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Mental Health and HIV: A Tale of Two Countries
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| Presenter(s):
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| Mary Gutmann, EnCompass LLC, mgutmann@encompassworld.com
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| Melissa Sharer, John Snow Incorporated, msharer@jsi.com
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| Kimberly Green, FHI, kgreen@fhi.org
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| Dinh Thi Bich Hanh, FHI, bichhanh@fhi.org.vn
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| Abstract:
To address the information gap in mental health (MH) services in HIV, AIDSTAR-One prepared a technical brief and two case studies to document innovative, successful approaches to integrating MH and HIV services among most at-risk populations in Vietnam and Northern Uganda. The evaluation used an appreciative inquiry approach to determine what worked well and contributed to program success. After completion of the case studies, each country program reflected on how participation in the case study resulted in: a) changes to the program; b) new programmatic insights or perspectives, and c) added value to the evaluation itself. Common themes included: 1) the value of an outside peer perspective, 2) the value of external validation, 3) an increase in staff morale/motivation, and 4) program changes based on recommendations in the case study. Appreciative approaches that focus on values and valuing can benefit programs by promoting self-reflection and dialogue, and reinforcing underlying values.
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Metaevaluation of HIV/AIDS Prevention Intervention Evaluations in Sub Saharan Africa with a specific emphasis on Implications for Women and Girls
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| Presenter(s):
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| Tererai Trent, Tinogona Consulting, tereraitrent@gmail.com
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| Abstract:
Given the norms that govern most patriarchal societies in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA), should the Western epistemology, ethics and concepts be the main default lens for evaluation. The empirical evidence upon which the evaluation of HIV/AIDS prevention is grounded in the region is based on behavior-focused interventions. The blindness of these evaluations to the true drivers of the epidemic, particularly the underlying social ecology that seems to give rise to women's vulnerability begs to question the validity of these evaluations despite their scientific evidence.
Using a set of demonstrable properties (validity, credibility, utility, cost-effectiveness, ethicality, robustness) found to be relevant and adequate to characterize high-quality gender-sensitive evaluations of HIV/AIDS interventions in SSA, this presentation will demonstrate: 1) the use of a HIV/AIDS Prevention Evaluation Checklist (HAPEC) adapted from Scriven's (2007) Key Evaluation Checklist to include gender as a core merit-defining criterion to determine the merit of HIV/AIDS evaluations in SSA, and 2) ways in which evaluations can establish innovative prevention strategies that may influence and shift what drives women's intractable vulnerability to HIV exposure
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Added Value of Appreciative Inquiry within a Systems Framework for Evaluating a Country-Level HIV/AIDS Information Management System
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| Presenter(s):
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| Tessie Catsambas, EnCompass LLC, tcatsambas@encompassworld.com
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| Mary Gutmann, EnCompass LLC, mgutmann@encompassworld.com
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| Elisa Knebel, EnCompass LLC, eknebel@encompassworld.com
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| Lisa Crye, EnCompass LLC, lcrye@encompassworld.com
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| Abstract:
Use of Appreciative Inquiry in a systems framework greatly enhanced the strategic value of findings on the role of a country-level information management system developed by the UN to support the national HIV response. The evaluation methodology included interviews and an on-line survey with the database users and providers, site visits to three countries implementing the database system, and interviews or focus groups with senior management in Geneva. The information database tool and associated technical assistance uniformly catalyzed M&E thinking at the country level and strengthened national M&E systems by creating a common platform for monitoring and reporting and harmonization of data from different sources. The system offers comparative advantages over other systems and fulfills a unique need that enhances country ownership and M&E capacity building. These findings support the important role the UN plays in supporting national M&E systems.
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Evaluation of Health Sites Under Consideration: AIDS in Brazilian LGBT Sites
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| Presenter(s):
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| Andre Pereira Neto, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, apereira@fiocruz.br
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| Elizabeth Moreira, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, bmoreira@ensp.fiocruz.br
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| Marly Cruz, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, marly@ensp.fiocruz.br
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| Abstract:
To present a methodology for assessing the quality of information available on health sites, with their respective indicators and weights, and apply this methodological tool in the evaluation of information on HIV / AIDS available at sites of Non Governmental Organizations (NGO) that advocate the rights for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people in eight states of Brazil. METHODOLOGY. It combines three dimensions in the assessment of available information on health Web sites: content, navigability and readability. Each of these dimensions is subdivided into indicators that are weighted. The score of each site in each of the indicators is presented clearly. In this sense this article innovates and participates in the international debate on the issue. RESULTS. None of the sites examined presents information on HIV/AIDS who meet minimal criteria, indicators and weights methodology presented in this paper.
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