Useful Resources

The TB Process-Based Performance Review (TB-PBPR) tool was developed to identify ‘missed opportunities’ for timely and accurate diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB). The tool enables performance assessment at the level of process and quality of care. It is a single-page structured flow-sheet that identifies 14 clinical actions (grouped into elicited symptoms, clinical examination and investigations). In this study, the tool is evaluated. Medical records from selected deceased patients were reviewed at two South African mine hospitals (A = 56 cases; B = 26 cases), a South African teaching hospital (C = 20 cases) and a UK teaching hospital (D = 13 cases). The researchers found that, in hospital A, where autopsy was routine, TB was missed in life in 52% of cases and was wrongly attributed as the cause of death in 16%. Clinical omissions were identified at each hospital and at every stage of clinical management. For example, recording of chest symptoms was omitted in up to 39% of cases, sputum smear examination in up to 85% and chest radiograph in up to 38% of cases respectively. In conclusion, the authors found that simple clinical actions were omitted in many cases and the tool was effective in detecting these errors. The tool, in conjunction with a manual describing best practice, is adaptable to a range of settings, is educational and enables detailed feedback within a TB programme.

This handbook, produced by the International HIV/AIDS Alliance and downloadable in three parts, aims to provide practical, experience-based advice and examples for people and organisations working to improve access to HIV/AIDS treatment. The book explores care and treatment, providing an introduction to links between treatment and prevention and barriers to access to treatment. It discusses both the practical and ethical factors involved with treatment work, including a factsheet on antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, choosing, sourcing and supplying them.

This document brings together promising practices identified by the USAID-Private Voluntary Organisation community. This includes many ideas and experiences of different organisations that seem likely to combat HIV/AIDS successfully. Several of these practices are new and as such, do not yet have hard evidence to show that they work. However, rather than wait for documented success, they are published here to share all the practices available to spur ideas and action. This compendium is aimed at any person or program interested in mitigating the spread of HIV/AIDS, though the emphasis is on those in Africa seeking new ways to act.

This manual provides an accessible, practical reference to encourage and strengthen the practice of health inequality monitoring. It aims to foster regular reporting of inequalities across diverse health topics, and promote greater integration of health inequality considerations in policies, programmes and practices. It is organised according to a flow chart, showing the steps and sub-steps of the health inequality monitoring cycle, with key questions and itemised checklists of data requirements, analysis/reporting activities and/or decision points. The steps include firstly, determining the scope of monitoring, obtaining data, then analysing and reporting results before implementing changes. Relevant examples and resources, including sample table templates and recommended readings, are provided for further exploration. While the manual focuses on health at the national level, the step-by-step approach may be applied to monitor inequalities within any defined population, ranging from a community context to a multi-country context.