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Implementation of the community health system innovation project in three low- and middle-income countries: COHESION-I study protocol

Lazo-Porras M, Bernabe-Ortiz A, Damasceno A, Sharma SK, Praveen D, Mayo-Puchoc N, Aya Pastrana N, Bazán Maccera M et al.

BMJ open, 2025

Abstract

Background: The COmmunity HEalth System InnovatiON (COHESION) project (2016-2019) was a 4-year collaboration between research teams from Mozambique, Nepal, Peru and Switzerland. It conducted formative health system research using tracer chronic conditions, non-communicable diseases (diabetes and hypertension) and one neglected tropical disease per country (schistosomiasis in Mozambique, leprosy in Nepal and neurocysticercosis in Peru).Findings guided the co-creation of interventions to improve diagnosis and management through a participatory approach with communities, primary healthcare workers and regional health authorities.As a continuation of this effort, the research team initiated the COHESION Implementation project (COHESION-I) with two objectives: (1) implement and evaluate the context-specific co-created interventions in Mozambique, Nepal and Peru (Component 1) and (2) adapt the COHESION approach to India, a country that did not benefit from a formative phase previously (Component 2). This protocol manuscript focuses on Component 1.

Methods and analysis: A mixed-methods, pre-post quasi-experimental design will be used, including quantitative, qualitative, economic and process evaluations. Each country will have three arms: (1) co-created and co-designed interventions; (2) only co-designed intervention and (3) the usual care arm. Data will be collected longitudinally over 18 months to assess the effect of the interventions. The main outcomes include patient…

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