archives@tulane.edu / Public health finance is still a relatively young field and, as such, many questions have yet to be asked—and answered. To date, few have examine how specific revenue streams—alone or in combination—shape local health departments’ (LHD) resources and capacity to accomplish their public health missions. Given ongoing policy conversations about financing for public health, it’s important for researchers to rigorously examine the and the potential costs and benefits associated with different revenue sources. Introduction Chapter: The central thesis for the body of work encapsulated by this dissertation is simple: where money comes from matters. This chapter critically examines published evidence and theory linking public health financing mechanisms and their interactions to LHD operations, outputs, and even outcomes. The chapter also introduces situates the specific research questions addressed in this dissertation within a broader conceptual framework. Paper 1: The first paper examines the relationship between revenue diversification and revenue volatility among Washington State LHDs. Using fixed effects linear regression models and revenue data reported during 1998-2014 by all LHDs operating in Washington State, the paper finds little evidence to suggest revenue diversification is significantly associated with revenue volatility. Paper 2: The second paper evaluates whether available revenue sources differentially effected the scope of programs provided by Washington State LHDs between 2000 and 2011. Using two measures of program scope and both linear and non-linear fixed effects panel regression models, the paper finds that only funding received from federal Medicaid was consistently and significantly associated with both measures of program scope. Paper 3: The third paper examines changes in total LHD expenditures in Washington State between 2006 and 2013 following introduction of a new state funding program to support core public health services and infrastructure. Using a pre-post design regression model to evaluate changes in LHD expenditures, the paper finds overall spending among LHDs significantly increased with receipt of the new state funds in the first years of the program. However, those increases were not sustained over the longer term Conclusion Chapter: The final chapter reviews findings from the three papers and discusses their implications for public health policy, practice, finance, and research. / 1 / Abigail Hope Viall

Background: Enhancing the performance of front-line health workers serving vulnerable populations is crucial for redressing inequities. Traditional approaches have focused on introducing technical solutions, such as guidelines and incentives, to modify performance outcomes. Recognition of the complex social nature of health system function draws attention to the intangible software elements that shape performance, including the values, ideas, interests, and norms that guide human behavior and interactions. Insight into the operation of software elements can provide a base for people-focused solutions to support health workers and enable them to confront constraints in low resource settings. This study examines the social environment of the practice of front-line auxiliary nurses (AN) in rural Guatemala, in order to understand the role of health system software elements in enabling their performance and to gain insight into how organizational support can be strengthened through locally-relevant actions. Methods: A mixed methods approach provided a multi-level view of the AN practice environment, situated in the regional health system of the rural department of Alta Verapaz. Interviews with ANs and observations of practice were conducted to understand the values orienting them and how these shaped their relationships with patients and communities. A theory-driven case study of AN supervision was conducted in selected health posts to understand the values orienting supervisors in their role and examine how these shaped their relationships with ANs. The participatory method of concept mapping was used to examine the views of health workers, district and regional managers on actions to strengthen organizational support for the performance of ANs. Results: The values of nursing vocation and community connectedness were prominent in ANs’ interpretations of their work. In relationships, nursing principles oriented them to be attentive to understanding patient needs, and a shared ethnic identity and personal experience of local needs served as a base for engaging with local leaders in community work. The dominant orientation of supervisors in their role was managerial control, and it provided limited support. It contributed to standard-centered relationships with ANs focused on fulfillment of ministry criteria. Supervision oriented by a holistic understanding of ANs’ needs and the goal of improving patient care was more successful in enabling AN motivation. This relationship was characterized as people-centered, based in a shared interpretation of the value of work with patients and the responsive support provided to ANs’ problems. “Organizational climate of support across levels”, where working relationships are characterized by respectful treatment, attention to psycho-social well-being and responsiveness to needs, was identified by health-system actors as a top priority for improving performance. Conclusions: To enable performance, there needs to be a balance between attention to standards and attention to the human dimensions of health worker practice. The dominant approach to supervision did not recognize or build on AN values. Supervision and management should be oriented by a more holistic view of the ANs’ work and their needs, in order to promote a people-centered approach to working relationships. Locally relevant action to strengthen district and regional management’s support for AN performance should focus on operationalizing performance goals that go beyond standards to encompass care that responds to patient and community needs.

As características e conceitos dos sistemas complexos adaptativos (SCA) e a dinâmica de sistemas podem ser utilizados como ferramentas altamente efetivas para analisar a organização de um sistema de saúde. Várias das propriedades dos SCA são relevantes para este propósito especialmente a emergência de padrões auto-organizativos. Os objetivos são descrever os fluxos intermunicipais de gestantes para a resolução da gravidez visando compreender os fatores que influenciam estes deslocamentos considerando os recursos hierárquicos disponíveis e propor modelos explicativos da regionalização ao cuidado ligado à gravidez e ao parto e à regulação do sistema. Esta pesquisa aplicou conceitos de sistemas complexos adaptativos para estudo dos fluxos de gestantes entre municípios no sistema de atenção ao parto e puerpério na região de Ribeirão Preto- São Paulo determinando as áreas de captação de pacientes e fatores que influenciam deslocamentos. Para isto foram construídas matrizes de origem-destino das gestantes que tiveram a resolução da gravidez na área do Departamento Regional de Saúde XIII (DRS XIII) sediado em Ribeirão Preto no ano de 2012. Foram utilizadas ferramentas ligadas ao fluxo de altas disponíveis no Observatório Regional de Atenção Hospitalar, aplicando modelos de interação espacial e análise de redes para determinar a suficiência das regiões e sub-regiões para a realização dos procedimentos selecionados e explorar os fatores determinantes dos deslocamentos de pacientes. Em 2012, os hospitais de Ribeirão Preto (sede da DRS XIII) receberam 3807 internações por parto de fora do município, das quais 597 foram provenientes de 114 municípios fora da jurisdição do DRS XIII. Observou-se que 25 % das pacientes se deslocaram a outro município para a resolução da gravidez, percorrendo uma distancia média ponderada de 27 km. Os fluxos de pacientes mostram uma alta concentração em Ribeirão Preto e Sertãozinho, embora grande parte dos casos derivados não requeriam serviços de alta complexidade. O DRS XIIII é suficiente como região para a resolução destes casos e se comporta como um importador de pacientes de uma região mais ampla que compreende ao menos 60 municípios. Vários municípios do DRS XIII também têm serviços suficientes para as necessidades de sua população. O sistema de regulação do estado e do DRS XIII e as preferências dos pacientes, famílias e médicos são determinantes mais importantes dos fluxos que as distancias geográficas. A evolução da demografia e epidemiologia, da geografia política e organizacional do SUS, da oferta de serviços e os comportamentos e preferências dos agentes (usuários, médicos e outros) devem ser analisadas em conjunto como sistemas dinâmicos para compreensão dos fluxos de pacientes e assim reformular as redes de serviços para responder melhor às necessidades da assistência materna e puerperal na região coberta pelo DRS III. / The characteristics and concepts of complex adaptive systems (CAS) and system dynamics can be used as highly effective tools to analyze the organization of a health system. Several of the properties of an CAS are relevant to this purpose, especially the emergence of self-organizing patterns. Objectives: To describe the intermunicipal flows of pregnant women at the end of the pregnancy, in order to understand the factors that influence these displacements considering the available hierarchical resources and propose explanatory models of the regionalization of care related to pregnancy, delivery and regulation of the system. This research applied concepts of complex adaptive systems to study the flows of pregnant women among municipalities in the maternal care system in the Ribeirão Preto - São Paulo region, determining the catchment areas of patients and analyzing the factors that influence their displacement. For this purpose, the research gathered origin-destination matrices of the pregnant women who had the pregnancy resolution in the area of the Regional Health Department XIII (DRS XIII), based in Ribeirão Preto, for the year 2012. The tools used for these matrices were built in the discharge-flow utility available at the Hospital Regional Observatory webpage. Using spatial interaction models and network analysis it was possible to determine the sufficiency of regions and sub-regions to perform the selected procedures and to explore the determinants of patient travel. In 2012, maternity hospitals in Ribeirão Preto (headquarters of DRS XIII) received 3807 hospitalizations related to deliveries coming from outside the municipality, of which 597 came from 114 municipalities outside the jurisdiction of DRS XIII. It was observed that 25% of the patients moved to another municipality for the events related to the end of the pregnancy, traveling a weighted average distance of 27 km. Patient flows show a high concentration in Ribeirão Preto and Sertãozinho, although a majority of the derived cases did not require services of high complexity. DRS XIIII is sufficient as a region to resolve these cases and behaves as an net importer of patients from a wider region comprising at least 60 municipalities. Several municipalities of DRS XIII also have sufficient services for the needs of their population. The system of regulation of the state and DRS XIII and the preferences of patients, families and doctors are more important determinants of flows than geographical distances. The evolution of demography and epidemiology, the political and organizational geography of the SUS, the service offerings and the behaviors and preferences of the agents (users, doctors and others) should be analyzed together as dynamic systems for understanding patient flows allowing to redesign the service networks to better respond to the needs of maternal and child care in the region covered by DRS XIII.

Doctorat en Santé Publique / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

As características e conceitos dos sistemas complexos adaptativos (SCA) e a dinâmica de sistemas podem ser utilizados como ferramentas altamente efetivas para analisar a organização de um sistema de saúde. Várias das propriedades dos SCA são relevantes para este propósito especialmente a emergência de padrões auto-organizativos. Os objetivos são descrever os fluxos intermunicipais de gestantes para a resolução da gravidez visando compreender os fatores que influenciam estes deslocamentos considerando os recursos hierárquicos disponíveis e propor modelos explicativos da regionalização ao cuidado ligado à gravidez e ao parto e à regulação do sistema. Esta pesquisa aplicou conceitos de sistemas complexos adaptativos para estudo dos fluxos de gestantes entre municípios no sistema de atenção ao parto e puerpério na região de Ribeirão Preto- São Paulo determinando as áreas de captação de pacientes e fatores que influenciam deslocamentos. Para isto foram construídas matrizes de origem-destino das gestantes que tiveram a resolução da gravidez na área do Departamento Regional de Saúde XIII (DRS XIII) sediado em Ribeirão Preto no ano de 2012. Foram utilizadas ferramentas ligadas ao fluxo de altas disponíveis no Observatório Regional de Atenção Hospitalar, aplicando modelos de interação espacial e análise de redes para determinar a suficiência das regiões e sub-regiões para a realização dos procedimentos selecionados e explorar os fatores determinantes dos deslocamentos de pacientes. Em 2012, os hospitais de Ribeirão Preto (sede da DRS XIII) receberam 3807 internações por parto de fora do município, das quais 597 foram provenientes de 114 municípios fora da jurisdição do DRS XIII. Observou-se que 25 % das pacientes se deslocaram a outro município para a resolução da gravidez, percorrendo uma distancia média ponderada de 27 km. Os fluxos de pacientes mostram uma alta concentração em Ribeirão Preto e Sertãozinho, embora grande parte dos casos derivados não requeriam serviços de alta complexidade. O DRS XIIII é suficiente como região para a resolução destes casos e se comporta como um importador de pacientes de uma região mais ampla que compreende ao menos 60 municípios. Vários municípios do DRS XIII também têm serviços suficientes para as necessidades de sua população. O sistema de regulação do estado e do DRS XIII e as preferências dos pacientes, famílias e médicos são determinantes mais importantes dos fluxos que as distancias geográficas. A evolução da demografia e epidemiologia, da geografia política e organizacional do SUS, da oferta de serviços e os comportamentos e preferências dos agentes (usuários, médicos e outros) devem ser analisadas em conjunto como sistemas dinâmicos para compreensão dos fluxos de pacientes e assim reformular as redes de serviços para responder melhor às necessidades da assistência materna e puerperal na região coberta pelo DRS III. / The characteristics and concepts of complex adaptive systems (CAS) and system dynamics can be used as highly effective tools to analyze the organization of a health system. Several of the properties of an CAS are relevant to this purpose, especially the emergence of self-organizing patterns. Objectives: To describe the intermunicipal flows of pregnant women at the end of the pregnancy, in order to understand the factors that influence these displacements considering the available hierarchical resources and propose explanatory models of the regionalization of care related to pregnancy, delivery and regulation of the system. This research applied concepts of complex adaptive systems to study the flows of pregnant women among municipalities in the maternal care system in the Ribeirão Preto - São Paulo region, determining the catchment areas of patients and analyzing the factors that influence their displacement. For this purpose, the research gathered origin-destination matrices of the pregnant women who had the pregnancy resolution in the area of the Regional Health Department XIII (DRS XIII), based in Ribeirão Preto, for the year 2012. The tools used for these matrices were built in the discharge-flow utility available at the Hospital Regional Observatory webpage. Using spatial interaction models and network analysis it was possible to determine the sufficiency of regions and sub-regions to perform the selected procedures and to explore the determinants of patient travel. In 2012, maternity hospitals in Ribeirão Preto (headquarters of DRS XIII) received 3807 hospitalizations related to deliveries coming from outside the municipality, of which 597 came from 114 municipalities outside the jurisdiction of DRS XIII. It was observed that 25% of the patients moved to another municipality for the events related to the end of the pregnancy, traveling a weighted average distance of 27 km. Patient flows show a high concentration in Ribeirão Preto and Sertãozinho, although a majority of the derived cases did not require services of high complexity. DRS XIIII is sufficient as a region to resolve these cases and behaves as an net importer of patients from a wider region comprising at least 60 municipalities. Several municipalities of DRS XIII also have sufficient services for the needs of their population. The system of regulation of the state and DRS XIII and the preferences of patients, families and doctors are more important determinants of flows than geographical distances. The evolution of demography and epidemiology, the political and organizational geography of the SUS, the service offerings and the behaviors and preferences of the agents (users, doctors and others) should be analyzed together as dynamic systems for understanding patient flows allowing to redesign the service networks to better respond to the needs of maternal and child care in the region covered by DRS XIII.

Background: Policy, systems and environmental (PSE) approaches can sustainably improve opportunities for healthy eating (HE) and active transportation (AT). PSEs require cross-sector collaboration. Adopting and implementing PSEs is complex and not well understood. Methods: First, using a national probability survey dataset of US local health departments (LHD), inclusion of HE and AT PSE strategies in local community health improvement plans (CHIPs) was examined. Next, a content analysis of current CHIP documents provided data for multilevel latent class analyses to identify classes of CHIPs based on patterns of PSE-strategy alignment with six key activities that facilitate change. Lastly, semi-structured interviews informed a qualitative exploration of early stage Complete Streets policy implementation in Worcester, Massachusetts. Results: Less than half of US LHDs reported developing a CHIP containing any HE policy (32%) or AT (46%) strategies. Two classes of CHIPs were identified: CHIPs in Class A (HE: 71%; Physical Activity (PA): 79%) simply identified a PSE solution; Class B CHIPs (HE: 29%; PA 21%) mostly included PSE strategies that comprehensively addressed multiple key activities. Six themes emerged as factors for early Complete Streets implementation. Conclusions: This mixed methods study provides a novel understanding of the status, development and implementation of PSE strategies in relation to collaborative strategic health improvement planning efforts. CHIPs are underutilized to promote PSE strategies and few CHIPs in our study developed strategies that comprehensively address the process of PSE-change. Among other factors, CHIPs may provide a guiding structure for policy adoption and implementation.

Many strategies can be used to support the use of research evidence in decision-making. However, such strategies have been understudied in crisis zones, where decision-making may be particularly complex, many factors may influence decision-makers’ use of research evidence, and professional judgements may be particularly relied upon. Using synthesis and qualitative research methods, this dissertation examines the role of research evidence in crisis zones and strategies to support its use in decision-making. First, chapter 2 describes a critical interpretive synthesis, which drew upon a broad body of literature around evidence use in crisis zones to develop a new conceptual framework that outlines strategies that leverage the facilitators and address the barriers to evidence use in crisis zones in four systems, namely the political, health, international humanitarian aid, and health research systems. Second, in chapter 3, the focus narrows, and an embedded qualitative case study design was used to gain a deeper understanding into one of the four identified systems, the political system, and specifically the factors that influenced the use of research evidence in the governmental health policy-development processes for Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Ontario. Finally, in chapter 4, a user testing study design was used to zero-in on decision-makers’ experiences with a particular strategy within the health research system, namely an evidence website focused specifically on topics relevant in crisis zones. This dissertation provides a rich understanding of research evidence use by examining knowledge translation strategies in a setting that has been largely unexplored in the broader KT map: crisis zones. The findings from this thesis point to the need for comprehensive strategies to support evidence use in decision-making that draw upon the existing literature and are adapted for crisis zones, which can occur sequentially or simultaneously within or across the four identified systems. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / In humanitarian aid, and specifically in crisis zones, there are many different types of information decision-makers can draw from when making decisions. One specific type of information is research evidence; however, the use of research evidence, and the ways it can inform decision-making in crisis zones, has been understudied. This dissertation addresses this key gap in understanding by: 1) developing a new tool that can help decisions-makers use research evidence to inform their decisions in crisis zones within the political, health, humanitarian aid and health research systems; 2) examining the factors that influence the use of research evidence in the governmental health policy-development processes for Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Ontario; and 3) examining the perspectives of decisions-makers around using one way of supporting the use of research evidence — an evidence website — to support evidence-informed decision-making in crisis zones.

Aim: To investigate the reliability of the COntext Assessment for Community Health (COACH) tool on mobile phone versus pen-paper in Nairobi, Kenya. Background: One of the barriers to the progress of the MDGs has been the failure of health systems in many LMICs to effectively implement evidence-based interventions As a result of the “know-do” gap, patients do not benefit from advances in healthcare and are exposed to unnecessary risks. Better mapping of context improves implementation by allowing tailoring of strategies and interpretation of knowledge translation. COACH investigates healthcare contexts for LMICs and has only been used on pen-paper. With 5 billion mobile phone users globally, mobile technologies is being recognized as able to play a formal role in health services. Methods: Comparative study with 140 nurses/midwives and doctors in four hospitals in Nairobi. 70 were randomly assigned to mobile phone and pen-paper each. The tool was administered twice with a two week interval and test-retest reliability, internal consistency and interrater reliability were assessed. Findings: Excellent test-retest reliability for both pen-paper and mobile phone (ICC >0.81). 45% (pen-paper) and 34% (mobile phone) moderate agreement between individual questions in round 1 and 2. Acceptable average Cronbach’s alpha (>0.70). Conclusion: Both mobile phone and pen-paper were reliable and feasible for data collection. The findings are a good first step towards using COACH in Kenya. Additional research is needed for individual settings. Using mobile phones could increase healthcare facilities’ accessibility in implementation research, helping to close the “know-do” gap and reach the SDGs.