Promoting Evidence-Based Decision-Making in India: District Evaluation Study on Health (DESH)
Recruitment status was Active, not recruiting
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Purpose
The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of disseminating information on comparative performance, along with actionable messages on how to improve health outcomes, to district-level decision-makers in India using a randomized, controlled design. This information should improve prioritization of health services by district health officers, budget allocation for health, and implementation of priority health services at the district level.
| Condition | Intervention |
|---|---|
|
Infectious Disease Cardiovascular Disease |
Behavioral: District health information package |
| Study Type: | Interventional |
| Study Design: | Allocation: Randomized Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment Masking: Single Blind (Outcomes Assessor) Primary Purpose: Health Services Research |
| Official Title: | Improving Use of Evidence in Policy: District Evaluation Study on Health |
- Prioritization of district health programs by District Health Officers [ Time Frame: Two years ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
- Breakdown of district budgetary spending on health [ Time Frame: Two years ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
- Implementation and utilization of district health services [ Time Frame: Two years ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
| Enrollment: | 594 |
| Study Start Date: | July 2009 |
| Estimated Study Completion Date: | July 2011 |
| Estimated Primary Completion Date: | July 2011 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure) |
| Arms | Assigned Interventions |
|---|---|
| Experimental: District health information package |
Behavioral: District health information package
The intervention package consists of:
|
| No Intervention: No Intervention |
Detailed Description:
Use of evidence in policy is uneven, leading to frequent waste of resources. However, the best way to promote evidence uptake in policy formulation and implementation is unclear. Information on disease control priorities based on India's disease burden and health system capacity has been produced to help focus government efforts during a period of increased spending and decentralization.
This study tests the impact of sending information on comparative performance (using district report cards) and actionable messages (on how to reduce disease burden) to district-level decision-makers on uptake of disease control priority recommendations in India. Using a cluster-randomized design, districts will be randomized to receive either the mailed information package or no intervention. The sample includes all 594 Indian districts in existence in 2001. The intervention will target key district level decision-makers: parliamentarians (Members of Parliament, Members of Legislative Assembly), bureaucrats (District Collectors), technocrats (District Health Officers), and local government officials (Zilla Parishad CEOs).
Study outcome data will be collected using sequential surveys on prioritization and implementation of priority interventions by district health officers and review of administrative databases for budgetary and health service utilization measures. This study tests an inexpensive, pragmatic strategy on a large scale and will provide information on effective methods of knowledge translation to policy-makers.
Eligibility| Genders Eligible for Study: | Both |
Inclusion Criteria (Districts):
- All districts in India in existence in 2001
Exclusion Criteria (Districts):
- All districts in India created after 2001
Inclusion Criteria (District Officials):
- Members of Parliament (MPs) who sit in the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament) and represent constituencies that are contained within or overlap study districts
- Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) who represent constituencies that are contained within study districts
- District Collectors (DCs) who administrate study districts
- Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officers (ZPCEOs) who administrate study districts
- District Health Officers (DHOs) who work in study districts
Exclusion Criteria (District Officials):
- MPs who sit in the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament), Lok Sabha MPs who represent constituencies not contained within or overlapping study districts, Lok Sabha MPs who represent constituencies that overlap both experimental and control study districts
- MLAs who represent constituencies not contained within study districts
- DCs who administrate non-study districts
- ZPCEOs who administrate non-study districts
- DHOs who work in non-study districts
Contacts and Locations| Canada, Ontario | |
| Centre for Global Health Research, St. Michael's Hospital | |
| Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5C 1N8 | |
| India | |
| St. John's Research Institute | |
| Bangalore, Karnataka, India, 560034 | |
| Principal Investigator: | Onil Bhattacharyya, MD, PhD | St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto |
| Principal Investigator: | Prabhat Jha, MD, PhD | St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto |
| Principal Investigator: | Prem Mony, MD, MSc | St. John's Research Institute |
More Information
Additional Information:
No publications provided
| Responsible Party: | Dr. Onil Bhattacharyya, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto |
| ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT01003587 History of Changes |
| Other Study ID Numbers: | SMH 09-049 |
| Study First Received: | October 28, 2009 |
| Last Updated: | October 28, 2009 |
| Health Authority: | Canada: Ethics Review Committee India: Institutional Review Board |
Keywords provided by St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto:
|
India evidence-based policy knowledge translation disease control priorities decision-makers |
health spending health services delivery maternal and child health policy making delivery of health care |
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
|
Cardiovascular Diseases Communicable Diseases Infection |
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on June 18, 2013