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Call for Papers: Measuring quality-of-care in the context of sustainable development goal 3


The Bulletin of the World Health Organization will publish a theme issue on quality of-care in the era of SDGs. This theme issue will include original research articles on quality-of-care in low- and middle-income countries. The selection of this research will prioritize rigorous methods, generalizability across contexts, and salience of findings for policy. The deadline for submission is 31 May 2016.

The universal health coverage (UHC) target of the health SDG stipulates that everyone can obtain essential health services at high quality without suffering financial hardship, yet quality has not been widely tracked in low- and middle-income countries.

© UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

One reason for the lack of data on quality of health-care services in low and middle-income countries may be the past emphasis on coverage rather than the challenge of providing high quality services. 

To address new health priorities in the SDGs, quality must be measured and determinants of quality performance identified. New, validated and feasible measures are therefore needed for each dimension: infrastructure and staffing (equipment, drugs and vaccines, health workers), technical quality (competence of health-care providers, compliance with good practice recommendations), and patient experience (convenience, dignity, communication).

The Bulletin of the World Health Organization will publish a theme issue on quality of-care in the era of SDGs. This theme issue will include original research articles on quality-of-care in low- and middle-income countries. The selection of this research will prioritize rigorous methods, generalizability across contexts, and salience of findings for policy.

© UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

The deadline for submission is 31 May 2016. Manuscripts should be submitted in accordance with the Bulletin´s guidelines for contributors, and the cover letter should mention this call for papers. All submissions will be peer-reviewed.

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This article summarizes the editorial "Measuring quality-of-care in the context of sustainable development goal 3: a call for papers" by Yoko Akachi, Finn Tarp, Edward Kelley, Tony Addison and Margaret E. Kruk published in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization, volume 94, number 3, March 2016.