BackgroundHealth system strengthening is critical to ensure the integration and scaling-up of priority health promotion, disease prevention and control programs. Normative guidelines are available to address health system function imbalances while strategic and analytical frameworks address critical functions in complex systems. Tacit knowledge-based health system constructs can help identify actors' perspectives, contributing to improve strengthening strategies. Using maternal health as an example, this paper maps and analyses the health system functions that critical actors charged with formulating and delivering priority health programs consider important for their success.MethodsUsing concept mapping qualitative and statistical methods, health system functions were mapped for different categories of actors in high maternal mortality states of Mexico and at the federal level. Functions within and across maps were analyzed for degree of classification, importance, feasibility and coding.ResultsHospital infrastructure and human resource training are the most prominent functions in the maternal health system, associated to federal efforts to support emergency obstetric care. Health policy is a highly diffuse function while program development, intercultural and community participation and social networks are clearly stated although less focused and with lower perceived importance. The importance of functions is less correlated between federal and state decision makers, between federal decision makers and reproductive health/local health area program officers and between state decision makers and system-wide support officers. Two sets of oppositions can be observed in coding across functions: health sector vs. social context; and given structures vs. manageable processes.ConclusionsConcept mapping enabled the identification of critical functions constituting adaptive maternal health systems, including aspects of actor perspectives that are seldom included in normative and analytical frameworks. Important areas of divergence across actors' perceptions were identified to target capacity strengthening efforts towards better integrated, performing health systems.

In this article reporting on our qualitative study, we describe changes in parent-adolescent sexual health communication following an intervention for parents of 10th graders in Mexico. The intervention was aimed to sensitize and develop skills for appropriate parent-child communication about the prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), unplanned pregnancy, and birth control, and focused on encouraging condom use with emergency contraception backup. We conducted 66 in-depth interviews with adolescents and parents after the intervention. Following the principals of grounded theory, we carried out inductive analysis to create codes and organize central themes. Our findings identify previously undefined critical steps or movements important for parent-child communication about sex. When parents are sensitized to the risks their adolescent children face, it is easier to initiate communication about prevention. These initial movements are essential to achieve substantive conversation, and must be considered in future strategies that aim to promote parent-adolescent communication about sexuality and the prevention of STIs and unplanned pregnancy.

No abstract

El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la percepción de equipos de salud de atención en primer nivel y público objetivo acerca de facilitadores y barreras para el abordaje de Chagas a partir de una intervención multifacética, en una zona endémica. Se realizaron 12 entrevistas semiestructuradas y grupos focales en Centros de Atención Primaria en Resistencia, Chaco. El estudio fue guiado por el Marco Consolidado para la Investigación de la Implementación. Los profesionales tuvieron una impresión positiva de la intervención pero mostraron preocupación acerca de la factibilidad. Los profesionales perciben un número excesivo de programas, pocos insumos y recursos humanos, insuficiente capacitación, material informativo desactualizado, trabas burocrática para pedido de insumos y medicación; asimismo perciben falta de vinculación en niveles de atención y fragmentación de registros. Esta investigación contribuiría a la adaptación de intervenciones según barreras y facilitadores existentes.

Priority problems focused on emergency obstetric care (EmOC), specifically: inadequate financial resources (Guerrero), substandard training among available EmOC providers (State of Mexico), inefficiencies in existing EmOC networks (Oaxaca) and inadequate knowledge of, and/or compliance to, standard EmOC protocols (Veracruz). The literature review confirmed the pertinence of problems previously identified by COP through conceptual mapping. CONCLUSIONS. The four COP showed a high level of congruency between their original perception of problems in the states' health systems and international scientific evidence. Identified problems and their reformulation based on evidence help identify solutions adaptable to local contexts.

There is consensus among actors to address the principal maternal health problems in Mexico. Important differences correspond to context. The usefulness of concept mapping to analyze problems was demonstrated.

Background: Chagas is a public health problem, especially in Latin America, exacerbated by migratory movements and increasing urbanization. Argentina has the highest number of cases in the region, with 1,500,000 infected people, with mother-to-child as the primary mode of transmission. Vertical transmission has been significantly reduced by treating women of childbearing age; several guidelines in the region recommend treatment as a primary prevention strategy for the child and a secondary prevention strategy for women and their families. Despite recommendations, women of childbearing age are not always treated, and children do not receive timely diagnosis and treatment. The objective of this research was to design an implementation strategy to improve using Chagas guidelines at the primary healthcare level and pilot it to assess its feasibility and the factors that influence its implementation in three primary health care centers, Argentina. Methods: We conducted a pilot feasibility study using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. A qualitative process evaluation was conducted using semi-structured interviews with health care providers and observations in primary health care centers. Results: We developed a multifaceted implementation strategy including training, flowcharts and reminders, a register of suspected and confirmed Chagas cases, and the selection of a management facilitator. The pilot study took place between September 2019 and May 2020. The implementation level was heterogeneous and varied depending on the components, being the facilitating factors, the simplicity of the intervention, professionals’ willingness to expand the indication of serologic tests, and staff commitment to the adoption of intervention components. The main barriers were the change of authorities at the local level, some professionals´ reluctance to administer etiological treatment, staff shortages, lack of diagnostic supplies (linked to contextual factors), and the health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions: Behavioral change strategies should be applied to improve implementation to address some of the main barriers, including support actions offered by opinion leaders, medical experts, and local health authorities. Rapid diagnostic tests should be readily available to maintain behavior changes. We suggest further refinement of the strategy and its implementation in more centers to assess outcomes prospectively with a hybrid implementation research design.

Background Chagas is a public health problem, especially in Latin America, exacerbated by migratory movements and increasing urbanization. Argentina is among the countries with the highest estimated prevalence in the region, with 1,500,000 people infected, with mother to child as the main mode of transmission. Vertical transmission has been significantly reduced by treating women of childbearing age; several guidelines in the region recommend treatment as a primary prevention strategy for the child and a secondary prevention strategy for women and their families. Despite recommendations, women of childbearing age are not always treated, and children do not receive timely diagnosis and treatment. The objective of this research was to design an implementation strategy to improve using Chagas guidelines focused on attending women of childbearing age and children at the primary healthcare level and pilot it in three primary health care centers in Argentina. Methods We conducted a pilot feasibility study using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. A qualitative process evaluation was conducted using semi-structured interviews with health care providers and observations in primary health care centers. Results We developed a multifaceted implementation strategy including training, flowcharts and reminders, a register of suspected and confirmed cases, and the selection of a management facilitator. The pilot study took place between September 2019 and May 2020. The implementation level was heterogeneous and varied depending on the components, being the facilitating factors, the simplicity of the intervention, professionals’ willingness to expand the indication of serologic tests, and staff commitment to the adoption of intervention components. The main barriers found were the change of authorities at the local level, some professionals´ reluctance to administer etiological treatment, staff shortages, lack of diagnostic supplies, and the health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions Behavioral change strategies should be applied to improve implementation to address some of the main barriers, including support actions offered by opinion leaders, medical experts, and local health authorities. Rapid diagnostic tests should be readily available to maintain behavior changes. We suggest further refinement of the strategy and its implementation in more centers to assess outcomes prospectively with a hybrid implementation research design.