Table 2. Proposed questions and indicators for the evaluation and monitoring of interventions to increase access to health workers in underserved areas.
Stage | Questions | Indicators | Methods |
---|---|---|---|
Design | • Did the intervention respond to a documented need? • Is the choice of the intervention based on evidence or robust arguments (situation analysis)? • Were the actual reasons for limited access to health workers clearly documented (i.e. insufficient number of students willing to work in rural areas or insufficient number of funded positions? |
• Human resources for health-costed plan, including situation analysis • Stocks and flows of health workers (for more details see reference)8 |
• Labour market analysis • Survey of intentions • Demographic analysis (health workforce stocks and flows) • Stakeholder analysis • Review of policy documents |
Implementation | • Did the activities take place according to plan? • Did any changes occur during implementation? |
• Process indicators (changes in the programme elements) | • Surveys • Stakeholder analysis • Review of policy documents |
Results | • Did attractiveness of profession/rural/remote areas improve? • Did recruitment of health workers in underserved areas improve? • Did retention improve? |
• Total health workers recruited • Changes in preferences for rural/remote areas • Reduced turnover • Reduced vacancies • Stability index • Survival rates (or years in post) |
• Surveys • Survival analysis • Analysis of registries data or facility data |