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MEDIA CENTER New Book by Population Council Researchers NEW YORK (21 August 2002) — As the HIV/AIDS epidemic accelerates, it becomes increasingly important to develop effective programs to prevent, treat, and mitigate its effects. Designing HIV/AIDS Intervention Studies: An Operations Research Handbook is a guide to creating an operations research proposal that could yield improved HIV/AIDS programs. The goal of operations research (OR) is to increase the efficiency, effectiveness, and quality of services delivered by providers, and the availability, accessibility, and acceptability of services desired by users. The handbook is co-authored by the Population Council’s Andrew A. Fisher, Sc.D., and James R. Foreit, Dr.P.H. Written for program administrators and researchers, the handbook draws on real-life lessons derived from projects located throughout the developing world. The text shows readers how to use systematic research techniques to identify service delivery problems and to test solutions to overcome those challenges. Readers can use findings from operations research studies to improve or expand existing programs as well as to develop new approaches. Fisher and Foreit are experts in the field of operations research, with a combined 56 years of experience in the public health field. Each has an extensive academic background as well as a wealth of practical experience using research to surmount reproductive health service delivery problems. Fisher, who spent much of his career living and working in Asia and Africa doing field-based operations research, is the director of the Horizons Program, which is aimed at preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS and mitigating its impact on individuals and communities. Foreit, with his complementary knowledge of OR in Latin America and Eastern Europe, has over 20 years of experience in OR. He currently works on the Frontiers in Reproductive Health Program (FRONTIERS). FRONTIERS conducts research aimed at improving the delivery of family planning and reproductive health services in developing countries. Information about Horizons is available on the Web at: http://www.popcouncil.org/horizons. Information about FRONTIERS is available on the Web at: http://www.popcouncil.org/frontiers. The handbook was made possible with support provided by the United States Agency for International Development. To order Designing HIV/AIDS Intervention Studies: An Operations Research Handbook, e-mail horizons@popcouncil.org, or call +1 202 237 9400. The handbook can be downloaded at: http://www.popcouncil.org/horizons/orhivaidshndbk.html.
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