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Background: Approximately 15% of women in low-and middle-income countries experience common perinatal mental disorders. Yet, many women, even if diagnosed with mental health conditions, are untreated due to poor quality care, limited accessibility, limited knowledge, and stigma. This paper describes how mental health-related stigma influences pregnant women's decisions not to disclose their conditions and to seek treatment in Vietnam, all of which exacerbate inequitable access to maternal mental healthcare. Methods: A mixed-method realist study was conducted, comprising 22 in-depth interviews, four focus group discussions (total participants n = 44), and a self-administered questionnaire completed by 639 pregnant women. A parallel convergent model for mixed methods analysis was employed. Data were analyzed using the realist logic of analysis, an iterative process aimed at refining identified theories. Survey data underwent analysis using SPSS 22 and descriptive analysis. Qualitative data were analyzed using configurations of context, mechanisms, and outcomes to elucidate causal links and provide explanations for complexity. Results: Nearly half of pregnant women (43.5%) would try to hide their mental health issues and 38.3% avoid having help from a mental health professional, highlighting the substantial extent of stigma affecting health-seeking and accessing care. Four key areas highlight the role of stigma in maternal mental health: fear and stigmatizing language contribute to the concealment of mental illness, rendering it unnoticed; unconsciousness, normalization, and low literacy of maternal mental health; shame, household structure and gender roles during pregnancy; and the interplay of regulations, referral pathways, and access to mental health support services further compounds the challenges. Conclusion: Addressing mental health-related stigma could influence the decision of disclosure and health-seeking behaviors, which could in turn improve responsiveness of the local health system to the needs of pregnant women with mental health needs, by offering prompt attention, a wide range of choices, and improved communication. Potential interventions to decrease stigma and improve access to mental healthcare for pregnant women in Vietnam should target structural and organizational levels and may include improvements in screening and referrals for perinatal mental care screening, thus preventing complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of common perinatal mental disorders in Vietnam ranges from 16.9% to 39.9%, and substantial treatment gaps have been identified at all levels. This paper explores constraints to the integration of maternal and mental health services at the primary healthcare level and the implications for the health system's responsiveness to the needs and expectations of pregnant women with mental health conditions in Vietnam. As part of the RESPONSE project, a three-phase realist evaluation study, we present Phase 1 findings, which employed systematic and scoping literature reviews and qualitative data collection (focus groups and interviews) with key health system actors in Bac Giang province, Vietnam, to understand the barriers to maternal mental healthcare provision, utilization and integration strategies. A four-level framing of the barriers to integrating perinatal mental health services in Vietnam was used in reporting findings, which comprised individual, sociocultural, organizational and structural levels. At the sociocultural and structural levels, these barriers included cultural beliefs about the holistic notion of physical and mental health, stigma towards mental health, biomedical approach to healthcare services, absence of comprehensive mental health policy and a lack of mental health workforce. At the organizational level, there was an absence of clinical guidelines on the integration of mental health in routine antenatal visits, a shortage of staff and poor health facilities. Finally, at the provider level, a lack of knowledge and training on mental health was identified. The integration of mental health into routine antenatal visits at the primary care level has the potential help to reduce stigma towards mental health and improve health system responsiveness by providing services closer to the local level, offering prompt attention, better choice of services and better communication while ensuring privacy and confidentiality of services. This can improve the demand for mental health services and help reduce the delay of care-seeking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective (s): Health system responsiveness and meeting patients' expectations are important in creating public trust in the health system. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between health system responsiveness and public trust in the health system in Gorgan, Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2020. The sample size in this study was 450 households. To collect data, a health system responsiveness questionnaire including 32 questions in 8 dimensions, and a public trust questionnaire including 25 questions in 6 dimensions were used. The validity and reliability of the instruments were confirmed. The path analysis was used in AMOS software to determine the relationship between responsiveness and public trust in the health system. Results: The mean score of responsiveness was 3.4 (±0.53) out of 5, the highest score was related to social support and the lowest was related to the right to choose a doctor. The mean score of public trust was 3.3 (± 0.52) out of 5, the highest score was related to the quality of care, and the lowest was related to macro health policies. The hypothesis test findings showed a positive and significant relationship between all dimensions of responsiveness and public trust in the health system. In general, 64% of the variance in public trust is explained by the health system responsiveness. Conclusion: The health system responsiveness and public trust in the health system were evaluated at an average level, and responsiveness plays an important role in influencing public trust in the health system. Therefore, the government should play its role in properly managing citizens' needs in order to regulate its credibility and most importantly to maintain public trust.

Abstract Background Approximately 15% of women in low-and middle-income countries experience common perinatal mental disorders. Yet, many women, even if diagnosed with mental health conditions, are untreated due to poor quality care, limited accessibility, limited knowledge, and stigma. This paper describes how mental health-related stigma influences pregnant women’s decisions not to disclose their conditions and to seek treatment in Vietnam, all of which exacerbate inequitable access to maternal mental healthcare. Methods A mixed-method realist study was conducted, comprising 22 in-depth interviews, four focus group discussions (total participants n = 44), and a self-administered questionnaire completed by 639 pregnant women. A parallel convergent model for mixed methods analysis was employed. Data were analyzed using the realist logic of analysis, an iterative process aimed at refining identified theories. Survey data underwent analysis using SPSS 22 and descriptive analysis. Qualitative data were analyzed using configurations of context, mechanisms, and outcomes to elucidate causal links and provide explanations for complexity. Results Nearly half of pregnant women (43.5%) would try to hide their mental health issues and 38.3% avoid having help from a mental health professional, highlighting the substantial extent of stigma affecting health-seeking and accessing care. Four key areas highlight the role of stigma in maternal mental health: fear and stigmatizing language contribute to the concealment of mental illness, rendering it unnoticed; unconsciousness, normalization, and low literacy of maternal mental health; shame, household structure and gender roles during pregnancy; and the interplay of regulations, referral pathways, and access to mental health support services further compounds the challenges. Conclusion Addressing mental health-related stigma could influence the decision of disclosure and health-seeking behaviors, which could in turn improve responsiveness of the local health system to the needs of pregnant women with mental health needs, by offering prompt attention, a wide range of choices, and improved communication. Potential interventions to decrease stigma and improve access to mental healthcare for pregnant women in Vietnam should target structural and organizational levels and may include improvements in screening and referrals for perinatal mental care screening, thus preventing complications.

Abstract Background Health systems worldwide struggled to obtain sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE) and ventilators during the COVID-19 pandemic due to global supply chain disruptions. Our study’s aim was to create a proof-of-concept model that would simulate the effects of supply strategies under various scenarios, to ultimately help decision-makers decide on alternative supply strategies for future similar health system related crises. Methods We developed a system dynamics model that linked a disease transmission model structure (susceptible, exposed, infectious, recovered (SEIR)) with a model for the availability of critical supplies in hospitals; thereby connecting care demand (patients’ critical care in hospitals), with care supply (available critical equipment and supplies). To inform the model structure, we used data on critical decisions and events taking place surrounding purchase, supply, and availability of PPE and ventilators during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic within the English national health system. We used exploratory modelling and analysis to assess the effects of uncertainties on different supply strategies in the English health system under different scenarios. Strategies analysed were: (i) purchasing from the world market or (ii) through direct tender, (iii) stockpiling, (iv) domestic production, (v) supporting innovative supply strategies, or (vi) loaning ventilators from the private sector. Results We found through our exploratory analysis that a long-lasting shortage in PPE and ventilators is likely to be apparent in various scenarios. When considering the worst-case scenario, our proof-of-concept model shows that purchasing PPE and ventilators from the world market or through direct tender have the greatest influence on reducing supply shortages, compared to producing domestically or through supporting innovative supply strategies. However, these supply strategies are affected most by delays in their shipment time or set-up. Conclusion We demonstrated that using a system dynamics and exploratory modelling approach can be helpful in identifying the purchasing and supply chain strategies that contribute to the preparedness and responsiveness of health systems during crises. Our results suggest that to improve health systems’ resilience during pandemics or similar resource-constrained situations, purchasing and supply chain decision-makers can develop crisis frameworks that propose a plan of action and consequently accelerate and improve procurement processes and other governance processes during health-related crises; implement diverse supplier frameworks; and (re)consider stockpiling. This proof-of-concept model demonstrates the importance of including critical supply chain strategies as part of the preparedness and response activities to contribute to health system resilience.

Background: Health systems worldwide struggled to obtain sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE) and ventilators during the COVID-19 pandemic due to global supply chain disruptions. Our study's aim was to create a proof-of-concept model that would simulate the effects of supply strategies under various scenarios, to ultimately help decision-makers decide on alternative supply strategies for future similar health system related crises. Methods: We developed a system dynamics model that linked a disease transmission model structure (susceptible, exposed, infectious, recovered (SEIR)) with a model for the availability of critical supplies in hospitals; thereby connecting care demand (patients' critical care in hospitals), with care supply (available critical equipment and supplies). To inform the model structure, we used data on critical decisions and events taking place surrounding purchase, supply, and availability of PPE and ventilators during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic within the English national health system. We used exploratory modelling and analysis to assess the effects of uncertainties on different supply strategies in the English health system under different scenarios. Strategies analysed were: (i) purchasing from the world market or (ii) through direct tender, (iii) stockpiling, (iv) domestic production, (v) supporting innovative supply strategies, or (vi) loaning ventilators from the private sector. Results: We found through our exploratory analysis that a long-lasting shortage in PPE and ventilators is likely to be apparent in various scenarios. When considering the worst-case scenario, our proof-of-concept model shows that purchasing PPE and ventilators from the world market or through direct tender have the greatest influence on reducing supply shortages, compared to producing domestically or through supporting innovative supply strategies. However, these supply strategies are affected most by delays in their shipment time or set-up. Conclusion: We demonstrated that using a system dynamics and exploratory modelling approach can be helpful in identifying the purchasing and supply chain strategies that contribute to the preparedness and responsiveness of health systems during crises. Our results suggest that to improve health systems' resilience during pandemics or similar resource-constrained situations, purchasing and supply chain decision-makers can develop crisis frameworks that propose a plan of action and consequently accelerate and improve procurement processes and other governance processes during health-related crises; implement diverse supplier frameworks; and (re)consider stockpiling. This proof-of-concept model demonstrates the importance of including critical supply chain strategies as part of the preparedness and response activities to contribute to health system resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Syrian refugees have a high burden of mental health symptoms and face challenges in accessing mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS). This study assesses health system responsiveness (HSR) to the MHPSS needs of Syrian refugees, comparing countries in Europe and the Middle East to inform recommendations for strengthening MHPSS systems Methods A mixed-methods rapid appraisal methodology guided by an adapted WHO Health System Framework was used to assess HSR in eight countries (Egypt, Germany, Jordan, Lebanon, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, and Türkiye). Quantitative and qualitative analysis of primary and secondary data was used. Data collection and analysis were performed iteratively by multiple researchers. Country reports were used for comparative analysis and synthesis. Results We found numerous constraints in HSR: i) Too few appropriate mental health providers and services; ii) Travel-related barriers impeding access to services, widening rural-urban inequalities in the distribution of mental health workers; iii) Cultural, language, and knowledge-related barriers to timely care likely caused by insufficient numbers of culturally sensitive providers, costs of professional interpreters, somatic presentations of distress by Syrian refugees, limited mental health awareness, and stigma associated to mental illness; iv) High out-of-pocket costs for psychological treatment and transportation to services reducing affordability, particularly in middle-income countries; v) Long waiting times for specialist mental health services; vi) Information gaps on the mental health needs of refugees and responsiveness of MHPSS systems in all countries. Six recommendations are provided to address these issues. Conclusions All eight host countries struggle to provide responsive MHPSS to Syrian refugees. Strengthening the mental health workforce (in terms of quantity, quality, diversity, and distribution) is urgently needed to enable Syrian refugees to receive culturally appropriate and timely care and improve mental health outcomes. Increased financial investment in mental health and improved health information systems are crucial.

Abstract Background Configural, metric, and scalar measurement invariance have been indicators of bias-free statistical cross-group comparisons, although they are difficult to verify in the data. Low comparability of translated questionnaires or the different understanding of response formats by respondents might lead to rejection of measurement invariance and point to comparability bias in multi-language surveys. Anchoring vignettes have been proposed as a method to control for the different understanding of response categories by respondents (the latter is referred to as differential item functioning related to response categories or rating scales: RC-DIF). We evaluate the question whether the cross-cultural comparability of data can be assured by means of anchoring vignettes or by considering socio-demographic heterogeneity as an alternative approach. Methods We used the Health System Responsiveness (HSR) questionnaire and collected survey data in English (n = 183) and Arabic (n = 121) in a random sample of refugees in the third largest German federal state. We conducted multiple-group Confirmatory Factor Analyses (MGCFA) to analyse measurement invariance and compared the results when 1) using rescaled data on the basis of anchoring vignettes (non-parametric approach), 2) including information on RC-DIF from the analyses with anchoring vignettes as covariates (parametric approach) and 3) including socio-demographic covariates. Results For the HSR, every level of measurement invariance between the Arabic and English languages was rejected. Implementing rescaling or modelling on the basis of anchoring vignettes provided superior results over the initial MGCFA analysis, since configural, metric and – for ordered categorical analyses—scalar invariance could not be rejected. A consideration of socio-demographic variables did not show such an improvement. Conclusions Surveys may consider anchoring vignettes as a method to assess cross-cultural comparability of data, whereas socio-demographic variables cannot be used to improve data comparability as a standalone method. More research on the efficient implementation of anchoring vignettes and further development of methods to incorporate them when modelling measurement invariance is needed.

Abstract Background Pandemics such as Corona are currently major health concerns worldwide. Health system responsiveness to the medical and non-medical needs of patients during pandemics is essential. This study aimed to examine hospitals’ responsiveness to Corona patients. Methods This descriptive and analytical research had a cross-sectional design. The study population included Corona patients discharged from 17 public hospitals of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran, in the spring of 2021. WHO questionnaire for health system responsiveness was used to collect data. 413 patients participated in the study who were selected by random classified sampling. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics, including frequency, and deviation, and to examine the relationship between variables, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests were used. Results In this study, one-third participants were in the age range of 31 to 40 (32.6%). The ability of 277 (70.5%) participants to pay treatment costs was very low, and low. 380 (96.7%) of the respondents had basic health insurance and 101 (25.7%) had supplementary insurance. In general, respondents evaluated the responsiveness of hospitals as 75.6. The highest score was related to confidentiality, and the lowest to prompt attention. There was no significant relationship between the total response score with demographic information. Conclusion The responsiveness of studied hospitals to Corona patients was adequate. However, there was dissatisfaction with the lack of timely treatment and medication. Moreover, the most important dimension of responsiveness was dignity. Healthcare providers need to pay attention to different aspects of responsiveness and improving the quality of and access to health services during pandemics and disasters.

Gezu Girma,1 Aklilu Tamire,2 Gebeyehu Jeldu Edessa,3 Mesay Dechasa,4 Obsan Kassa Tefasa,2 Abraham Negash,5 Jerman Dereje,6 Awoke Masrie,2 Samrawit Shawel,2 Miheret Mandefro,2 Gelila Abraham3 1Department of Health Research, International Center for AIDS Care and Treatment Program (ICAP), Finfine, Ethiopia; 2School of Public Health, College of Health and Medical Science, Haramaya University, Harar, Harari, Ethiopia; 3Department of Health Policy and Management, Public Health Faculty, Institute of Health Jimma University, Jimma, Oromia, Ethiopia; 4Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, College of Health and Medical Science, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia; 5School of Nursing and Midwifery, College of Health and Medical Sciences, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia; 6Department of Psychiatry, School of Nursing and Midwifery, College of Health and Medical Sciences, Haramaya University, Harar, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Aklilu Tamire, School of Public Health, College of Health and Medical Science, Haramaya University, P.O. Box 235, Harar, Harari, 3200, Ethiopia, Tel +251921211752, Email aklilutamire11@gmail.comBackground: The term responsiveness emerged during the World Health Organization (WHO) report in 2000 as new and essential goals of the health systems to meet the needs of people to their expectations from different services being given in healthcare systems. Obstetric violence and childbirth mistreatment are global problems, but the worst obstetric violence usually occurs in underdeveloped countries. Thus, the main objective of this study was to evaluate the responsiveness of obstetric service at Jimma University Medical Center.Methods: A single-case study design with quantitative and qualitative data collection was employed. Availability with 17 indicators and health system responsiveness with 24 indicators were used. Consecutive sampling technique was used to select the clients and qualitative data were collected from key informants. SPSS version 25 was used for the analysis of quantitative data, whereas thematic analysis was conducted for qualitative data. A multiple linear regression model was fitted after all assumptions were checked and fit to ensure the relation of the dependent variable with independent variables.Results: The overall evaluation was 75.6% and judged good. The resource availability and health system responsiveness were 85.5% and 69.7%, which were judged very good and fair, respectively. A stethoscope and thermometer were not available, while 40% glucose, dexamethasone, and intravenous fluid were the most frequently stocked-out supplies. Dignity (72.1%), confidentiality (71.4%), and prompt attention (70%) were the top three good scores for the health system’s responsiveness. Health system responsiveness significantly associated with the following: Not attending formal education, attending college and above, place of delivery (health center), mode of delivery (cesarean section), and being merchant.Conclusion & Recommendation: The health system responsiveness of delivery service in study setting was good. All stakeholders should work for improving the health system’s responsiveness in delivery service.Keywords: obstetric, health system responsiveness, Jimma University Medical Center, Ethiopia

Emmanuel Kibet,1 Florence Namirimu,1 Felista Nakazibwe,1 Arnold Zironda Kyagera,1 Disan Ayebazibwe,1 Bernard Omech2 1Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Sciences and Technology, Mbarara City, Uganda; 2Department of Health Planning and Management, Lira University, Lira City, UgandaCorrespondence: Bernard Omech, Email bgomech@gmail.comBackground: Inequitable access to Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) Treatment and Care Services (HATCS) for People With Disabilities (PWD) is a hurdle to ending the pandemic by 2030. The aim of this study was to evaluate the Health System’s Responsiveness (HSR) and associated factors for PWD attending HATCS at health facilities in South Western Uganda.Methods: Between February and April 2022, we enrolled a total of 106 people with disabilities for a quantitative study and 14 key informants from selected primary care HIV clinics. The World Health Organization Multi-country study’s disability assessment schedules 2.0 and Health system responsiveness (HSR) questionnaire were adopted to measure the level of disabilities and responsiveness, respectively. The level of HSR was evaluated using descriptive analysis. The association between socio-demographics, level of disabilities and HSR was evaluated through binary and multivariable logistic regression. The qualitative data were collected from 14 key informants using interview guide and analyzed according to thematic areas (deductive approaches).Results: Overall, Health system responsiveness (HSR) was at 47.62% being acceptable to people living with HIV and Disabilities in south western Uganda. Across different domains, the best performance was reported in social consideration (68.57%) and autonomy (67.62%). The least performance was registered in dignity (2.83%), confidentiality (2.91%), prompt Attention (17.35%) and Choices (30.48%). Whereas performance in communications (53.92%) and quality of basic amenities (42.27%) were average. There were no socio-demographics or disability variables that were predictive of HATCS responsiveness. PWDs experienced lack of social support, poor communication, stigma and discrimination during the HATCs services. On the other hand, the health-care providers felt frustrated by their inability to communicate effectively with PWDs and meet their need for social support.Conclusion: HSR was comparatively low, with dignity, confidentiality, prompt attention, and choice ranking worst. To address the universal and legitimate requirements of PWDs in accessing care, urgent initiatives are required to create awareness among all stakeholders.Keywords: HIV/AIDS, disability, health system responsiveness, Uganda

Background: Configural, metric, and scalar measurement invariance have been indicators of bias-free statistical cross-group comparisons, although they are difficult to verify in the data. Low comparability of translated questionnaires or the different understanding of response formats by respondents might lead to rejection of measurement invariance and point to comparability bias in multi-language surveys. Anchoring vignettes have been proposed as a method to control for the different understanding of response categories by respondents (the latter is referred to as differential item functioning related to response categories or rating scales: RC-DIF). We evaluate the question whether the cross-cultural comparability of data can be assured by means of anchoring vignettes or by considering socio-demographic heterogeneity as an alternative approach. Methods: We used the Health System Responsiveness (HSR) questionnaire and collected survey data in English (n = 183) and Arabic (n = 121) in a random sample of refugees in the third largest German federal state. We conducted multiple-group Confirmatory Factor Analyses (MGCFA) to analyse measurement invariance and compared the results when 1) using rescaled data on the basis of anchoring vignettes (non-parametric approach), 2) including information on RC-DIF from the analyses with anchoring vignettes as covariates (parametric approach) and 3) including socio-demographic covariates. Results: For the HSR, every level of measurement invariance between the Arabic and English languages was rejected. Implementing rescaling or modelling on the basis of anchoring vignettes provided superior results over the initial MGCFA analysis, since configural, metric and – for ordered categorical analyses—scalar invariance could not be rejected. A consideration of socio-demographic variables did not show such an improvement. Conclusions: Surveys may consider anchoring vignettes as a method to assess cross-cultural comparability of data, whereas socio-demographic variables cannot be used to improve data comparability as a standalone method. More research on the efficient implementation of anchoring vignettes and further development of methods to incorporate them when modelling measurement invariance is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pandemics such as Corona are currently major health concerns worldwide. Health system responsiveness to the medical and non-medical needs of patients during pandemics is essential. This study aimed to examine hospitals' responsiveness to Corona patients. Methods: This descriptive and analytical research had a cross-sectional design. The study population included Corona patients discharged from 17 public hospitals of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran, in the spring of 2021. WHO questionnaire for health system responsiveness was used to collect data. 413 patients participated in the study who were selected by random classified sampling. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics, including frequency, and deviation, and to examine the relationship between variables, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests were used. Results: In this study, one-third participants were in the age range of 31 to 40 (32.6%). The ability of 277 (70.5%) participants to pay treatment costs was very low, and low. 380 (96.7%) of the respondents had basic health insurance and 101 (25.7%) had supplementary insurance. In general, respondents evaluated the responsiveness of hospitals as 75.6. The highest score was related to confidentiality, and the lowest to prompt attention. There was no significant relationship between the total response score with demographic information. Conclusion: The responsiveness of studied hospitals to Corona patients was adequate. However, there was dissatisfaction with the lack of timely treatment and medication. Moreover, the most important dimension of responsiveness was dignity. Healthcare providers need to pay attention to different aspects of responsiveness and improving the quality of and access to health services during pandemics and disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Information on the responsiveness of the New Zealand (NZ) health system to Asians to enable navigation of healthcare services is currently lacking. Barriers experienced by Asian patients to enable optimal navigation of, and engagement with, healthcare services are also sparse. Aim This research aimed to: (1) document and analyse resources available on the websites of general practices that aid in optimal health care navigation for NZ Asians; and (2) explore the barriers perceived by Asian migrants to navigating the NZ Health System, particularly primary care. Methods This study involved qualitative document analysis of existing resources on general practice websites. Information on perceived barriers and experiences of navigating the health system was collected through semi-structured interviews (n = 9). Results Overall, 293 general practice websites were analysed. The themes from content analysis were: availability of basic information, linguistic accessibility, and culturally appropriate support for patients. Relevant and reliable information facilitating effective navigation of the NZ health system by Asians was lacking. Interview data supported the findings about the general practices, with participants reporting significant difficulties navigating and understanding NZ primary care services. Discussion Current navigational resources presume knowledge that Asian migrants do not often possess. Participants felt this lack of accessible information acutely, and it influenced how they perceived and engaged with healthcare services. Increased accessibility through resources in Asian languages, including an overview of how Health NZ functions in providing health care and professional interpreter services, would be critical to increase appropriate engagement with healthcare services and thus contribute to better health outcomes for Asians.

Abstract While the health of and healthcare use by migrants has received significant scholarly and policy attention in Australia, current debates highlight that a critical examination of the theoretical underpinnings of these inquiries and responses is needed. We conducted a systematic review and critical interpretive synthesis (CIS) to critically examine how the policy and scholarly literature conceptualises migrants’ interactions with and experiences of the Australian health system. Guided by PRISMA, we searched for literature without imposing any limits. We also searched key State and Federal Government websites for relevant policy documents. Our initially broad inclusion criteria became refined as the CIS progressed. We prioritised the likely relevance and theoretical contribution of the papers to our inquiry over methodological quality. The CIS of 104 papers revealed that the Australian scholarly literature and policy documents consistently homogenise and reduce migrants according to an assumed, (1) cultural identity, (2) linguistic affiliation, and/or (3) broad geographic origin. Based on these three critiques and drawing on the theoretical literature, we propose a synthesising argument on how the Australian literature could better conceptualise migrants’ experiences of the Australian health system. We contend that both research and policy should explicitly recognise and engage with the multifaceted and shifting ways that migrants define themselves, generally, and during their encounters with destination country health systems. Engagement with this notion is necessary for also understanding how aspects of migrants’ identities are dynamically co-constructed during their interactions with the health system. These understandings have implications for improving the design and implementation of policies and programs directed at improving the responsiveness of Australia’s health system to the needs and expectations of migrant communities specifically, and destination countries broadly.

Background: As a public health emergency, coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is a threat to our future; therefore, appropriate health system responsiveness (HSR), as an important criterion, is of crucial importance. This study aimed to evaluate the different dimensions of responsiveness of healthcare centers, both public and private, providing COVID-19 services in Tehran. Methods: Following a cross-sectional design, this study was conducted in Tehran (the capital city of I.R. Iran) from May to November 2020. Data were collected using the World Health Organization (WHO) questionnaire on responsiveness. Two hundred questionnaires were filled out through face-to-face or phone call interviews in two public and private hospitals (100 in each) providing Covid-19 services. Participants were selected using the convenience sampling technique among all those who received Covid-19 services during the past six months in the city of Tehran. Results: The mean age of participants was 45.9 ± 15.9 and 51.5% were female. On an average, 52.6% of the respondents evaluated at least one dimension of responsiveness as appropriate and/or strongly appropriate. Communication obtained the highest score (58.2%), followed by confidentiality (56.5%), dignity (56%), and prompt attention (52%). Meanwhile, autonomy and choice were evaluated as poor (moderate, weak, and strongly weak) by 63.5 and 52.5% of respondents. There was no significant association between the type of healthcare center (i.e., public or private) and responsiveness (p-value = 0.896). However, there was a significant difference between gender (p-value = 0.036) and education level (p-value = 0.014) with responsiveness. According to the respondents, prompt attention and choice were the most and least important dimensions, respectively. Conclusions: Evaluation of HSR in the era of COVID-19 not only provides a tool for qualitative assessment of services but also plays an important role in providing feedback to policymakers to adopt effective policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Information on the responsiveness of the New Zealand (NZ) health system to Asians to enable navigation of healthcare services is currently lacking. Barriers experienced by Asian patients to enable optimal navigation of, and engagement with, healthcare services are also sparse. Aim. This research aimed to: (1) document and analyse resources available on the websites of general practices that aid in optimal health care navigation for NZ Asians; and (2) explore the barriers perceived by Asian migrants to navigating the NZ Health System, particularly primary care. Methods. This study involved qualitative document analysis of existing resources on general practice websites. Information on perceived barriers and experiences of navigating the health system was collected through semi-structured interviews (n = 9). Results. Overall, 293 general practice websites were analysed. The themes from content analysis were: availability of basic information, linguistic accessibility, and culturally appropriate support for patients. Relevant and reliable information facilitating effective navigation of the NZ health system by Asians was lacking. Interview data supported the findings about the general practices, with participants reporting significant difficulties navigating and understanding NZ primary care services. Discussion. Current navigational resources presume knowledge that Asian migrants do not often possess. Participants felt this lack of accessible information acutely, and it influenced how they perceived and engaged with healthcare services. Increased accessibility through resources in Asian languages, including an overview of how Health NZ functions in providing health care and professional interpreter services, would be critical to increase appropriate engagement with healthcare services and thus contribute to better health outcomes for Asians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the health of and healthcare use by migrants has received significant scholarly and policy attention in Australia, current debates highlight that a critical examination of the theoretical underpinnings of these inquiries and responses is needed. We conducted a systematic review and critical interpretive synthesis (CIS) to critically examine how the policy and scholarly literature conceptualises migrants' interactions with and experiences of the Australian health system. Guided by PRISMA, we searched for literature without imposing any limits. We also searched key State and Federal Government websites for relevant policy documents. Our initially broad inclusion criteria became refined as the CIS progressed. We prioritised the likely relevance and theoretical contribution of the papers to our inquiry over methodological quality. The CIS of 104 papers revealed that the Australian scholarly literature and policy documents consistently homogenise and reduce migrants according to an assumed, (1) cultural identity, (2) linguistic affiliation, and/or (3) broad geographic origin. Based on these three critiques and drawing on the theoretical literature, we propose a synthesising argument on how the Australian literature could better conceptualise migrants' experiences of the Australian health system. We contend that both research and policy should explicitly recognise and engage with the multifaceted and shifting ways that migrants define themselves, generally, and during their encounters with destination country health systems. Engagement with this notion is necessary for also understanding how aspects of migrants' identities are dynamically co-constructed during their interactions with the health system. These understandings have implications for improving the design and implementation of policies and programs directed at improving the responsiveness of Australia's health system to the needs and expectations of migrant communities specifically, and destination countries broadly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Gweru District, Zimbabwe faces a major challenge of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Globally, health systems have not responded successfully to problems in prevention and management of NCDs. Despite numerous initiatives, reorienting health services has been slow in many countries. Gweru District has similar challenges. The purpose of this paper is to explore what the health systems in Zimbabwe have done, and are doing to respond to increasing numbers of NCD cases in adults in the nation, especially in the district of Gweru Design/methodology/approach – The study employed a descriptive narrative review of the academic and grey literature, supplemented by semi-structured key informant interviews with 14 health care staff and 30 adults living with a disease or caring for an adult with a disease in Gweru District. Findings – Respondents identified many limitations to the response in Gweru. Respondents said that screening and diagnosis cease to be helpful when it is difficult securing medications. Nearly all community respondents reported not understanding why they are not freed of the diseases, showing poor understanding of NCDs. The escalating costs and scarcity of medications have led people to lose trust in services. Government and NGO activities include diagnosis and screening, provision of health education and some medication. Health personnel mentioned gaps in transport, medication shortages, poor equipment and poor community engagement. Suggestions include: training of nurses for a greater role in screening and management of NCDs, greater resourcing, outreach activities/satellite clinics and better integration of diverse NCD policies. Originality/value – This research offers an understanding of NCD strategies and their limitations from the bottom-up, lived experience perspective of local health care workers and community members.

Abstract Background Health system responsiveness is defined as the outcome of designing health facility relationships so that they are familiar and responsive to patients’ universally legitimate expectations. Even though different strategies have been implemented to measure responsiveness, only limited evidence exists in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Ethiopia, information about health system responsiveness among outpatients is limited. Assessing responsiveness could help facilities in improving service delivery based on patient expectations. Objective The study aimed to assess health system responsiveness and associated factors among outpatients in primary health care facilities, Asagirt District, Ethiopia, 2021. Methods Facility-based cross-sectional quantitative study was implemented between March 30 and April 30/2021. A systematic random sampling technique was employed to select 423 participants, and interviewer-administered data were collected using structured and pretested questionnaires. Both bivariable and multivariable logistic regressions were employed to identify factors associated with health system responsiveness. Adjusted Odds Ratio with their corresponding 95% CI was used to declare factors associated with health system responsiveness. A p-value less than 0.05 was used to declare significant statistical variables. Results The overall health system responsiveness performance was 66.2% (95% CI: 61.4—70.7). Confidentiality and dignity were the highest responsive domains. Health system responsiveness was higher among satisfied patients (AOR: 9.9, 95% CI: 5.11–19.46), utilized private clinics (AOR: 8.8, 95% CI: 4.32–18.25), and no transport payment (AOR: 1.7, 95% CI: 1.03–2.92) in the study setting. Conclusion Overall, health system responsiveness performance was higher than a case-specific study in Ethiopia. To improve the health systems responsiveness and potentially fulfil patients’ legitimate expectations, we need to facilitate informed treatment choice, provide reasonable care within a reasonable time frame, and give patients the option of consulting a specialist. Aside from that, enhancing patient satisfaction, using input from service users, Collaboration, and exchanging experiences between public and private facilities will be important interventions to improve HSR performance.

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There is little data on the access of women with disabilities to gynaecological services in Central and Eastern Europe, where the shaping of public policies towards disability has been dominated by medical approaches and has not taken into account the complexity and intersectional character of the phenomenon. The aim of the article is to examine the challenges faced by women with disabilities in accessing and using gynaecological care services in Poland. A participatory, qualitative study was conducted, in which 23 women with disabilities participated. The data was collected using structured in-depth interviews. The results suggest that disability causes multilevel difficulties in the access of women to gynaecological care. The misguided organisation of the support system leads to disability-based disparity in health system responsiveness as it lacks the flexibility and responsiveness to meet the special needs of women with disabilities. The aim of the study is to examine the access to and use of gynaecological services by women with disabilities in Poland. The study shows that the health care system is not prepared to provide services to women with disabilities. Women with disabilities experience infrastructural, mobility, organisational, and communication barriers. There are also ethical issues relating to authority and power. The study shows that women with disabilities are often neither fully informed about, nor involved in, decision-making regarding their health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As a public health emergency, coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is a threat to our future; therefore, appropriate health system responsiveness (HSR), as an important criterion, is of crucial importance. This study aimed to evaluate the different dimensions of responsiveness of healthcare centers, both public and private, providing COVID-19 services in Tehran. Methods: Following a cross-sectional design, this study was conducted in Tehran (the capital city of I.R. Iran) from May to November 2020. Data were collected using the World Health Organization (WHO) questionnaire on responsiveness. Two hundred questionnaires were filled out through face-to-face or phone call interviews in two public and private hospitals (100 in each) providing Covid-19 services. Participants were selected using the convenience sampling technique among all those who received Covid-19 services during the past six months in the city of Tehran. Results: The mean age of participants was 45.9 ± 15.9 and 51.5% were female. On an average, 52.6% of the respondents evaluated at least one dimension of responsiveness as appropriate and/or strongly appropriate. Communication obtained the highest score (58.2%), followed by confidentiality (56.5%), dignity (56%), and prompt attention (52%). Meanwhile, autonomy and choice were evaluated as poor (moderate, weak, and strongly weak) by 63.5 and 52.5% of respondents. There was no significant association between the type of healthcare center (i.e., public or private) and responsiveness (p-value = 0.896). However, there was a significant difference between gender (p-value = 0.036) and education level (p-value = 0.014) with responsiveness. According to the respondents, prompt attention and choice were the most and least important dimensions, respectively. Conclusions: Evaluation of HSR in the era of COVID-19 not only provides a tool for qualitative assessment of services but also plays an important role in providing feedback to policymakers to adopt effective policies.

Background: Health system responsiveness is defined as the outcome of designing health facility relationships so that they are familiar and responsive to patients' universally legitimate expectations. Even though different strategies have been implemented to measure responsiveness, only limited evidence exists in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Ethiopia, information about health system responsiveness among outpatients is limited. Assessing responsiveness could help facilities in improving service delivery based on patient expectations.Objective: The study aimed to assess health system responsiveness and associated factors among outpatients in primary health care facilities, Asagirt District, Ethiopia, 2021.Methods: Facility-based cross-sectional quantitative study was implemented between March 30 and April 30/2021. A systematic random sampling technique was employed to select 423 participants, and interviewer-administered data were collected using structured and pretested questionnaires. Both bivariable and multivariable logistic regressions were employed to identify factors associated with health system responsiveness. Adjusted Odds Ratio with their corresponding 95% CI was used to declare factors associated with health system responsiveness. A p-value less than 0.05 was used to declare significant statistical variables.Results: The overall health system responsiveness performance was 66.2% (95% CI: 61.4-70.7). Confidentiality and dignity were the highest responsive domains. Health system responsiveness was higher among satisfied patients (AOR: 9.9, 95% CI: 5.11-19.46), utilized private clinics (AOR: 8.8, 95% CI: 4.32-18.25), and no transport payment (AOR: 1.7, 95% CI: 1.03-2.92) in the study setting.Conclusion: Overall, health system responsiveness performance was higher than a case-specific study in Ethiopia. To improve the health systems responsiveness and potentially fulfil patients' legitimate expectations, we need to facilitate informed treatment choice, provide reasonable care within a reasonable time frame, and give patients the option of consulting a specialist. Aside from that, enhancing patient satisfaction, using input from service users, Collaboration, and exchanging experiences between public and private facilities will be important interventions to improve HSR performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Health system performance is one of the important components of the health care delivery; its achievement depends on the quality of services rendered and the health system responsiveness of its beneficiaries. Health system responsiveness is a multi-dimensional concept and is usually measured through several domains. Health system responsiveness (HSR) remains to be a key indicator for evaluation of health system performance in any settings. This study aimed at assessing the situation of health system responsiveness in primary health facilities in Tanzania prior to introduction of the Direct Health Facility Financing (DHFF) program. Methods This was a cross sectional study conducted between January and February in 2018. We collected data from 42 primary health facilities (14 health centers and 28 dispensaries) where a questionnaire was administered to a total of 422 participants. The questionnaire collected information on attention, respect to dignity, clear communication, autonomy, access to care, respect to confidentiality and basic amenities. Descriptive analysis was done to determine the distribution of the variables whereas ANOVA and linear regression analysis was employed to discern the association between variables. Results More than 67% of participants had visited the same health facility more than 5 times. Sixty seven percent of the patients were residing within 5kms from the public primary health care facilities. The geographical access to health care scored the lowest (43.5% for Dispensaries and 36% for Health center) mean as compared to other domains of health system responsiveness. The highest score was in respect to confidentiality (86.7%) followed by respect to dignity (81.4%). Linear regression analysis revealed no statistical association between any of the social demographic features with the overall HSR performances. However, in post hoc analysis, Pwani and Shinyanga regions didn’t differ significantly in terms of their performances whereas those two regions differ from all other regions. Conclusion Based on the study findings health system responsiveness domains has performed relatively poor in many regions except for respect of dignity and confidentiality scored high of all the domains. Shinyanga and Pwani regions scored relatively well in all domains this could have been due to the effect of Results Based financing (RBF) in the respective regions. All in all the Government and other stakeholders in the health sector they should deliberately invest on the access to care domain as seem to be a challenge as compared to others.

Background: Syrian refugees have a high burden of mental health symptoms and face challenges in accessing mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS). This study assesses health system responsiveness (HSR) to the MHPSS needs of Syrian refugees, comparing countries in Europe and the Middle East to inform recommendations for strengthening MHPSS systems., Methods: A mixed-methods rapid appraisal methodology guided by an adapted WHO Health System Framework was used to assess HSR in eight countries (Egypt, Germany, Jordan, Lebanon, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, and Türkiye). Quantitative and qualitative analysis of primary and secondary data was used. Data collection and analysis were performed iteratively by multiple researchers. Country reports were used for comparative analysis and synthesis., Results: We found numerous constraints in HSR: i) Too few appropriate mental health providers and services; ii) Travel-related barriers impeding access to services, widening rural-urban inequalities in the distribution of mental health workers; iii) Cultural, language, and knowledge-related barriers to timely care likely caused by insufficient numbers of culturally sensitive providers, costs of professional interpreters, somatic presentations of distress by Syrian refugees, limited mental health awareness, and stigma associated to mental illness; iv) High out-of-pocket costs for psychological treatment and transportation to services reducing affordability, particularly in middle-income countries; v) Long waiting times for specialist mental health services; vi) Information gaps on the mental health needs of refugees and responsiveness of MHPSS systems in all countries. Six recommendations are provided to address these issues., Conclusions: All eight host countries struggle to provide responsive MHPSS to Syrian refugees. Strengthening the mental health workforce (in terms of quantity, quality, diversity, and distribution) is urgently needed to enable Syrian refugees to receive culturally appropriate and timely care and improve mental health outcomes. Increased financial investment in mental health and improved health information systems are crucial., Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed., (Copyright: © 2024 Woodward A et al.)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the Health Evolution Plan (HEP) on Health System Responsiveness (HSR) in hospitals of Hamadan, Iran. Data were collected before and after the implementation of the HEP by interviewing hospital inpatient referrals about factors relating to responsiveness. The difference between the mean responsiveness scores before (2014) and after (2018) implementation of the HEP was not significant. The study findings demonstrate that, even though one of the most important goals of the HEP was the improvement of HSR, the responsiveness of hospitals was unchanged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Long bone fractures are a significant contributor to the growing burden of trauma in Malawi. • Long bone fractures have substantial physical, social, economic, and functional consequences for individuals and communities in Malawi. • Establishing and national trauma registry is a vital step towards understanding the full burden on trauma in Malawi. • The health system in Malawi must be strengthened to ensure accessibility of quality services to manage fractures. Fractures pose serious health and socioeconomic consequences for individuals, their families, and societies more broadly. In many low-resource settings, case fatality and long-term sequelae after a fracture remain high due to individual- and system-level barriers affecting timely access to care. This scoping review explored the burden of fractures in Malawi using long bone fracture (LBF) as a case study by examining the epidemiology of these injuries, their consequences, and the accessibility of quality healthcare. Our aim is to not only describe the scale of the issue but to identify specific interventions that can help address the challenges faced in settings with limited resources and healthcare budgets. A scoping review methodology was adopted with a narrative synthesis of results. We searched five databases to identify relevant literature and applied the "Three Delays" model and the WHO's Building Blocks Framework to analyse findings on the accessibility of fracture care. Fractures most often occurred among young males, with falls being the leading cause, constituting between 5 and 35 % of the total burden of injuries. Fractures were typically managed without surgery despite consistent local evidence showing surgical treatment was superior to conservative management in terms of length of hospital stay and bone healing. Poor functional, economic, and social outcomes were noted in fracture patients, especially after conservative treatment. A lack of trust in the health system, financial barriers, poor transport, and road infrastructure, and interfacility transfers were identified as barriers to care-seeking. Factors challenging the provision of appropriate care included governance issues, poor health infrastructure, financial constraints, and shortage of supplies and human resources. To the best of our knowledge, this review represents the first comprehensive examination of the state of LBF and the health system's response in Malawi. The findings underscore the pressing need for a national trauma registry to accurately determine the actual burden of injuries and support a tailored approach to fracture care in Malawi. It is further evident that the health system in Malawi must be strengthen across all six building blocks to address obstacles to equitable access to high-quality fracture care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Globally, good health system performance has resulted from continuous reform, including adaptation of Decentralisation by Devolution policies, for example, the Direct Health Facility Financing (DHFF). Generally, the role of decentralisation in the health sector is to improve efficiency, to foster innovations and to improve quality, patient experience and accountability. However, such improvements have not been well realised in most low- and middle-income countries, with the main reason cited being the poor mechanism for disbursement of funds, which remain largely centralised. The introduction of the DHFF programme in Tanzania is expected to help improve the quality of health service delivery and increase service utilisation resulting in improved health system performance. This paper describes the protocol, which aims to evaluate the effects of DHFF on health system performance in Tanzania. Methods An evaluation of the effect of the DHFF programme will be carried out as part of a nationwide programme rollout. A before and after non-controlled concurrent mixed methods design study will be employed to examine the effect of the DHFF programme implementation on the structural quality of maternal health, health facility governing committee governance and accountability, and health system responsiveness as perceived by the patients’ experiences. Data will be collected from a nationally representative sample involving 42 health facilities, 422 patient consultations, 54 health workers, and 42 health facility governing committees in seven regions from the seven zones of the Tanzanian mainland. The study is grounded in a conceptual framework centered on the Theory of Change and the Implementation Fidelity Framework. The study will utilise a mixture of quantitative and qualitative data collection tools (questionnaires, focus group discussions, in-depth interviews and documentary review). The study will collect information related to knowledge, acceptability and practice of the programme, fidelity of implementation, structural qualities of maternal and child health services, accountability, governance, and patient perception of health system responsiveness. Discussion This evaluation study will generate evidence on both the process and impact of the DHFF programme implementation, and help to inform policy improvement. The study is expected to inform policy on the implementation of DHFF within decentralised health system government machinery, with particular regard to health system strengthening through quality healthcare delivery. Health system responsiveness assessment, accountability and governance of Health Facility Government Committee should bring autonomy to lower levels and improve patient experiences. A major strength of the proposed study is the use of a mixed methods approach to obtain a more in-depth understanding of factors that may influence the implementation of the DHFF programme. This evaluation has the potential to generate robust data for evidence-based policy decisions in a low-income setting.

Background: There is global emphasis on quality universal health coverage (UHC) that is responsive to the needs of vulnerable communities, such as migrants. Objective: Examine the perceptions of migrants on health system responsiveness (HSR) and their satisfaction with health workers in public health facilities of a South African Province. Method: We conducted a cross-sectional study in 13 public health facilities. Following informed consent, we used a semi-structured questionnaire to collect sociodemographic information, patient perceptions of HSR and their satisfaction with health workers. Two open-ended questions gave patients the opportunity to comment on the health facility visit. We applied descriptive and multivariate analyses to our data, and thematic analysis to the qualitative responses. Results: A total of 251 migrant patients participated in the study, giving a response rate of 80.7%. The majority of patients were female (81.1%), and the mean age was 31.4 years. 30.0% of patients reported that they waited too long; 94.3% that the consulting nurse or doctor listened to them; and 89.4% that they received information about their condition. However, 81.7% said they did not know the name of the consulting nurse or doctor. The mean scores on patients’ satisfaction with health workers ranged from 7.0 (95% CI 6.42–7.63) for clerks, 7.7 (95% CI 7.4–8.0) for security guards, 7.4 (95% CI 7.1–7.6) for nurses and 8.3 (95% CI 7.93–8.63) for doctors. The predictors of patient satisfaction with nurses were being given information about their condition; polite treatment, time spent in facility, whether they received prescribed medicines; and stating that they would refer the health facility to family/friends. Four overlapping themes emerged: health workers’ attitudes; time waited at the health facility, communication difficulties; and sub-optimal procedures in the health facility. Conclusion: UHC policies should incorporate migrant patients’ perceptions of HSR and the determinants of their satisfaction with health workers.

Responsiveness refers to the fulfilment of patient's rational expectations in terms of non-medical healthcare aspects. This study aimed to assess and compare the responsiveness levels of private and public hospitals in Tehran from the patients' perspective. In this cross-sectional study, 500 discharged patients from two public and three private hospitals were selected randomly. Data collected using A 32-item questionnaire developed by the World Health Organization, and its validity and reliability were confirmed. For data analysis, descriptive statistics, T-test and regression tests were used through SPSS 19. The responsiveness' mean score was 3.3 ± 0.6 and 3.8 ± 0.6 out of 5 for public and private hospitals, respectively. The difference between responsiveness score and its eight dimensions in public and private hospitals was significant (P < 0.001); the responsiveness score of private hospitals was higher. The highest and lowest difference in mean scores of responsiveness was pertinent to the provider choice and prompt attention. The responsiveness of private hospitals was better than that of public hospitals. Patient participation in treatment decision-making, improvement of the patients' right to provider choice and reducing waiting time by re-organising human resources, computerised appointment system and re-engineering patients' admission process can lead to higher responsiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jing Li,1 Virasakdi Chongsuvivatwong,2 Sawitri Assanangkornchai,2 Edward B McNeil,2 Le Cai1 1School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan Province, China; 2Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand Background: China is in an epidemiologic transition period. Health system responsiveness (HSR) has become an increasing concern in China. With the burden of increasing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection/acquired immune deficiency syndrome, responsiveness of HIV care is urgently needed. We aimed at comparing the experience of HSR between HIV-positive and non-HIV patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in Yunnan, China, from January to February 2015 among two consecutive groups of HIV and non-HIV patients in two hospitals with the largest HIV admissions. Patients’ experience and expectation of HSR were measured using a self-reported questionnaire containing items of seven domains and 35 vignettes (five per domain). Each of the items and vignettes was ranked from 1 “very good” to 5 “very bad.” For each domain, B-scales were built based on the difference between experience and the vignettes. Ordered probit and censored ordered probit regression models were constructed to compare HSR experience between the two groups adjusted for socioeconomic status (SES) factors. Results: The majority of HIV patients were at clinical stage 1, were infected via unprotected sexual contact, and had a CD4 count

Health system responsiveness is related to the way and the environment in which individuals are treated during their health system interaction. Generally, patients who are members of ethnic minority (EM) groups encounter more challenges in receiving healthcare services and bear a disproportionate burden of diseases compared with most counterparts. We aimed to compare the health system responsiveness perceived by South Asian (SA) EM people with that of local Chinese people in Hong Kong. The cross-sectional survey sample comprised 575 SA and 494 Chinese individuals. The health system responsiveness module of the World Health Survey 2002 was used for data collection. We used propensity score weighting method to balance the two groups. Simple and multiple regressions were used to compare the perceived outpatient and inpatient health system responsiveness between SA and Chinese participants, respectively, before and after adjustment for demographics. All estimates were accompanied by 95% confidence intervals, and two-sided tests were conducted with significance concluded by a P value < 0∙05. Compared with the Chinese participants, the SA participants reported generally lower health system responsiveness for outpatient and inpatient services. The top three mean score difference (SA-Chinese) for outpatient care included autonomy (−0.78, P < 0.001), communication (−0.67, P < 0.001), and choice (−0.53, P < 0.001), and the top three mean score difference for inpatient care included communication (−0.90, P < 0.001), autonomy (−0.82, P < 0.001), and choice (−0.61, P < 0.01). In addition, SA participants also experienced lower responsiveness in access to community support (−0.81, P < 0.001) during hospitalization but perceived higher quality of basic amenities (0.29, P < 0.001) and confidentiality (0.44, P < 0.01) in outpatient settings. SA participants in an urbanized Chinese-oriented society reported generally lower health system responsiveness compared with the local Chinese group; however, SA participants perceived higher confidentiality and quality of basic amenities in their outpatient experience. Concerted efforts from healthcare providers and policymakers are required to improve the existing healthcare system for users of members of EM groups. • Low health system responsiveness for South Asian (SA) patients compared to Chinese. • Difficulties with communication, patient autonomy and to choose healthcare provider. • Higher quality of basic amenities and confidentiality in outpatient settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Health system performance is one of the important components of the health care delivery; its achievement depends on the quality of services rendered and the health system responsiveness of its beneficiaries. Health system responsiveness is a multi-dimensional concept and is usually measured through several domains. Health system responsiveness (HSR) remains to be a key indicator for evaluation of health system performance in any settings. This study aimed at assessing the situation of health system responsiveness in primary health facilities in Tanzania prior to introduction of the Direct Health Facility Financing (DHFF) program.Methods: This was a cross sectional study conducted between January and February in 2018. We collected data from 42 primary health facilities (14 health centers and 28 dispensaries) where a questionnaire was administered to a total of 422 participants. The questionnaire collected information on attention, respect to dignity, clear communication, autonomy, access to care, respect to confidentiality and basic amenities. Descriptive analysis was done to determine the distribution of the variables whereas ANOVA and linear regression analysis was employed to discern the association between variables.Results: More than 67% of participants had visited the same health facility more than 5 times. Sixty seven percent of the patients were residing within 5kms from the public primary health care facilities. The geographical access to health care scored the lowest (43.5% for Dispensaries and 36% for Health center) mean as compared to other domains of health system responsiveness. The highest score was in respect to confidentiality (86.7%) followed by respect to dignity (81.4%). Linear regression analysis revealed no statistical association between any of the social demographic features with the overall HSR performances. However, in post hoc analysis, Pwani and Shinyanga regions didn't differ significantly in terms of their performances whereas those two regions differ from all other regions.Conclusion: Based on the study findings health system responsiveness domains has performed relatively poor in many regions except for respect of dignity and confidentiality scored high of all the domains. Shinyanga and Pwani regions scored relatively well in all domains this could have been due to the effect of Results Based financing (RBF) in the respective regions. All in all the Government and other stakeholders in the health sector they should deliberately invest on the access to care domain as seem to be a challenge as compared to others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is global emphasis on quality universal health coverage (UHC) that is responsive to the needs of vulnerable communities, such as migrants. Objective: Examine the perceptions of migrants on health system responsiveness (HSR) and their satisfaction with health workers in public health facilities of a South African Province. Method: We conducted a cross-sectional study in 13 public health facilities. Following informed consent, we used a semi-structured questionnaire to collect sociodemographic information, patient perceptions of HSR and their satisfaction with health workers. Two open-ended questions gave patients the opportunity to comment on the health facility visit. We applied descriptive and multivariate analyses to our data, and thematic analysis to the qualitative responses. Results: A total of 251 migrant patients participated in the study, giving a response rate of 80.7%. The majority of patients were female (81.1%), and the mean age was 31.4 years. 30.0% of patients reported that they waited too long; 94.3% that the consulting nurse or doctor listened to them; and 89.4% that they received information about their condition. However, 81.7% said they did not know the name of the consulting nurse or doctor. The mean scores on patients’ satisfaction with health workers ranged from 7.0 (95% CI 6.42–7.63) for clerks, 7.7 (95% CI 7.4–8.0) for security guards, 7.4 (95% CI 7.1–7.6) for nurses and 8.3 (95% CI 7.93–8.63) for doctors. The predictors of patient satisfaction with nurses were being given information about their condition; polite treatment, time spent in facility, whether they received prescribed medicines; and stating that they would refer the health facility to family/friends. Four overlapping themes emerged: health workers’ attitudes; time waited at the health facility, communication difficulties; and sub-optimal procedures in the health facility. Conclusion: UHC policies should incorporate migrant patients’ perceptions of HSR and the determinants of their satisfaction with health workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This commentary highlights the importance of health system responsiveness to older people living with complex health needs. Age-related changes and associated morbidity can present barriers to identifying an individual's health needs, expectations, values and preferences, and so sufficient time, skill and resource is required to inform the development of a tailored plan for each individual. A focus on responsiveness moves thinking beyond the responsibilities of the individual clinician in the single encounter, and allows us to identify elements of the wider system that may constrain how well the clinician is able to respond. Setting the goal of responsive health care requires us to assess the suitability of wider health system features and processes for meeting the diverse needs of individual people throughout their journey, and the extent to which the system can adapt dynamically as needs change. Standardised approaches to care prescribed across organisations (such as time-based targets or routinised approaches to inpatient nursing care) are likely to result in low responsiveness as individual complexity grows, disadvantaging patients with needs that do not fit the prescribed approach. Responsiveness is high when individual practitioners and clinical teams have the resources, decentralised authority, flexibility and autonomy to provide the care required. Building a more responsive health system requires a greater understanding of how these conditions can be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Health literacy has been linked to health outcomes across population groups around the world. Nepal, a low income country, experiences the double burden of highly prevalent communicable as well as non-communicable diseases. The World Health Organization (WHO) has positioned health literacy as a key mechanism to meet the health-related Sustainable Development Goal (SDG3). However, there is little known about the status of health literacy in developing countries such as Nepal. This paper aims to review the potential of health literacy to address SDG3 in Nepal. Methods A rapid review was conducted using the knowledge to action evidence summary approach. Articles included in the review were those reporting on barriers to health care engagements in Nepal published in English language between January 2000 and December 2015. Results Barriers for healthcare engagement included knowledge and education as strong factors, followed by culture, gender roles, quality of service and cost of services. These barriers influence the Nepalese community to access and engage with services, and make and enact healthcare decisions, not only at the individual level but at the family level. These factors are directly linked to health literacy. Health literacy is a pivotal determinant of understanding, accessing and using health information and health services, it is important that the health literacy needs of the people be addressed. Conclusion Locally identified and developed health literacy interventions may provide opportunities for systematic improvements in health to address impediments to healthcare in Nepal. Further research on health literacy and implementation of health literacy interventions may help reduce inequalities and increase the responsiveness of health systems which could potentially facilitate Nepal to meet the sustainable development goals. While there is currently little in place for health literacy to impact on the SDG3, this paper generates insights into health literacy’s potential role.

Health system responsiveness (HSR) has been identified as one of the intrinsic goals of health systems for improvement in health and well-being of population. The HSR deals with the non-medical, legitimate expectations of a population in its interaction with the health system. It becomes essential in case of vulnerable groups like older adults with disability, who are more sensitive and risk-prone to the adversities of healthcare challenges. This paper uses data from the Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health conducted in China, Ghana, India, Mexico, Russia and South Africa during 2007-10 and examines the disability-based disparity in outpatient HSR among the older adults in the above-mentioned countries. Disability and HSR scores have been constructed using Item Response Theory Partial Credit Model. Also, the paper uses bivariate and multivariate analysis and finds that the HSR is significantly and substantially lower among the disabled and severely disabled older adults in all the study countries (except Ghana) as compared with those older adults who are not (or mildly) suffering from any form of disability. The policy efforts in the studied countries should focus on monitoring and reducing these disparities for improving HSR in order to make it inclusive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To identify overall levels of health system responsiveness and the associations with social determinants for ambulatory health care in Germany from a user perspective.Methods: This analysis drew on a 2016 health survey sample of 6113 adults in Germany. Responsiveness was measured for general practitioners (GPs) and specialists (SPs) along the domains trust, dignity, confidentiality, autonomy and communication. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression techniques were applied.Results: Over 90% of all patients assessed their last GP and SP visit as good regarding trust, dignity, autonomy and communication, but only half for confidentiality in the doctor office (GP visits: 50.3%; SP visits: 52.4%). For GP visits, patients' young age of 18-34 years showed most associations with poor assessment of the domains, for SP visits a current health problem as the reason for the last consultation.Conclusion: While overall responsiveness levels for ambulatory care are high, ratings of confidentiality are distressing. Particularly patients' young age and bad health are associated with a poor assessment of responsiveness.Practice Implications: Measures to improve doctor office infrastructure and to enhance responsiveness towards patients under the age of 35 years and those with health problems are vital to increase responsiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The responsiveness of a health system is considered to be an intrinsic goal of health systems and an essential aspect in performance assessment. Numerous studies have analysed health system responsiveness and related concepts, especially across different countries and health systems. However, fewer studies have applied the concept for the evaluation of specific healthcare delivery structures and thoroughly analysed its determinants within one country. The aims of this study are to assess the level of perceived health system responsiveness to patients with chronic diseases in ambulatory care in Germany and to analyse the determinants of health system responsiveness as well as its distribution across different population groups. Methods and Analysis The target population consists of chronically ill people in Germany, with a focus on patients suffering from type 2 diabetes and/or from coronary heart disease (CHD). Data comes from two different sources: (i) cross-sectional survey data from a postal survey and (ii) claims data from a German sickness fund. Data from both sources will be linked at an individual-level. The postal survey has the purpose of measuring perceived health system responsiveness, health related quality of life, experiences with disease management programmes (DMPs) and (subjective) socioeconomic background. The claims data consists of information on (co)morbidities, service utilization, enrolment within a DMP and sociodemographic characteristics, including the type of residential area. Discussion RAC is one of the first projects linking survey data on health system responsiveness at individual level with claims data. With this unique database, it will be possible to comprehensively analyse determinants of health system responsiveness and its relation to other aspects of health system performance assessment. The results of the project will allow German health system decision-makers to assess the performance of nonclinical aspects of healthcare delivery and their determinants in two important areas of health policy: in ambulatory and chronic disease care.

Studies of health system responsiveness mostly focus on the demand side by investigating the association between sociodemographic characteristics of patients and their reported level of responsiveness. However, little is known about the influence of supply-side factors. This paper addresses that research gap by analysing the role of hospital-specialty characteristics in explaining variations in patients' evaluation of responsiveness from a sample of about 38,700 in-patients treated in public hospitals within the Italian Region of Emilia-Romagna. The analysis is carried out by adopting a 2-step procedure. First, we use patients' self-reported data to derive 5 measures of responsiveness at the hospital-specialty level. By estimating a generalised ordered probit model, we are able to correct for variations in individual reporting behaviour due to the health status of patients and their experience of being in pain. Second, we run cross-sectional regressions to investigate the association between patients' responsiveness and potential supply-side drivers, including waiting times, staff workload, the level of spending on non-clinical facilities, the level of spending on staff education and training, and the proportion of staff expenditure between nursing and administrative staff. Results suggest that responsiveness is to some extent influenced by the supply-side drivers considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health-system responsiveness (HSR) measures the experience of health-system users in terms of the non-clinical aspects of the health system. This has been operationalized as a measurable construct in multiple surveys and studies. According to the literature, reporting behaviour may vary systematically across socio-demographic characteristics. In this study we explore the association between education levels and reporting behaviour in terms of HSR in South Africa using data from the World Health Organization Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health for South Africa (WHO SAGE) conducted in 2007 and 2008. We consider the reporting behaviour of 1499 adults aged 50 and older in terms of the reported HSR for their most recent outpatient provider visit during the preceding 12 months. More specifically, we explore whether there are systematic biases in reporting behaviour by education levels and other socio-economic covariates through the use of data from anchoring vignettes. These are questions depicting hypothetical HSR scenarios which provide a fixed benchmark for comparing individuals' own HSR ratings and identifying potential reporting biases. Using a hierarchical-ordered probit model in regression analysis, we found large differences in HSR ratings between the lowest and highest education groups after adjusting for reporting bias using the anchoring vignettes. This finding holds across all seven HSR domains captured in the WHO SAGE dataset. In the most extreme case, individuals with no education are likely to underreport poor HSR by between 2.6 and 9.4% percentage points compared with individuals with secondary schooling or higher. Policy-makers need to take cognizance of potential reporting biases in HSR ratings and make the necessary adjustments to obtain data that are as true and accurate as possible. The need for this is especially acute in a country such as South Africa with large socio-economic inequalities and disparities in access to healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies investigating factors associated with healthcare utilization by older Ghanaians lack distinction between public and private health services. The present study examined factors associated with public and private healthcare service use, and the resulting perceived health system responsiveness. Objectives: To identify factors associated with public and private healthcare utilization among older adults aged 50 and older in Ghana; and to compare perceived differences in health system responsiveness between the private and public sectors. Methods: Cross-sectional data was analyzed from the World Health Organization Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) Wave 1 in Ghana. Using Andersen’s conceptual framework, public and private outpatient care utilization was examined using multinomial logistic regression to estimate and identify predictor variables associated with the type of outpatient healthcare facility accessed. Health system responsiveness was compared using chi-square tests. Results: Of 2517 respondents who used outpatient care in the 12 months preceding interview, 51.7% of respondents used a public facility, 17.8% a private facility, and 30.5% used other facilities. Older age group, higher education and higher wealth were associated with the use of private outpatient healthcare services. Using public outpatient care facilities was associated with having health insurance. Respondents with two or more chronic conditions were more likely to use public and private outpatient care than other facilities. Perceived health system responsiveness was better in private for-profit than in public and private not-for-profit healthcare facilities. Conclusions: This study suggested that higher wealth and multimorbidity were significant predictors of public and private outpatient healthcare utilization; however, health insurance was a predictor only for the use of public facilities. Future mixed-method studies could further elucidate factors influencing the choice of public and private outpatient healthcare use.

Health system responsiveness is an important aspect of health systems performance. The concept of responsiveness relates to the interpersonal and contextual aspects of health care. While disease management programs (DMPs) aim to improve the quality of health care (e.g. by improving the coordination of care), it has not been analyzed yet whether these programs improve the perceived health system responsiveness. Our study aims to close this gap by analyzing the differences in the perceived health system responsiveness between DMP-participants and non-participants. We used linked survey- and administrative claims data from 7037 patients with coronary heart disease in Germany. Of those, 5082 were enrolled and 1955 were not enrolled in the DMP. Responsiveness was assessed with an adapted version of the WHO responsiveness questionnaire in a postal survey in 2013. The survey covered 9 dimensions of responsiveness and included 17 items for each, GP and specialist care. Each item had five answer categories (very good – very bad). We handled missing values in the covariates by multiple imputation and applied propensity score matching (PSM) to control for differences between the two groups (DMP/non-DMP). We used Wilcoxon-signed-rank and McNemar test to analyze differences regarding the reported responsiveness. The PSM led to a matched and well balanced sample of 1921 pairs. Overall, DMP-participants rated the responsiveness of care more positive. The main difference was found for the coordination of care at the GP, with 62.0% of 1703 non-participants reporting a “good” or “very good” experience, compared to 69.1% of 1703 participants (p < 0.001). The results of our study indicate an overall high responsiveness for CHD-care, as well for DMP-participants as for non-participants. Yet, the results also clearly indicate that there is still a need to improve the coordination of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]