We’re very pleased to announce the launch of the above initiative, generously supported by the BUPA Giving scheme.
We’ve blogged about the above initiative for a while (click here or here). The basic problem being that users in resource poor settings (for example, a rural district hospital in Africa or South Asia) frequently do not have access to the latest health care technologies e.g. the latest diagnostic bit of kit or expensive new medicine. However, much of the evidence is directed at the newer, more expensive, interventions. So, users from these settings have to overcome the additional problem that much of the evidence is not relevant.
As of today under each link on the results page will have a link ‘Developing World?’ If a registered user of TRIP believes the article is appropriate (see definition below) for such setting we encourage them to click on the link. If two separate people click on the link the article is then deemed suitable; these articles will form a sub-set of data in TRIP. Users of TRIP will then be able to search TRIP and then (via a tick box at the bottom of the ‘Filter your search’ box) be able to select only those articles in the subset.
We encourage TRIP users to get involved by either tagging articles or to help spread the word of this project!
A few additional pieces of information:
The term ‘Developing World’ is problematic and controversial. We have used it as it is a widely recognised term which we hope will aid adoption, the reality is that the alternative ‘Low resource?’ carries less meaning. However, we welcome input on the term used (send comments to jon.brassey@tripdatabase.com).
The working definition of an article suitable for this initiative is ‘any clinical evidence that can be implemented in primary care and small-district-hospital settings with basic drugs and equipment.’ As the subset of the database is developed, we expect users to discuss and refine the definition and criteria for inclusion. This highlights the fluid nature of this whole project.
Phew, all the definitions, caveats out of the way.
The bottom line is that we want to make access to the evidence easier for those from poorer setting – please help!
June 12, 2010 at 4:35 pm
Excellent initiative I agree developing world is misleading more ideological based than scientific . There are some initiatives such as mapping the evidence leaded by The Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Co-ordinating Centre (EPPI-Centre) of the Social Science Research Unit at the Institute of Education, University of London. We at the Cochrane “Developing Countries Field are searching for the best strategies for moving to effective actions on this issue .I can see that we could do explore workng with you on this. Kindly Mario Tristan CDCF
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June 27, 2010 at 11:56 am
Excellent initiative.. I am sure this would help enhance evidence based practice in the developing countries as well…
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May 10, 2011 at 1:49 pm
Awesome idea. I like how you easily explained how it will work and what your goals are. This is the first initiative I have seen and I think you will set a precedence.
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