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© 2024. This work is licensed under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

Background:Health systems responsiveness (HSR) is the ability of systems to respond to legitimate non-health expectations of the population. The concept of HSR by the World Health Organization (WHO) includes respect for dignity, individual autonomy, confidentiality, prompt attention to care, availability of basic amenities, choice of provider, access to social support networks, and clarity of communication. The WHO tool is applied globally to assess HSR in low, middle, and high-income countries.

Objective:We have revised the conceptual framework of HSR following a rigorous systematic review and made it specific for low- and middle-income countries (L&MICs). This study is designed to (1) run the Delphi technique to validate the upgraded conceptual framework of HSR, (2) modify and upgrade the WHO measurement tool for assessing HSR in the context of L&MICs, and (3) determine the validity of the upgraded HSR measurement tool by pilot testing it in Pakistan.

Methods:The Delphi technique will be run by inviting global public health experts to provide suggestions on the domains and subdomains of HSR specific to L&MICs. Cronbach ɑ will be calculated to determine internal consistency among the participants. The upgraded HSR conceptual framework will serve as a beacon to modify the measurement tool by the research team, which will be reviewed by subject experts for refinement. The modified tool will be pilot-tested by administering it to 1128 participants from primary, secondary, and tertiary care hospitals in Rawalpindi district, Pakistan. Additionally, an “observation checklist” of HSR domains and subdomains will be completed to objectively measure the state of HSR across health care facilities. HSR assessment will be further strengthened by incorporating the perspective of hospital managers, service providers, and policy makers (ie, the supply side) as well as community leaders and representatives (ie, the demand side) through qualitative interviews.

Results:The study was started in January 2024 and will continue until February 2025. A multidimensional approach will yield significant quantifiable information on HSR from the demand and supply sides of L&MICs.

Conclusions:This study will provide a conceptual understanding of HSR and a corresponding measurement tool specific to L&MICs. It will contribute to global public health literature and provide a snapshot of HSR in Rawalpindi district, Pakistan, with concrete action points for policy makers.

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID):DERR1-10.2196/59836

Details

Title
Rethinking Health Systems Responsiveness in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Validation Study
Author
Iqbal, Meesha  VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Cazaban, Cecilia Ganduglia  VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Morgan, Robert  VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Bauer, Cici  VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Siddiqi, Sameen  VIAFID ORCID Logo 
First page
e59836
Section
Proposals (non-eHealth)
Publication year
2024
Publication date
2024
Publisher
JMIR Publications
e-ISSN
19290748
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3109505928
Copyright
© 2024. This work is licensed under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.