The effects of shifting tasks from pharmacy to non-pharmacy personnel for providing antiretroviral therapy to people living with HIV : a systematic review protocol

Date
2016
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
BMJ Publishing Group
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY : Introduction: Shifting selected antiretroviral therapy (ART) tasks from specialised healthcare workers to those with shorter or less formal training has been implemented in resource-limited settings to alleviate critical shortages of human resources for health. However, the specifics of shifting ART dispensing from pharmacy to non-pharmacy personnel have not been addressed in a systematic review, although this can potentially increase access to ART. We will assess the effects of shifting dispensing and distribution of ART and adherence assessment from pharmacy to non- pharmacy personnel in low and middle-income countries. Methods and analysis: We will search PubMed, CENTRAL, EMBASE, WHO Global Health Library and relevant grey literature for eligible controlled trials. Two authors will screen the search output, select eligible studies, assess risk of bias and extract data from included studies, resolving discrepancies by discussion and consensus. We will perform meta-analysis using both fixed and random effects models, investigate clinical and statistical heterogeneity, and assess our confidence in the overall evidence using standard Cochrane methods, including GRADE.
Description
CITATION: Mbeye, N. M., Kredo, T. & Wiysonge, C. S. 2016. The effects of shifting tasks from pharmacy to non-pharmacy personnel for providing antiretroviral therapy to people living with HIV : a systematic review protocol. BMJ Open, 6:e008195, doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2015-008195
The original publication is available at http://bmjopen.bmj.com
Keywords
Antiretroviral agents -- Administration, Drugs -- Administration -- Research, Systematic reviews (Medical research)
Citation
Mbeye, N. M., Kredo, T. & Wiysonge, C. S. 2016. The effects of shifting tasks from pharmacy to non-pharmacy personnel for providing antiretroviral therapy to people living with HIV : a systematic review protocol. BMJ Open, 6:e008195, doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2015-008195