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        <title>InfoShare Partner - MEASURE Evaluation</title>
        <description>Population and Health InfoShare : Newest 15 Documents by MEASURE Evaluation. Sharing Knowledge to Improve Public Health Worldwide</description>
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            <title>Linkages and Referrals within AIDS Care and Treatment National Service Delivery Systems, Swaziland</title>
            <link>http://www.cpc.unc.edu/measure/publications/pdf/sr-08-45.pdf</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Appropriate and timely referral for HIV/AIDS treatment is essential for a functioning health system. Unfortunately, it is often among the weakest components of a system. In Swaziland, as antiretroviral treatment and other treatment services are rolled out, identifying and addressing barriers to a strong referral system is critical to ensure access to services and continuity of care for people living with HIV and AIDS. This study, which is one facet of a phased plan to improve the national referral system, has gathered evidence as to how referral is understood by key stakeholders. The information is intended for use by decision makers at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and other stakeholders to create and implement policies and procedures that improve care and support for people living with HIV and AIDS.]]></description>
            <author>measure@unc.edu (MEASURE Evaluation)</author>
            <pubDate>Fri, 03 Oct 2008 17:30:17 +0100</pubDate>
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        <item>
            <title>Using the 2004 Kenya Service Provision Assessment Survey for Health Service Delivery Improvement</title>
            <link>http://www.cpc.unc.edu/measure/publications/pdf/wp-08-108.pdf</link>
            <description><![CDATA[This case study provides several examples of data demand and information use (DDIU) interventions designed to improve the use of information for evidence-based decision-making in health service delivery. Data and information from a 2004 Kenya Service Provision Assessment (SPA) survey were used for planning purposes, improving health facilities, and advocating for more resources. Dissemination activities for the SPA findings, funded by the U.S. President's Plan for AIDS Relief, included workshops targeting hospital administrators. Following a presentation at Kenyatta Hospital, other hospitals requested access to the survey findings.]]></description>
            <author>measure@unc.edu (MEASURE Evaluation)</author>
            <pubDate>Fri, 03 Oct 2008 17:27:14 +0100</pubDate>
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        <item>
            <title>PRISM Case Studies: Strengthening and Evaluating RHIS</title>
            <link>http://www.cpc.unc.edu/measure/publications/pdf/sr-08-43.pdf</link>
            <description><![CDATA[MEASURE Evaluation has developed a conceptual framework to evaluate routine health information systems (RHIS), called Performance of Routine Information System Management (PRISM). The case studies presented here (drawn from work in Mexico, South Africa, Uganda and Pakistan) illustrate how PRISM helps design, strengthen, monitor, and evaluate RHIS in various settings.]]></description>
            <author>measure@unc.edu (MEASURE Evaluation)</author>
            <pubDate>Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:09:17 +0100</pubDate>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>Data Demand and Information Use in the Health Sector: Case Study Series</title>
            <link>http://www.cpc.unc.edu/measure/publications/pdf/sr-08-44.pdf</link>
            <description><![CDATA[These data demand and information use (DDIU) case studies from a variety of settings give examples of how interventions have successfully facilitated data demand and changed how information is used. Examples are from Bangladesh, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, and nine Caribbean countries. This publication is part of a series that includes Data Demand and Information Use in the Health Sector: Conceptual Framework, in which a conceptual framework for evidence-based decision-making in the public health arena is presented; and Data Demand and Information Use in the Health Sector, Strategies and Tools, which provides detailed strategies and tools for taking concrete "next steps" in implementing DDIU activities.]]></description>
            <author>measure@unc.edu (MEASURE Evaluation)</author>
            <pubDate>Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:07:01 +0100</pubDate>
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        <item>
            <title>South Africa OVC Case Studies</title>
            <link>http://www.cpc.unc.edu/measure/our-work/health-areas/hiv-aids/ovc/ovc-case-studies-sa</link>
            <description><![CDATA[MEASURE Evaluation provided technical assistance in the development of 32 case studies documenting various OVC program models within South Africa. A synthesis report considering results from all 32 case studies will help to identify various strategies in meeting the needs of OVC and their guardians, highlight gaps in service delivery and identify best practices relating to improving the effectiveness and increasing the scale of OVC interventions.]]></description>
            <author>measure@unc.edu (MEASURE Evaluation)</author>
            <pubDate>Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:02:54 +0100</pubDate>
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        <item>
            <title>Health Facility Assessment Relevant Resources/Supporting Documents and Mapping Resources ...</title>
            <link>http://www.cpc.unc.edu/measure/publications/pdf/wp-08-107.pdf</link>
            <description><![CDATA[This annotated bibliography compiles relevant resources and supporting documents of health facility assessment (HFA) surveys. It cites over 80 relevant documents, including data collection instruments such as questionnaires and manuals, analytical reports, technical and survey reports, and articles that cited data from major HFA surveys. For most of these, abstracts are presented. The document also includes relevant resources on mapping HFA survey data using geographic information systems, ranging from databases and data repositories to Web sites that provide GIS application tools. Where available, each item contains details of its availability from the original source and other contact information.]]></description>
            <author>measure@unc.edu (MEASURE Evaluation)</author>
            <pubDate>Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:00:48 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>Overview of Issues Concerning Confidentiality and Spatial Data</title>
            <link>http://www.cpc.unc.edu/measure/publications/pdf/wp-08-106.pdf</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Geographic information systems (GIS) play a vital role within a variety of research settings. However, the use of such spatial data means that confidentiality and privacy issues relevant to these data must be carefully addressed. This white paper presents the current literature on the topic of confidentiality and spatial data. It is intended to provide guidance on the issue. The document provides an overview of the terms that are important to the discussion, and then presents some examples of spatial risks to confidentiality. An overview of approaches that have been proposed for preserving confidentiality is then presented.]]></description>
            <author>measure@unc.edu (MEASURE Evaluation)</author>
            <pubDate>Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:57:29 +0100</pubDate>
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        <item>
            <title>Measurement of HIV Prevention Indicators: A Comparison of the PLACE Method and a Demographic ...</title>
            <link>http://www.cpc.unc.edu/measure/publications/pdf/wp-08-105.pdf</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The 2005 Rwandan Demographic Health Survey (DHS) found that nearly 90 percent of the general population knew about HIV and prevention methods; however, it also found that condom use was very low (only 20 percent of people used a condom with a non-cohabiting partner). To respond better to the large gap between knowledge and safe sexual behavior, and to coordinate local efforts better in the fight against AIDS, the Commission Nationale de Lutte contre le SIDA (CNLS), with technical assistance from MEASURE Evaluation, implemented the Priorities for Local AIDS Control Efforts (PLACE) protocol in 12 provinces. The 2005 PLACE and Rwandan DHS results are useful tools for program managers wishing to focus scarce resources in effective HIV prevention. The DHS results provide information concerning the general population and provide a global picture of people’s HIV knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. The PLACE results provide information about populations that exhibit riskier sexual behavior than the general population. Together, the survey results from PLACE and DHS can provide program managers and other stakeholders working in HIV/AIDS comprehensive information on knowledge, attitudes, and practices in both the general population and specific subgroups. The aim of this report is to compare results between the two surveys and illustrate how both surveys can be used together, giving HIV/AIDS program managers and policymakers a better picture of certain determinates of the generalized epidemic in Rwanda.]]></description>
            <author>measure@unc.edu (MEASURE Evaluation)</author>
            <pubDate>Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:00:38 +0100</pubDate>
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        <item>
            <title>Flow Chart of Steps to Conduct a Health Facility Assessment</title>
            <link>http://www.cpc.unc.edu/measure/publications/pdf/ms-08-28.pdf</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The flow chart is a step-by-step guide, in visual form, of key stages in the preparation and conduct of a health facility assessment (HFA). It has two parts, the first being a short presentation of the actual stages, the people involved in them, any documentation available for more details, and any special considerations. The second part is a narrative description of issues related to each stage, and information to help the reader understand how each stage is connected to the preceding and subsequent stages.]]></description>
            <author>measure@unc.edu (MEASURE Evaluation)</author>
            <pubDate>Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:54:24 +0100</pubDate>
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        <item>
            <title>A Case Study: Integrated AIDS Program - Thika, Kenya</title>
            <link>http://www.cpc.unc.edu/measure/publications/pdf/sr-08-41.pdf</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The global HIV and AIDS epidemic has affected sub-Saharan Africa more than any other region in the world. AIDS deaths in sub-Saharan Africa account for 72% of AIDS deaths worldwide (UNAIDS, 2006a). As a result, the number of children who have been orphaned or otherwise made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS is also highest in this region. Despite the influx of programs and policies in the last decade to address this crisis, very little evidence is available as to the impact and effectiveness of these programs. In an attempt to fill this knowledge gap, MEASURE Evaluation is undertaking a targeted evaluation of four programs for orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC) in four unique settings in Kenya and Tanzania. The targeted evaluation includes household surveys, focus group discussions, a costing analysis and in-depth case studies of the selected programs.]]></description>
            <author>measure@unc.edu (MEASURE Evaluation)</author>
            <pubDate>Mon, 19 May 2008 15:21:29 +0100</pubDate>
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        <item>
            <title>Assessment of a Capture-Recapture Method for Estimating the Size of the Female Sex Worker ...</title>
            <link>http://www.cpc.unc.edu/measure/publications</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Purpose: To assess the use of capture-recapture methods for estimating the size of sex worker populations in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods: We used a capture-mark-recapture method to estimate the size of the bar-based female sex worker population in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe and compared this estimate with an estimate obtained by counting sex workers.

Results: Enumerators counted 6,997 women entering 56 bars known for sex worker activity. For the capture-recapture estimate, we interviewed 1,381 sex workers at 15 bars one Saturday night and 1,469 sex workers at the same bars a week later. Of these 1,469 women, 521 reported being interviewed the previous Saturday. The capture-recapture estimate of 3,894 (1381 x 1469 / 521) was considerably lower than the number counted. When we assumed that half the women returned to the same bar (rather than randomly mix among bars) and based the estimate on bars where the proportion recaptured was more than 20 percent, the estimate (7,855) of the 56-bar population was closer to the estimate obtained by counting.

Conclusions: Estimating the size of populations at risk for transmitting HIV is critical for AIDS prevention. The capture-recapture method may prove useful but requires collecting data to assess the direction and extent of bias in estimates.

Key Words: AIDS, population size, population surveys, epidemiological methods, prostitution, Africa, sampling]]></description>
            <author>measure@unc.edu (MEASURE Evaluation)</author>
            <pubDate>Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:09:23 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>Comparative Analysis of Program Effort for Family Planning, Maternal Health, and HIV/AIDS, 30 ...</title>
            <link>http://www.cpc.unc.edu/measure/publications</link>
            <description><![CDATA[CONTEXT: Many developing countries have mounted national programs for family planning, for maternal health, or for HIV/AIDS, but rather little is known about how closely these three programs parallel or support each other. Measures of program effort are now available for all three activities, collected in the 1999-2000 period, with common data on 30 countries that contain half of the developing world's population.

METHODS: All three studies used questionnaires completed by expert observers for each country. Experts from a variety of backgrounds and institutional affiliations were identified, with a different set of persons for each study since the field operations were entirely separate and done at different times. Each program was rated on a large number of features, and the ratings were all quantified as the percent of the maximum possible scores.

RESULTS: As an average, the strength of effort of these three programs is similar across the 30 countries, at slightly over half of the maximum scores. However the averages conceal sharp variations. In some countries the total scores are close for two or even all three of the programs, but in others there are large disparities. In addition, there is no correspondence across countries in the strength of the family planning and the HIV/AIDS programs, although both correlate appreciably with the maternal health programs. Policy scores are relatively high and vary rather little across the regions, but access to services shows substantial differences from one program to another; moreover Sub-Saharan Africa scores low on family planning and maternal health, but about as well on HIV/AIDS as do the other regions. Over time, countries with the weakest efforts have improved their scores more than countries with the strongest efforts have.]]></description>
            <author>measure@unc.edu (MEASURE Evaluation)</author>
            <pubDate>Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:05:37 +0100</pubDate>
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        <item>
            <title>The Social Side of Service Accessibility</title>
            <link>http://www.cpc.unc.edu/measure/publications</link>
            <description><![CDATA[This methodological project relates both to the conceptualization and measurement of potential program effects. The starting point is the hypothesis that the social side of service accessibility--i.e., social network characteristics that affect access to information and redundancy in the information obtained--is important to an understanding of accessibility and its effects. Our results suggest that this is true. Using a unique survey data set for Nang Rong, Thailand, we formalize social network concepts at the individual and village level, and then examine effects on contraceptive choice--method and source--in the context of models that also take into account physical proximity. To quickly summarize our results: Proximity to family planning outlets affected contraceptive choices, especially source choices. Women living further away from a local health center were less likely to choose a local health center, and women living further away from a hospital were less likely to choose a hospital. Proximity mattered less, however, for women living in households directly linked by sibling ties to other households in the village and to siblings living in other places. Results inform the design and interpretation of evaluation efforts in a variety of settings, and the potential role of social networks in bringing about program effects. While the specific focus is the provision of family planning services, the idea extends to the provision of STD or maternal and child health services as well.]]></description>
            <author>measure@unc.edu (MEASURE Evaluation)</author>
            <pubDate>Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:01:30 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>Multi-media campaign exposure effects on knowledge and use of condoms for STI and HIV/AIDS ...</title>
            <link>http://www.cpc.unc.edu/measure/publications</link>
            <description><![CDATA[This paper evaluated the influences of multi-media Behavior Change Communication campaigns on knowledge and use of condoms for prevention of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections in target areas of Uganda. Data were drawn from the 1997 and 1999 Delivery of Improved Services for Health Evaluation Surveys, which collected information from representative samples of women and men of reproductive age in the districts served by the DISH project. Logistic regressions were used to assess the associations between BCC exposure and condom knowledge and use, controlling for individuals' background characteristics. While there was some evidence of bias of self-report, results indicated that exposure to BCC messages, especially via radio, was strongly associated with higher condom knowledge and use. A dose-response effect between the number of media channels and condom knowledge was observed. Certain gender differences were also found, with message content seemingly more important in terms of instilling safer sex practices.]]></description>
            <author>measure@unc.edu (MEASURE Evaluation)</author>
            <pubDate>Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:57:51 +0100</pubDate>
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            <title>Association of mass media exposure on family planning attitudes and practices in Uganda</title>
            <link>http://www.cpc.unc.edu/measure/publications</link>
            <description><![CDATA[This paper examined the influences of multi-media Behavior Change Communication campaigns on women's and men's use of and intentions to use contraception in target areas of Uganda. Data were primarily drawn from the 1997 and 1999 Delivery of Improved Services for Health evaluation surveys, which collected information from representative samples of women and men of reproductive age in the districts served by the DISH project. Additional time-trend analyses relied on data from the 1995 Demographic and Health Survey. Logistic regressions were used to assess the associations between BCC exposure and family planning attitudes and practices, controlling for individuals' background characteristics. To minimize the biases of self-reported exposure, the analyses also considered cluster-level indices of the penetration of BCC messages in the community. Results indicated that exposure to BCC messages was associated with higher contraceptive intentions and use. While there was some evidence of bias of self-report, the pathways to behavior change appeared different for women and men.]]></description>
            <author>measure@unc.edu (MEASURE Evaluation)</author>
            <pubDate>Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:54:55 +0100</pubDate>
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