Objective To comprehensively summarize and analyze the status quo, assessing contents and problems of the assessment studies on appropriate health technology in China. Methods With the search terms and strategies predefined by repeated discussion and pre-retrieval, all literature on appropriate health technology assessment in China published from October 1949 to March 2012 were searched in the following databases: CBM, VIP, CNKI and WanFang Data. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, two reviewers independently screened literature, and extracted and cross-checked data. Disagreements were resolved by discussion or by involving a third researcher. The qualitative synthesis method was used to analyze the studies. Results Among total 174 included studies, 117 were cross-sectional. Targeted populations were patients and community residents who had received the service or treatment of appropriate health technology, as well as the grassroots medical staffs and workers from marketing organization who had used or carried out the appropriate health technologies. Appropriate health technologies mainly contained four fields of appropriate health technology: traditional Chinese medicine, western medicine, family planning services and community health services. Most types of diseases involved in those technologies were circulatory system diseases, and high blood pressure was highly concerned. The contents of appropriate health technology assessment mainly included 6 aspects: effectiveness, acceptability, economic characteristics, requirements, safety and technical specific property. The results of the included studies indicated that, most assessments focused on just one aspect, and were lack of comprehensive evaluation. The indexes used in each assessment covered a far too wide range, and was lack of unified index and standards. Conclusion Current studies show that the fields of appropriate health technology assessment distribute widely; the assessment content is simple and lack of comprehensive evaluation; the assessment index system has no unified standard; and the study design methods are different and lack of high quality study design. So it is necessary to conduct high quality assessment studies, establish scientific assessment index system, and systematically assess appropriate health technology, so as to provide more scientific basis for health decision makers.
ObjectiveTo investigate the current status of the promotion of appropriate health technologies in Zhejiang province from 2009 to 2013, in order to provide baseline data for appropriate health technologies, application and research. MethodsThe status of promotion of appropriate health technologies in different regions of Zhejiang province were quantitatively described and compared according to the information in the websites of The Application and Promotion of Appropriate Techniques of Health, The Application and Promotion of Appropriate Techniques of Traditional Chinese Medicine as well as the Bank of Appropriate Technologies. Resultsa) A total of 127 Model Bases of Appropriate Health Technologies were set up, which were combined 127 leading institutions and 513 joint units, covering 11 cities, 40 counties, and 206 townships. b) The type of first aid base and chronic diseases base accounted for 33.0% and 25.3% of total types of model bases respectively; however, the number of bases dealing with rehabilitation care, public health and diseases referred to Ophthalmology & Otolaryngology and skin disease were very small. c) There were 486 appropriate health technologies promoted in Zhejiang province; appropriate technology about first aid, chronic diseases, women and children, rehabilitation care, public health, Ophthalmology & Otolaryngology and skin disease, traditional Chinese medicine and family planning accounted for 26.5%, 18.9%, 17.9%, 11.0%, 10.6%, 7.6%, 4.6% and 1.4%, respectively of total types of appropriate health technologies. d) The numbers of appropriate health technologies promoted in different regions were varied. Most of appropriate health technologies were promoted in more developed regions or more regions rich in health resources. Conclusiona) The model of "1+X" is used to promote the application of appropriate health technologies in Zhejiang province, and the prefecture-level regions of Zhejiang province have established the Model Bases of Appropriate Health Technologies in 11 cities. The promotion system of appropriate health technology is constructed and it achieves good results. b) In nine model bases, the most types of promotion bases are chronic diseases and first aid, and the technologies about first aid, chronic diseases, women and children are most promoted. c) The types of appropriate health technologies promoted in different areas are varied. d) It is necessary to evaluate and select appropriate health technology bases according to the burden of local disease and evidence.
ObjectiveTo systematically review the model and mechanism, efficacy and its influencing factors of the promotion and application of appropriate health technology in China. MethodsSuch database as VIP, CNKI, CBM and WanFang Data were electronically searched to collect studies on the promotion and application of appropriate health technology in China published from the establishment dates to January 2013. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted and cross-checked data, and assessed quality. Qualitative synthesis method was used to systematically summarize the included studies. ResultsA total of 73 studies were finally included. Targeted populations included primary medical staff and personnel who provided or developed appropriate health technologies, medical institutions and their managers, as well as patients who received service or treatment of appropriate health technology. The promotion of appropriate health technologies mainly contained five fields: Chinese medicine, biomedicine, family planning services, maternal and child health, and community health services. The government-leading model had been widely applied currently, besides, there were other four models: government-guidance, government-driven, market-leading and a third sector-leading models. Factors related to project funding, organization and management, technology holders, the supply and demand parties in technical services and technology itself might affect the application of appropriate health technology. Among all evaluation studies, the number of needs assessment was less, the contents of process evaluation were one-sided and the effect evaluation was mainly cross-sectional studies. ConclusionThis study shows that sustainable development of appropriate health technology promotion model need to fully consider market demand and people's needs, on the basis of using government-leading or introducing a third sector-leading model. Corresponding measures should be taken according to the influencing factors of promotion and application of appropriate health technology. It is necessary to conduct high quality evaluation studies in future and comprehensively evaluate the efficacy of the promotion and application of appropriate health technology.
ObjectiveTo systematically review the effects of the promotion of appropriate health technology in China and provide reference for improving the promotion of appropriate health technologies. MethodsDatabases including CBM, VIP, CNKI and WanFang Data were searched for studies about the appropriate health technology in China from inception to August 2014. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data, and assessed the methodological quality of included studies by the evaluation criteria for descriptive studies of MAStARI, an assessment tool developed by JBI Evidence-Based Health Care Center. And then, qualitative descriptive analysis method was used to comprehensively analyze the data from four aspects: medical institutions, regulators, technology promotion medical staff and patients. ResultsA total of 23 cross-sectional studies and one before-after study were included. The results of qualitative analysis showed that: 1) the technology utilization rate of appropriate health technology extension institutions was more than 70%, the number of outpatients of township and village organizations increased significantly than that of the county level institutions; 2) director of technology extension and managers of hospital were in favor of the promotion of appropriate technology for its good effectiveness, safety, lower medical costs, and skill improvement of medical staff; 3) medical staff mastered the appropriate health technology, they were willing to promote appropriate technology and spoke highly of it for its safety, feasibility and economic effect, and improved their level of technology; 4) in patients' opinion, the appropriate technology reduced the disease course and cost, they spoke highly of it for its acceptance, efficacy and safety. ConclusionCurrent evidence shows that the promotion of appropriate health technology has achieved good effects. The satisfaction of medical institutions, managers, health service staff and patient is high, but these research results are of poor quality, mostly subjective evaluation, lack of scientific, rational, objective and consistent evaluation criteria, which cannot be used as evaluation evidence for the promotion of appropriate health technology.
ObjectiveTo systematically summarize and analysis the patterns of the screening, organization and promotion of appropriate health technology, to provide references for establishing the localization and long-term mechanism of appropriate health technology promotion for different regions. MethodsDatabases including CBM, CNKI, WanFang Data and VIP databases were searched from their inception to February 2016, to collect studies about the promotion and application of appropriate health technology in China. Two reviewers independently screened literature, and extracted data. Then, a descriptive analysis was conducted. ResultsA total of 26 studies were included, of which, 21 studies were related to specific patterns of the appropriate health technologies promotion and 5 studies were related to indicators screening system. The screening principle of appropriate health technology was a reference to national screening recommendation technology with local optional technology, taking into account locals needs and four aspects of technology:safety, effectiveness, economy and suitability. At the provincial and county levels, a leading group and a technical experts' group were established to take responsibility for project coordination and management, and provide technical guidance. Two patterns were being formed, one is a three or four level vertical promotion network, such as from the county to the townships and villages, the other is a radiation promotion from the point to the surface revolving around county and township. ConclusionThe screening of appropriate health technology is lack of objectivity, unified and strong operability index system. The "top-down" model led by the government could not meet the reality requirement of grassroots. It is necessary to establish a "bottom-up" mechanisms for the screening, organization and promotion of appropriate health technology, which can meet the reality requirement of grassroots.