Background Evidence-based medicine is informed by randomised control trials (RCT) and systematic reviews. Outcomes chosen in these research methods are important in determining if interventions are effective and safe. Research outcomes chosen based on previous research or stakeholder opinions tend to be inconsistent across studies. This variability and lack in consistency makes it difficult to pool data to inform healthcare practice and policy. Core outcome sets (COS) are consensus-derived, standardised sets of outcomes that should be minimally measured in trials on a specific health condition or disease. Using COS enhances the ability to identify meaningful comparisons across research and examine the benefits or harms of interventions. However, COS usage still varies widely across areas of healthcare research. Only 2% of reviewed late-phase clinical trials published 2019-2020 reported using a COS, and just 65% of trialists surveyed in 2021 were familiar with COS. Understanding the current awareness

BackgroundUncontrolled high blood pressure (BP) or hypertension is the leading cause of death in Australia. However, only one-third of Australians with hypertension achieve optimal BP control. The key barrier is treatment inertia - hesitancy of health-care providers to initiate or intensify treatment after high BP readings. This is frequently driven by uncertainty around “true” BP due to problematic assessment of office BP readings, high variability of BP and a low number of BP measurements taken in primary care to guide decision-making.High blood pressure is a major risk factor for stroke, cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease and presents a considerable health burden. One in three Australians suffer from high blood pressure and only 32% have effectively controlled blood pressure.If all Australians currently living with high blood pressure were properly treated, as many as 83,000 lives could be saved resulting in a $91.6 billion return. However, GPs are hesitant to start or intensify blood pr

This project is a co-produced study of the experiences of people with chronic kidney disease and multiple other long-term conditions when navigating the health and care system. It stems from a series of discussions among a group of patients, brought together through kidney patient networks, and academic researchers, to identify their priorities in patient-driven kidney research. Through their own lived experience, the group members recognised the significant challenges that patients face when navigating the intricacies of the health and social care system to receive appropriate holistic care. This can, in turn, negatively influence their wellbeing and quality of life. The group concluded that this was a priority theme for research, with this project seeking to identify opportunities for improvement, through patient education and empowerment, or systems changes.   Aim: The project has four core objectives: To collect, review and understand the experiences of people living with chronic

Background Multimorbidity, defined as the coexistence of two or more chronic conditions, including mental health conditions and infectious diseases of long duration, is an emerging problem with a rising trend in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). With the rapid epidemiological transition occurring in India, multimorbidity has become a significant challenge. However, there is a lack of reliable estimates regarding the patterns of multimorbidity. Without identifying patients at an increased risk of developing specific combinations result in worse outcomes, it is difficult to plan programs or allocate resources for managing multimorbidity effectively. Therefore, it is essential to generate reliable information on multimorbidity profiles. The study will focus on reviewing analytical methods and available data sources. In India, it is crucial to understand the process of producing reliable evidence and ensure appropriate benchmarking and validation of multimorbidity profiles for the population. Furt

Nigeria has a history of poor maternal healthcare. Nigerian women are 500 times more likely to lose their lives during childbirth compared to women from high-income countries (HIC). In 2020, Nigeria had the highest number of maternal deaths (82,000) in the world and accounted for more than a quarter (28.5%) of global maternal deaths. This translates to about 145 maternal deaths every day. Low quality of care is a major driver of poor maternal health outcomes in Nigeria. Quality of care has two components: provision of care and experience of care. However, efforts aimed at improving maternity care in Nigeria often focus on the ‘provision’ aspect of care alone. While it is important to invest in the supply aspect of care, it is also imperative that women’s experiences of care are given equal attention.   Aims This study aims to map women’s pregnancy journey to examine their experiences in accessing care and investigate their ideas of satisfactory quality of mate

BackgroundThe countries of Brazil, India and South Africa have mixed health systems wherein public and private providers operate side-by-side to deliver the same set of services. The health administrations in these countries are increasingly purchasing services from the private sector for delivering care. There is some evidence to suggest that the purchase arrangements could contribute to quick expansion of health access. But at the same time, community participation rooted in the human rights framework hitherto has largely been envisaged as part of the public health system for better responsiveness and accountabilities. But the changing scenario, of the governments actively engaging private providers (both private for-profit and private non-profit), is making health systems pluralistic. In such a pluralistic scenario does the conventional understanding of Community participation hold and whether community participation can still aim for better health system effectiveness?AimTo strengthen the participation an

Background Access to essential medicines is a critical building block of the health system, but many low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) continue to face major challenges in ensuring medicine accessibility, affordability and quality. The sale of medicines online (or e-pharmacy, we use the terms interchangeably)  represents a major disruption to pharmacy provision across the globe. Whilst e-pharmacy was initially the preserve of high-income countries (HICs), in the past decade it has been growing rapidly in LMICs, and this growth was further catalysed by widespread lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. This rapid expansion of e-pharmacy has been largely uncontrolled and accompanied by significant public health concerns, the most commonly cited being the sale of prescription-only medicines (POMs) without a prescription, including opioids and antibiotics; the sale of substandard or falsified (counterfeit) medicines; inadequate provision of information to patients; and erosion of the doctor-pharm

Background Globally, tobacco use is one of the biggest public health threats and a leading cause of death and disease in India, affecting nearly 1.35 million people each year. India is also the world's second-largest producer and consumer of tobacco. The most smoked tobacco product in India is bidi. It is estimated that about 71.8 million adults smoke bidi in India. Bidis are small hand-rolled tobacco cigarettes wrapped in tendu or temburni leaf (Diospyros melanoxylon). Bidi smoke contains higher concentrations of nicotine, tar, and other toxic agents, in comparison to cigarette. The bidi industry employs approximately one million people, the vast majority of whom are women and children. Beedi workers are constantly exposed to tobacco dust, fumes, and other hazardous chemicals such as nitrosamines and nicotine, which can be easily absorbed by the body through the skin, respiratory epithelium, and mucous membranes. However, there is no evidence synthesis on the environmental risks and health hazards