Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26971317›Full record

SynthesisHuman resources for health2016

Systematic review on human resources for health interventions to improve maternal health outcomes: evidence from low- and middle-income countries.

Zohra S Lassi, Nabiha B Musavi, Blerta Maliqi, Nadia Mansoor, Andres de Francisco, Kadidiatou Toure, Zulfiqar A Bhutta

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Human resources for health, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 69 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
69citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

69 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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  7. Global, regional, and national burden of maternal hemorrhage from 1990 to 2021, with projections to 2050: Insights from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics · 2026
    Article
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  14. Evidence-informed policy for monitoring SDG 3 in the Legal Amazon region: A rapid review.Revista panamericana de salud publica = Pan American journal of public health · 2025
    Review
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9 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Zohra S LassiDivision of Women and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Nabiha B MusaviDivision of Women and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Blerta MaliqiDepartment of Maternal Newborn Child and Adolescent Health, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
Nadia MansoorDivision of Women and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Andres de FranciscoPartnership for Maternal Newborn & Child Health, Geneva, Switzerland.
Kadidiatou TourePartnership for Maternal Newborn & Child Health, Geneva, Switzerland.
Zulfiqar A BhuttaCenter of Excellence in Women and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan. zulfiqar.bhutta@sickkids.ca.

Funding

World Health Organization 001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

There is a broad consensus and evidence that shows qualified, accessible, and responsive human resources for health (HRH) can make a major impact on the health of the populations. At the same time, there is widespread recognition that HRH crises particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) impede the achievement of better health outcomes/targets. In order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), equitable access to a skilled and motivated health worker within a performing health system is need to be ensured. This review contributes to the vast pool of literature towards the assessment of HRH for maternal health and is focused on interventions delivered by skilled birth attendants (SBAs). Studies were included if (a) any HRH interventions in management system, policy, finance, education, partnership, and leadership were implemented; (b) these were related to SBA; (c) reported outcomes related to maternal health; (d) the studies were conducted in LMICs; and (e) studies were in English. Studies were excluded if traditional birth attendants and/or community health workers were trained. The review identified 25 studies which revealed reasons for poor maternal health outcomes in LMICs despite the efforts and policies implemented throughout these years. This review suggested an urgent and immediate need for formative evidence-based research on effective HRH interventions for improved maternal health outcomes. Other initiatives such as education and empowerment of women, alleviating poverty, establishing gender equality, and provision of infrastructure, equipment, drugs, and supplies are all integral components that are required to achieve SDGs by reducing maternal mortality and improving maternal health.

Indexed as

Community Health WorkersDeveloping CountriesHealth Services AccessibilityMaternal HealthMaternal Health ServicesMidwiferyStaff DevelopmentFemaleHealth ResourcesHumansPregnancyWorkforceHuman resources for healthLow- and middle-income countriesMaternal mortalitySkilled birth attendant

Identifiers

PMID26971317
PMCPMC4789263

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.