Population Council Research that makes a difference

Over the past decade, unprecedented progress has been made in the expansion of HIV and AIDS treatment, care, and support, and prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) programs in developing countries. Yet substantial gaps remain: Many patients are not receiving the recommended standard of care, and program resources are increasingly constrained.

Targeted operations research (OR) and program evaluation can play a significant role in ensuring efficient and effective service delivery, helping expand programs to reach more clients and on a broader geographic scope, enhancing the quality of care provided, and improving health status and health systems in developing countries.

With funding from the US Agency for International Development, the Population Council and partners from the Futures Group, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, and the University of Washington have launched HIVCore.

This project will improve the efficiency, effectiveness, scale, and quality of HIV treatment, care, and support, and PMTCT programs by:

1. Conducting OR and other evaluations to gather information on effective service-delivery approaches at the global, country, and program levels;
2. Promoting use of research and program evaluation results and other strategic information to enhance decisionmaking; and
3. Building local capacity to identify research questions, conduct operations research and focused evaluations, and use research findings to improve service delivery.
   
   

Key activities will include:

• Secondary analysis of data: Analysis of existing site and client data from treatment, PMTCT, and pediatric HIV services in PEPFAR countries will offer insights into the operational and client behaviors that have contributed to programs' successes and gaps in the uptake and effectiveness of services.
• Research with primary data collection: HIVCore will conduct original research in selected PEPFAR countries that address the quality, accessibility, and effectiveness of PMTCT, treatment, care, and support programs. Studies will engage local researchers and program managers from inception through dissemination to build capacity and encourage utilization of results.
• Dissemination and utilization: HIVCore will disseminate findings through policy briefs, toolkits, newsletters, presentations, and peer-reviewed publications; encourage the use of research results and practical tools developed by the project; and influence PMTCT, treatment, care, and support activities at the global, country, and program levels.
  
  

Project impact

Project activities will result in demonstrated commitment from national governments to adapt proven program models by including them in national HIV strategic planning and budgeting; increased resources and advocacy for and implementation of programming approaches demonstrated to be effective and efficient; and an increased number of decisionmakers and program managers who understand and call for OR, and researchers who are able to conduct program-relevant research, work closely with decisionmakers, and promote the use of results.

Project website: HIVCore