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Operations research studies can
be classified under four headings:
Exploratory/diagnostic
studies: Problem not known
These studies seek to determine
the parameters of a problem situation before programming begins.
In an effort to respond as quickly as possibly to a devastating
epidemic, HIV/AIDS programs sometimes were hastily planned and
rapidly implemented without a clear understanding of the
underlying nature of the problem the program was designed to
address. Exploratory/diagnostic studies examine the basic
factors influencing a problem situation that need to be
addressed later through planned programs.
Exploratory/diagnostic studies
are retrospective or cross-sectional in design. This type of
study is most often undertaken before a program is implemented
whenever there is a perceived problem but the nature of the
problem and the correct program responses to it are not known. A
key aspect of these studies is the search for programmatically
manipulatable variables.
Field intervention studies:
Program approach not known
These studies test, on an
experimental basis, new approaches or solutions to overcoming a
program problem. They can be thought of as “proof of concept”
studies. In many situations, an earlier exploratory/diagnostic
study has identified the factors responsible for a problem, but
the most effective and efficient solution for alleviating the
problem is not known. Field intervention studies test new
HIV/AIDS service delivery approaches. These studies are always
prospective and longitudinal and usually employ either an
experimental or quasi-experimental research design.
Evaluative Studies: Impact not
known
Very often, HIV/AIDS activities
are implemented for years but never assessed. In such cases,
evaluative studies can be a valuable operations research
approach for examining retrospectively or cross-sectionally the
effect of program activities. Evaluation is an ongoing process
that should occur continually over the life of a program.
Cost-effectiveness Studies:
Cost and effectiveness not known
In many cases, the overall impact
of a program in terms of increasing knowledge about HIV,
changing unsafe sex practices, or reducing HIV transmission may
be known, but the cost and particularly the cost-effectiveness
of the program are unknown. For program managers who have to
make difficult decisions about allocating scarce resources,
cost-effectiveness studies can be a valuable management tool, and
cost-effectiveness analyses are frequently part of intervention
and evaluation studies. These four categories of OR studies are
not mutually exclusive. Frequently a single OR study will begin
with an exploratory/diagnostic phase to identify key variables
of importance. During the second phase, a field intervention
might be initiated to test different program solutions to
overcoming the problem. Subsequently, an evaluative phase might
be implemented to determine the impact of the intervention.
Finally, a cost-effectiveness analysis might be undertaken to
examine the cost required to obtain a particular unit of effect.
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