Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38049824›Full record

SynthesisHealth research policy and systems2023

Tools, frameworks and resources to guide global action on strengthening rural health systems: a mapping review.

Dewi Retno Pamungkas, Belinda O'Sullivan, Matthew McGrail, Bruce Chater

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

Synthesis in Health research policy and systems, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–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

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
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  5. Article
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

4 authors.

Dewi Retno PamungkasMayne Academy of Rural and Remote Medicine, Rural and Remote Medicine Clinical Unit, Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Theodore, QLD, Australia. d.pamungkas@uq.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0825-7700
Belinda O'SullivanToowoomba Regional Clinical Unit, Rural Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD, Australia. belinda.osullivan@uq.edu.au.
Matthew McGrailRockhampton Regional Clinical Unit, Rural Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Rockhampton, QLD, Australia.
Bruce ChaterMayne Academy of Rural and Remote Medicine, Rural and Remote Medicine Clinical Unit, Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Theodore, QLD, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundInequities of health outcomes persist in rural populations globally. This is strongly associated with there being less health coverage in rural and underserviced areas. Increasing health care coverage in rural area requires rural health system strengthening, which subsequently necessitates having tools to guide action.

objectiveThis mapping review aimed to describe the range of tools, frameworks and resources (hereafter called tools) available globally for rural health system capacity building.

methodsThis study collected peer-reviewed materials published in 15-year period (2005-2020). A systematic mapping review process identified 149 articles for inclusion, related to 144 tools that had been developed, implemented, and/or evaluated (some tools reported over multiple articles) which were mapped against the World Health Organization's (WHO's) six health system building blocks (agreed as the elements that need to be addressed to strengthen health systems).

resultsThe majority of tools were from high- and middle-income countries (n = 85, 59% and n = 43, 29%, respectively), and only 17 tools (12%) from low-income countries. Most tools related to the health service building block (n = 57, 39%), or workforce (n = 33, 23%). There were a few tools related to information and leadership and governance (n = 8, 5% each). Very few tools related to infrastructure (n = 3, 2%) and financing (n = 4, 3%). This mapping review also provided broad quality appraisal, showing that the majority of the tools had been evaluated or validated, or both (n = 106, 74%).

conclusionThis mapping review provides evidence that there is a breadth of tools available for health system strengthening globally along with some gaps where no tools were identified for specific health system building blocks. Furthermore, most tools were developed and applied in HIC/MIC and it is important to consider factors that influence their utility in LMIC settings. It may be important to develop new tools related to infrastructure and financing. Tools that have been positively evaluated should be made available to all rural communities, to ensure comprehensive global action on rural health system strengthening.

Indexed as

Rural HealthRural PopulationDelivery of Health CareGlobal HealthGovernment ProgramsHumansFrameworksHealth servicesHealth systemHealth workforceResourcesRural communitiesRural healthTools

Identifiers

PMID38049824
PMCPMC10694960

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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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.