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Results for “Capacity Building”

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PubMed2001

Automatic buffer capacity model building for the purpose of water quality monitoring.

In this paper, buffer capacity profiles are used in the framework of automatic monitoring of water quality. The aim of the proposed methodology is to automatically and stepwise build buffer capacity models for each particular titrated sample, and to quantify the individual buffer systems that constitute the total buffer capacity. An automatic and robust model building algorithm has been developed and applied to many titration curves of effluent and river water samples. It is illustrated that the application of automatically built buffer capacity models mostly results in similar or better estimations of ammonium and ortho-phosphate in the samples compared to a priori fixed buffer capacity models. The automatic modelling approach is also advantageous for alarm generating purposes on e.g. river waters, because unexpected buffers are easily detected.

Automation↗

PubMed2003

Building community capacity around chronic disease services through a collaborative interorganizational network.

This article presents the findings of a study examining the evolution of a network of health and human service organizations operating in a rural community on the Southwest border. The aim of the network was to build the capacity of the community to provide chronic disease education, prevention, and treatment services by developing collaborative relationships among a broad range of organizations. The impetus for the effort was based on receipt of a Turning Point grant. The findings, based on two waves of data collected 1 year apart, demonstrate how network structure and attitudes toward collaboration evolve as a community attempts to build capacity to address its health needs.

Arizona↗

PubMed2002

Automatic buffer capacity model building for advanced interpretation of titration curves.

An automatic buffer capacity model building algorithm was developed. The objective of this algorithm is to characterize multiple buffer systems from experimental titration curves. Starting from a simple mathematical model that incorporates the available prior knowledge on the buffer system, the model is sequentially extended by incorporating additional monoprotic buffer equations. To select the most appropriate model from the resulting set of automatically built models, a model structure selection technique was constructed from existing methods.

Algorithms↗

PubMed2001

Building the capacity of grassroots conservation organizations to conduct participatory evaluation.

Stakeholder participation has become a key factor in the success of grassroots conservation and natural resource management programs. Yet the majority of program evaluations are conducted by external consultants for the purposes of accountability, rather than program improvement. Too often, systematic evaluations of conservation programs are not conducted at all. The objective of this study was to build the capacity of a grassroots conservation organization to conduct participatory evaluation, involving project stakeholders in the design, implementation, and use of evaluation. The study applied a conceptual model for participatory evaluation to the Wildlife Clubs of Kenya (WCK), the largest grassroots conservation program for youth in Africa, involving more than one million youth since 1968. Seven trainings in participatory evaluation were conducted with WCK staff, teachers, and community members. The 120 participants, representing nine WCK regions with 800 clubs, showed a significant increase in attitudes and knowledge regarding evaluation, as reflected by mean test scores before and after training. To institutionalize evaluation at WCK, existing organizational practices were assessed and used as a foundation for developing an evaluation system. Based on club competitions, a new evaluation initiative was launched called the WCK Incentive Program. Participants in all seven workshops identified indicators and sources of evidence for this evaluation system, which now serves as a basis for rewarding outstanding performance in WCK. This study revealed the importance of incentives for evaluation, the need to build on existing structures to promote organizational learning, and the necessity for the conservation community to commit resources to capacity building in participatory evaluation.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Issues in measuring health promotion capacity in Canada: a multi-province perspective.

Significant international progress has been made researching and addressing the economic and social burden of cardiovascular disease, advanced particularly by international conferences and subsequent declarations, and the Canadian Heart Health Initiative (CHHI). The implementation focus of the CHHI on building capacity for heart health promotion is paralleled by efforts to measure capacity. Through the collective experience of Heart Health Programs in Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, critical issues in measuring health promotion capacity are identified and strategies for addressing them are presented. The provincial contexts for the programs vary, as do the conceptualizations of capacity and intervention strategies to build capacity. Yet, despite such differences across provinces, shared issues influencing measuring capacity number many. These include: multiple understandings of terms; evolving understanding of capacity; invisibility of capacity building; detecting change within a dynamic system; staff turnover; time course required for change; attribution for change in capacity; understanding a process through 'snap-shot' measurements; lack of existing 'gold standard' measurement tools; validity and credibility of instruments; evolving nature of measurement tools; gathering perspectives from multiple levels within organizations; dealing with conflicting perspectives; and managing and disseminating sensitive data. A number of strategies have been devised or adopted to address measurement issues, ranging from adopting participatory processes to the development of monitoring systems. Understanding and addressing issues in measuring capacity deserve attention as they may be potent influences in the dynamic interplay between research and intervention in the process of capacity building in the context of health promotion generally, and/or heart health specifically.

Canada↗

PubMed2006

Rehabilitation medicine summit: building research capacity. Executive summary.

The general objective of the "Rehabilitation Medicine Summit: Building Research Capacity" was to advance and promote research in medical rehabilitation by making recommendations to expand research capacity. The 5 elements of research capacity that guided the discussions were researchers; research culture, environment, and infrastructure; funding; partnerships; and metrics. Participants included representatives of professional organizations, consumer groups, academic departments, researchers, governmental funding agencies, and the private sector. Small group discussions and plenary sessions generated an array of problems, possible solutions, and recommended actions. A post-Summit, multiorganizational initiative is called for to pursue the agendas outlined in this report.

Forecasting↗

PubMed2006

Rehabilitation medicine summit: building research capacity (executive summary).

The general objective of the "Rehabilitation Medicine Summit: Building Research Capacity" was to advance and promote research in medical rehabilitation by making recommendations to expand research capacity. The 5 elements of research capacity that guided the discussions were (a) researchers; (b) research culture, environment, and infrastructure; (c) funding; (d) partnerships; and (e) metrics. The 100 participants included representatives of professional organizations, consumer groups, academic departments, researchers, governmental funding agencies, and the private sector. The small group discussions and plenary sessions generated an array of problems, possible solutions, and recommended actions. A postsummit, multiorganizational initiative is called for to pursue the agendas outlined in this report.

Health Promotion↗

PubMed2006

Rehabilitation medicine summit: building research capacity executive summary.

The general objective of the "Rehabilitation Medicine Summit: Building Research Capacity" was to advance and promote research in medical rehabilitation by making recommendations to expand research capacity. The five elements of research capacity that guided the discussions were: 1) researchers; 2) research culture, environment, and infrastructure; 3) funding; 4) partnerships; and 5) metrics. The 100 participants included representatives of professional organizations, consumer groups, academic departments, researchers, governmental funding agencies, and the private sector. The small group discussions and plenary sessions generated an array of problems, possible solutions, and recommended actions. A post-Summit, multi-organizational initiative is called to pursue the agendas outlined in this report (see Additional File 1).

Journal Article↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Rehabilitation Medicine Summit: Building Research Capacity: executive summary.

The general objective of the "Rehabilitation Medicine Summit: Building Research Capacity" was to advance and promote research in medical rehabilitation by making recommendations to expand research capacity. The five elements of research capacity that guided the discussions were: (1) researchers; (2) research culture, environment, and infrastructure; (3) funding; (4) partnerships; and (5) metrics. The 100 participants included representatives of professional organizations, consumer groups, academic departments, researchers, governmental funding agencies, and the private sector. The small group discussions and plenary sessions generated an array of problems, possible solutions, and recommended actions. A post-Summit, multi-organizational initiative is called to pursue the agendas outlined in this report.

Allied Health Occupations↗

PubMed2006

Rehabilitation Medicine Summit: Building Research Capacity--executive summary.

The general objective of the Rehabilitation Medicine Summit: Building Research Capacity was to advance and promote research in medical rehabilitation by making recommendations to expand research capacity. The 5 elements of research capacity that guided the discussions were: (1) researchers, (2) research environment, infrastructure, and culture, (3) funding, (4) partnerships, and (5) metrics. The [approximately] 100 participants included representatives of professional organizations, consumer groups, academic departments, researchers, governmental funding agencies, and the private sector. The small-group discussions and plenary sessions generated an array of problems, possible solutions, and recommended actions. A post-Summit, multi-organizational initiative is called to pursue the agendas outlined in this report.

Health Services Research↗

PubMed2006

Creating the environment for a successful community partnership.

This paper describes the development of the American Indian Oncology Program (AIOP) and presents the accomplishments of a participatory research approach that involved an integrated network for cancer care and research. AIOP used a participatory process to develop infrastructure, identify research questions, develop methodologies, write supplemental grants, and evaluate accomplishments based on community defined measures of success. Partnerships between University and Indian Health Service, private, and state institutions led to improved collaboration. Health services delivery improved by increasing provider involvement at multiple institutions via a Tumor Board. Community awareness improved through workshops addressing community-specific cancer concerns. Collectively, these resulted in an environment receptive to the development of research activities. The AIOP team, through a participatory process, developed infrastructure at each institution that facilitated interaction, community-based education, and improved patient care; identified new partners; raised community-level knowledge and awareness about cancer; encouraged a research-friendly environment and building research capacity; and increased the cultural competency of researchers wishing to work in American Indian communities and created a cadre of future American Indian cancer researchers. As evidenced by successful pilot project development and formation of ongoing research and funding applications, the authors created a research-receptive environment and promoted potentially sustainable research capacity in the community. Much of their success is the result of utilizing a participatory model for capacity building that included not only communities but institutions. Cancer 2006. Published 2006 by the American Cancer Society.

Arizona↗

PubMed2002

Evaluating community capacity.

The aim of the present study was to examine the convergence of two approaches used to assess community capacity in health promotion interventions. One was used to examine women and men in rural communities in Fiji, and the other to study women only in rural communities in Nepal. Both approaches used a set of 'capacity domains', a ranking scale and a means of visually representing the findings. The experiences of using each approach, and the strengths and weaknesses of using rating scales and the 'capacity domains' to assess community capacity are discussed. The use of visual representations of community change, in particular the 'spider web' approach, are also discussed. The capacity building 'domains' presented in this study are robust and capture the essential qualities of a 'capable community'. 'Parallel tracking' of the domains allows programmes themselves to be viewed as a means to the end of building community capacity. These approaches provide a useful new dimension to programme evaluation.

Community Health Planning↗

PubMed2002

Whither the drug specialist? The work-force development needs of drug specialist staff and agencies.

Drug specialist staff and agencies have been identified as having a critical role in responding to alcohol and other drug-related harm. This role must be seen in the context of the broad needs of people affected by drug use and the services that they utilize. Unfortunately, as in generic mainstream services, skill development, expertise, organizational structures and resources do not always support the demands of the drug specialist role. In order to develop the drug specialist work-force we must first review the evidence about the factors that influence effective practice. The available research indicates that a range of strategies is required and that these should not only focus on building the capacity of individuals, but also on organizations and systems. Substantial effort in capacity building is required in order to fulfil the expectations created by the title "drug specialist".

Australia↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Ethics and the AIDS pandemic in the developing world.

Traditional ethics provide insight, but often fall short of guiding the complex biomedical ethical concerns of research conducted in developing countries. The need to create research within a framework that is appropriate to the social, medical, and political context of developing countries is examined through the current AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa. A specific case study focuses on this issue. Over 70 percent of the 40 million people with HIV/AIDS live in sub-Saharan Africa. With at least one in five African adults infected with the disease, sub-Saharan Africa is now acknowledged as the epicenter of HIV/AIDS. The scale and scope of the disease in the environment of a developing economy presents unique issues that challenge the role and practices of traditional ethics in healthcare research programs. Medical research within developing countries, particularly for HIV/AIDS, requires a distinctive approach. For these populations, investigators must incorporate new thinking into traditional biomedical research ethics which will address the role of innovation; access to treatment; the impact of fear, stigma, and denial; concerns around autonomy for vulnerable populations; capacity building; and sustainable care to communities. Since May 1999, Secure the Future, a philanthropic program that focuses on care and support for women and children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, has attempted to fulfill these ethical concepts in its processes. The program is a public and private sector partnership between governments, communities, practitioners, academia, and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company to respond to AIDS in five countries in sub-Saharan African countries: Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, and Swaziland. To ensure symmetry between ethical principles and local context, collaborative projects undergo a comprehensive review process. This includes review and approval by a national secretariat to ensure projects support objectives of national policies and local communities; approval by an ethics committee comprised of participating institutions; blinded peer review; and an examination by an external advisory board comprised of local and international medical experts, persons living with AIDS (PLWA), religious communities, governments, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). An independent monitor also oversees the approved programs. Cost-effective and practical interventions against HIV/AIDS must encompass ethical approaches appropriate to the contexts of the respective developing countries. Lessons learned to date are to focus on innovation; establish unassailable ethical standards that are sensitive to local contexts; ensure transparent communications among partners and the broader community; and build sustainable capacity.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMed2006

Community-based participatory research increases cervical cancer screening among Vietnamese-Americans.

Using community-based participatory research methods, a community-research coalition in Santa Clara County, California (SCC) conducted a quasi-experimental, controlled trial to increase Pap test receipt and to build community capacity among Vietnamese-American women. From 1999 to 2004, the Coalition planned and implemented an Action Plan with six components: multimedia campaign, lay health worker outreach, Vietnamese Pap clinic with patient navigation, registry and reminder system, continuing medical education for Vietnamese physicians, and restoring a Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program site. Components were evaluated individually. Community-wide, cross-sectional telephone surveys of Vietnamese women in SCC (intervention community) and Harris County, Texas (comparison community) measured overall project impact. Receipt and currency of Pap tests increased significantly in the intervention compared with the comparison community. Community involvement, system changes, community and research capacity building, dissemination of results, and program sustainability were also demonstrated. Community-based participatory research is feasible and effective in Vietnamese-American communities.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

The role of the World Heart Federation in cardiovascular health promotion and disease prevention in developing countries with a special emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa.

The World Heart Federation (WHF) is a non-governmental organization dedicated to the prevention and control of cardiovascular diseases. The Federation is committed to helping the global population achieve a longer life, of improved quality, through prevention and control of heart disease and stroke, with a particular focus on low- and middle-income countries. The WHF comprises 167 member societies of cardiology and heart foundations from 100 countries and continental members. The WHF supports science, educates and trains, and plays an advocacy role. Africa is of particular concern to the WHF, as it is estimated that, in 1990, the death rate from non-communicable diseases was approximately one third that from communicable diseases, and that by 2020, the death rates will be roughly equal. The WHF is assisting with capacity building through the newly established African Heart Network (AHN), and the Pan-African Society of Cardiology (PASCAR). Through a formal memorandum of understanding, these organizations will work together in the areas of tobacco control and hypertension and will focus on building sustained capacity for health promotion, policy change, and effective clinical interventions.

Africa South of the Sahara↗

PubMed2002

Engaging community members in health policy processes: a Mississippi example.

Legislation, such as the federal Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (1996), the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, and the authorization of federally-funded health insurance coverage for children (State Children's Health Insurance or SCHIP) continues the shift of assigning increased power and responsibility for health and human services "safety net" programs from the federal level to the state level. Known as "devolution," this complex shifting of responsibility and accountability continues to evolve with increasing transference of authority, control, and administration of social programs to local governments. Such changes require an informed citizenry and, hence, demand grassroots capacity building activities around public policy issues. This article describes a project designed to build the capacity of community-based organizations in several cities in Mississippi to become involved in health care policy activities. The primary purpose of this project was to inform and organize community members around improving health policies for low-income children and families.

Child↗

PubMed2005

Making it better: building evaluation capacity in community mental health.

This paper describes a province-wide initiative aimed at building the capacity of community mental health programs to participate in program evaluation and development by transferring knowledge, promoting discussion and developing resources. Active involvement of stakeholders and evaluation of the current capacity of the field informed the ongoing development of the initiative. Recovery served as a guiding framework for formulating and understanding community mental health outcomes. Despite the interest of the field in evaluation activities, programs were constrained by limited resources and accountability structures. Sustainability of the project would be enhanced by direct work with programs to facilitate application of Continuous Improvement.

Canada↗