ABSTRACT
Barriers to successful implementation of the human papillomavirus vaccination exist. However, there is limited evidence on implementation strategies in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Therefore, this scoping review aimed to identify implementation strategies used in SSA to increase HPV vaccination uptake for adolescent girls. This scoping review was guided by Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines for scoping reviews and an a priori protocol and reported based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Metanalysis for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). We searched PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Scopus, Google Scholar, and gray literature. Two independent reviewers screened article titles and abstracts for possible inclusion, reviewed the full text, and extracted data from eligible articles using a structured data charting table. We identified strategies as specified in the Expert Recommendation for Implementing Change (ERIC) and reported their importance and feasibility. We retrieved 246 articles, included 28 of these, and identified 63 of the 73 ERIC implementation strategies with 667 individual uses, most of which were highly important and feasible. The most frequently used discrete strategies included the following: Build a coalition and change service sites 86% (24/28), distribute educational materials and conduct educational meetings 82% (23/28), develop educational materials, use mass media, involve patients/relatives and families, promote network weaving and stage implementation scale up 79% (22/28), as well as access new funding, promote adaptability, and tailor strategies 75% (21/28). This scoping review shows that implementation strategies of high feasibility and importance were frequently used, suggesting that some strategies may be cross-cutting, but should be contextualized when planned for use in any region.
ABSTRACT
The rapid growth of Internet and increasing interest in its usage has led to an acceleration of digitisation of printed documents and making available born digital documents online. Zambia's research output is primarily in print and not much is disseminated globally. It is against this background that innovations for digital libraries have been started in several African countries, including Zambia. The overall objective of the African Digital Health Library Zambia was to increase the health content that is held in the University of Zambia Institutional Repository by digitising publications produced by various institutions in Zambia, with a vision of capturing over 6,000 current and historical materials. Equipment was acquired and sensitisation meetings were held with various stake holders to ensure successful project initiation and sustainability. Scanning and uploading of documents was done after a technical expert had trained both Library and Information Technology staff on Dspace software. Marketing the digital library within the institutions and nationally was also conducted. In June 2018 there were 266,838 downloads of materials. Challenges of collecting required materials from relevant stake holders and convincing them to make available their content were encountered in the process. Enhanced collaboration and sensitisation of stakeholders were essential in ensuring the successful implementation of the project.
Subject(s)
Medical Informatics , Libraries, Digital , Libraries, Medical , Africa , Health LiteracyABSTRACT
The knowledge broker role is an opportunity for librarians to support health care workers' by inserting knowledge into the nurse's frontline clinical practice. Conception of an African network of knowledge brokers arose out of a knowledge broker project for health care workers initiated at Chitambo District hospital of Chitambo district in Central Zambia by the Friends of Chitambo. The pilot knowledge broker learning course was designed through a collaborative network between organisations in Scotland, the United Kingdom, South Africa and Zambia. The course was set in modules corresponding to elements of the Promoting Action on Research Implementation Framework Evidence, Context and Facilitation. Formation of the African knowledge broker network was instigated through the course designed for health librarians from Zambia and Zimbabwe. The course has been refined and was to be delivered to six health librarians from Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia in March 2020; which was postponed due to COVID-19. An envisaged online version could not take place as most participants indicated lack of access to the internet due to the fact that their workplaces went on recess owing to COVID-19.The pilot knowledge broker learning course for Africa marks the beginning of the practice of knowledge brokering by African health librarians.
Subject(s)
Information Systems , Librarians , Delivery of Health Care , Libraries, Medical , Evidence-Based MedicineABSTRACT
Health librarians in the role of a knowledge broker can encourage health care workers to use evidence based health information. The knowledge broker role is an intervention dedicated to translating knowledge into action originating from the evidence-based medicine campaign. The Chitambo Emergency Care Communications Project through its knowledge component work strand has visualisations of converting knowledge into action to improve emergency care response by health workers, through the implementation of the knowledge broker role for health care workers in Chitambo district, Central Zambia. Implementation of the knowledge broker activity for Chitambo adopted a framework purposefully designed to build capacity for health librarians by the National Health Service Education for Scotland. The knowledge to action model can be useful in providing the relevant information to improve patient outcomes for healthcare workers. These knowledge gaps can be alleviated by knowledge brokering as it straddles through any knowledge gaps between the health workers' knowledge and their service delivery practice.
