors that influence the effectiveness of delivering evidence-informed care. Determinants are used to select a set of HSS interventions for further evaluation, where work-packages also theorise selective mechanisms.In the piloting and rolling implementation phase, work-packages pilot the HSS interventions. An iterative process then begins involving evaluation, reflection and adaptation. Throughout this phase, IS determinant frameworks are applied to monitor and identify barriers/enablers to implementation. Selective mechanisms of action are also investigated. Implementation outcomes are evaluated using qualitative and quantitative methods. The psychometric properties of outcome measures including acceptability, appropriateness and feasibility are also evaluated. In a final workshop, work-packages come together, to reflect and explore the utility of the selected IS methods and provide suggestions for future use.Structured templates are used to organise and analyse common and heterogeneous patterns across work-packages. Qualitative data are analysed using thematic analysis and quantitative data are analysed using means and proportions.CONCLUSIONS: We use a novel combination of IS methods at a programmatic level to facilitate comparisons of determinants and mechanisms that influence the effectiveness of HSS interventions in achieving implementation outcomes across different contexts. The study also contributes conceptual development and clarification at the underdeveloped interface of IS, HSS and global health.The ASSET-ImplementER theme is considered minimal risk as we only interview researchers involved in the different work-packages. To this effect we have received approval from King's College London Ethics Committee for research that is considered minimal risk (Reference number: MRA-20/21-21772).",

keywords = "Ethiopia, Humans, Implementation Science, London, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Zimbabwe",

author = "Nadine Seward and Jamie Murdoch and Charlotte Hanlon and Ricardo Araya and Wei Gao and Richard Harding and Crick Lund and Saba Hinrichs-Krapels and Rosie Mayston and Muralikrishnan Kartha and Martin Prince and Jane Sandall and Graham Thornicroft and Ruth Verhey and Nick Sevdalis",

note = "Funding Information: Funding The study is funded by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Global Health Research Unit on Health System Strengthening in Sub-Saharan Africa, King{\textquoteright}s College London (GHRU 16/136/54) using UK aid from the UK Government to support global health research. GT, WG and NS{\textquoteright} research is also supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) South London at King{\textquoteright}s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. GT and NS are members of King{\textquoteright}s Improvement Science, which offers co-funding to the NIHR ARC South London and is funded by King{\textquoteright}s Health Partners (Guy{\textquoteright}s and St Thomas{\textquoteright} NHS Foundation Trust, King{\textquoteright}s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, King{\textquoteright}s College London and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust), Guy{\textquoteright}s and St Thomas{\textquoteright} Charity and the Maudsley Charity. NS{\textquoteright} research is further supported by the ASPIRES research programme (Antibiotic use across Surgical Pathways - Investigating, Redesigning and Evaluating Systems), funded by the Economic and Social Research Council. GT also receives support from the National Institute of Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health under award number R01MH100470 (Cobalt study) and by the UK Medical Research Council in relation the Emilia (MR/S001255/1) and Indigo Partnership (MR/R023697/1) awards. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR, the ESRC, the MRC, the charities or the Department of Health and Social Care. CH receives support from AMARI as part of the DELTAS Africa Initiative (DEL-15-01). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Authors 2021 Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.",

year = "2021",

month = jul,

day = "8",

doi = "10.1136/bmjopen-2021-048742",

language = "English",

volume = "11",

pages = "e048742",

journal = "BMJ Open",

issn = "2044-6055",

publisher = "BMJ Publishing Group",

number = "7",

}

Seward, N , Murdoch, J , Hanlon, C , Araya, R , Gao, W , Harding, R , Lund, C , Hinrichs-Krapels, S , Mayston, R, Kartha, M, Prince, M , Sandall, J , Thornicroft, G, Verhey, R & Sevdalis, N 2021, 'Implementation science protocol for a participatory, theory-informed implementation research programme in the context of health system strengthening in sub-Saharan Africa (ASSET-ImplementER)', BMJ Open, vol. 11, no. 7, e048742, pp. e048742. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-048742

Implementation science protocol for a participatory, theory-informed implementation research programme in the context of health system strengthening in sub-Saharan Africa (ASSET-ImplementER). / Seward, Nadine ; Murdoch, Jamie ; Hanlon, Charlotte et al.
In: BMJ Open, Vol. 11, No. 7, e048742, 08.07.2021, p. e048742.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Implementation science protocol for a participatory, theory-informed implementation research programme in the context of health system strengthening in sub-Saharan Africa (ASSET-ImplementER)

AU - Seward, Nadine

AU - Murdoch, Jamie

AU - Hanlon, Charlotte

AU - Araya, Ricardo

AU - Gao, Wei

AU - Harding, Richard

AU - Lund, Crick

AU - Hinrichs-Krapels, Saba

AU - Mayston, Rosie

AU - Kartha, Muralikrishnan

AU - Prince, Martin

AU - Sandall, Jane

AU - Thornicroft, Graham

AU - Verhey, Ruth

AU - Sevdalis, Nick

N1 - Funding Information: Funding The study is funded by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Global Health Research Unit on Health System Strengthening in Sub-Saharan Africa, King’s College London (GHRU 16/136/54) using UK aid from the UK Government to support global health research. GT, WG and NS’ research is also supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) South London at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. GT and NS are members of King’s Improvement Science, which offers co-funding to the NIHR ARC South London and is funded by King’s Health Partners (Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, King’s College London and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust), Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity and the Maudsley Charity. NS’ research is further supported by the ASPIRES research programme (Antibiotic use across Surgical Pathways - Investigating, Redesigning and Evaluating Systems), funded by the Economic and Social Research Council. GT also receives support from the National Institute of Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health under award number R01MH100470 (Cobalt study) and by the UK Medical Research Council in relation the Emilia (MR/S001255/1) and Indigo Partnership (MR/R023697/1) awards. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR, the ESRC, the MRC, the charities or the Department of Health and Social Care. CH receives support from AMARI as part of the DELTAS Africa Initiative (DEL-15-01). Publisher Copyright: © Authors 2021 Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

PY - 2021/7/8

Y1 - 2021/7/8

N2 - OBJECTIVES: ASSET (Health System Strengthening in sub-Saharan Africa) is a health system strengthening (HSS) programme involving eight work-packages (ie, a research study that addresses a specific need for HSS) that aims to develop solutions that support high-quality care. Here we present the protocol for the implementation science (IS) theme within ASSET (ASSET-ImplmentER) that aims to understand what HSS interventions work, for whom and how, and how IS methodologies can be adapted to improve the HSS interventions within resource-poor contexts.SETTINGS: Publicly funded health facilities in rural and urban areas in in Ethiopia, South Africa, Sierra Leone, and Zimbabwe.PARTICIPANTS: Research staff including principal investigators, coinvestigators, field staff, PhD students, and research assistants.INTERVENTIONS: Work-packages use a mixed-methods effectiveness-effectiveness hybrid designs. At the end of the pre-implementation phase, a workshop is held whereby the IS theme, jointly with ASSET work-packages apply IS determinant frameworks to research findings to identify factors that influence the effectiveness of delivering evidence-informed care. Determinants are used to select a set of HSS interventions for further evaluation, where work-packages also theorise selective mechanisms.In the piloting and rolling implementation phase, work-packages pilot the HSS interventions. An iterative process then begins involving evaluation, reflection and adaptation. Throughout this phase, IS determinant frameworks are applied to monitor and identify barriers/enablers to implementation. Selective mechanisms of action are also investigated. Implementation outcomes are evaluated using qualitative and quantitative methods. The psychometric properties of outcome measures including acceptability, appropriateness and feasibility are also evaluated. In a final workshop, work-packages come together, to reflect and explore the utility of the selected IS methods and provide suggestions for future use.Structured templates are used to organise and analyse common and heterogeneous patterns across work-packages. Qualitative data are analysed using thematic analysis and quantitative data are analysed using means and proportions.CONCLUSIONS: We use a novel combination of IS methods at a programmatic level to facilitate comparisons of determinants and mechanisms that influence the effectiveness of HSS interventions in achieving implementation outcomes across different contexts. The study also contributes conceptual development and clarification at the underdeveloped interface of IS, HSS and global health.The ASSET-ImplementER theme is considered minimal risk as we only interview researchers involved in the different work-packages. To this effect we have received approval from King's College London Ethics Committee for research that is considered minimal risk (Reference number: MRA-20/21-21772).

AB - OBJECTIVES: ASSET (Health System Strengthening in sub-Saharan Africa) is a health system strengthening (HSS) programme involving eight work-packages (ie, a research study that addresses a specific need for HSS) that aims to develop solutions that support high-quality care. Here we present the protocol for the implementation science (IS) theme within ASSET (ASSET-ImplmentER) that aims to understand what HSS interventions work, for whom and how, and how IS methodologies can be adapted to improve the HSS interventions within resource-poor contexts.SETTINGS: Publicly funded health facilities in rural and urban areas in in Ethiopia, South Africa, Sierra Leone, and Zimbabwe.PARTICIPANTS: Research staff including principal investigators, coinvestigators, field staff, PhD students, and research assistants.INTERVENTIONS: Work-packages use a mixed-methods effectiveness-effectiveness hybrid designs. At the end of the pre-implementation phase, a workshop is held whereby the IS theme, jointly with ASSET work-packages apply IS determinant frameworks to research findings to identify factors that influence the effectiveness of delivering evidence-informed care. Determinants are used to select a set of HSS interventions for further evaluation, where work-packages also theorise selective mechanisms.In the piloting and rolling implementation phase, work-packages pilot the HSS interventions. An iterative process then begins involving evaluation, reflection and adaptation. Throughout this phase, IS determinant frameworks are applied to monitor and identify barriers/enablers to implementation. Selective mechanisms of action are also investigated. Implementation outcomes are evaluated using qualitative and quantitative methods. The psychometric properties of outcome measures including acceptability, appropriateness and feasibility are also evaluated. In a final workshop, work-packages come together, to reflect and explore the utility of the selected IS methods and provide suggestions for future use.Structured templates are used to organise and analyse common and heterogeneous patterns across work-packages. Qualitative data are analysed using thematic analysis and quantitative data are analysed using means and proportions.CONCLUSIONS: We use a novel combination of IS methods at a programmatic level to facilitate comparisons of determinants and mechanisms that influence the effectiveness of HSS interventions in achieving implementation outcomes across different contexts. The study also contributes conceptual development and clarification at the underdeveloped interface of IS, HSS and global health.The ASSET-ImplementER theme is considered minimal risk as we only interview researchers involved in the different work-packages. To this effect we have received approval from King's College London Ethics Committee for research that is considered minimal risk (Reference number: MRA-20/21-21772).

KW - Ethiopia

KW - Humans

KW - Implementation Science

KW - London

KW - Sierra Leone

KW - South Africa

KW - Zimbabwe

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85109516142&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-048742

DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-048742

M3 - Article

C2 - 34244274

SN - 2044-6055

VL - 11

SP - e048742

JO - BMJ Open

JF - BMJ Open

IS - 7

M1 - e048742

ER -

Implementation science protocol for a participatory, theory-informed implementation research programme in the context of health system strengthening in sub-Saharan Africa (ASSET-ImplementER)

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this