ABOUT THE STUDY

The study on the ‘Assessment of capacity for the prevention and control of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes in developing countries’ was conducted in India, Cameroon and Thailand using a core protocol and methodology developed by the IC Health secretariat. It utilized both qualitative (Focus Group Discussions and in-depth interviews) and quantitative methodologies (survey questionnaires) to evaluate the current capacity, in terms of health policies, programmes and infrastructure from the perspectives of the communities, patients, different categories of health care providers and policymakers. By successfully combining these two methodologies, the study has shown that a core study protocol and methodology can be evolved to be generalized into a capacity research framework for developing countries and also accommodate the specificities of the locations where the research is conducted. The study is also being extended to include developing countries from other regions. The results of
capacity assessment studies in all these countries will translate into a situation analysis report, which aims to construct an informed and evidence-based knowledge platform for prevention and control of CVD and diabetes in settings with limited resources.