Chorus
Our research is driven by the health related challenges facing the urban poor, and the systems solutions co-created by stakeholders across multiple sectors, providers and communities.
Our demand-led approach follows 5 intertwined phases, combining quantitative, qualitative, participatory and health economic methods across multile disciplinary perspectives
STAGE 1:
Needs Assessment, community engagement, data visualisation, system & stakeholder mapping
To ensure each project is grounded in the realities facing the urban poor, projects begin with an extensive needs assessment. Methods include:
Participatory and visual methods with urban residents. Methods such as social mapping, transect walks, photovoice work well to engage residents and generate in depth insights, particularly with those that rarely have opportunity to voice concerns or provide their perspective.
STAGE 1 RESOURCES
STAGE 2:
Evidence Review, policy mapping and analysis of existing data
To inform all other stages, projects include a thorough mapping and analysis of the current stakeholder priorities, and the gaps and opportunities for system changes, through stakeholder mapping, policy and strategy mapping, literature reviews and data analysis
STAGE 2 RESOURCES
STAGE 3:
Intervention co-creation
Drawing on the evidence from stages 1 and 2, CHORUS teams bring the variety of stakeholders together to co-develop and shape interventions to strengthen the urban health system.
Approaches such as Participatory Action Research, with the cycles of ‘plan, act, observe and reflect’ are useful to design interventions with stakeholders, and both quantitative and qualitative methods can be used to gain feedback on intervention components from urban residents, health workers and policy makers alike.
We used intervention development frameworks such at the 6SQUID framework, to help define the problem and its causes, clarify influencing factors and develop theories of change. The engagement of stakeholders in the development and implementation of initiatives helps ensure interventions meet the needs of local populations whilst also fitting within current systems and policy frameworks. However ensuring engagement is meaningful and inclusive of all perspectives requires deep knowledge of the context and must be done through careful consensus building.
STAGE 4:
Implementation Research
The large CHORUS projects will implement the co-created health system intervention, in selected areas, working collaboratively with the multiple stakeholders involved.
Mixed methods implementation research is used to understand the process, facilitators and barriers to impact of the health system interventions from the perspectives of the stakeholders. Analysis of the wider health systems changes across the health economy in the selected intervention areas, alongside modelling will inform scale up costs and value for money.
STAGE 5:
Evaluation of Effectiveness and cost effectiveness
To support the CHORUS vision to help build responsive, resilient and equitable urban health systems, our four research pillars are supported by our core foundations and principles of the consortium: capacity strengthening, research uptake for impact, redressing gender and social inequities; equitable partnerships and quality research. Explore more below.
