Domains of the WHO-INTEGRATE EtD framework | Examples of potential research question(s) that a synthesis of qualitative and/or quantitative evidence could address | Types of studies that could contribute to a review of qualitative and quantitative evidence |
Balance of benefits and harms | To what extent do patients/beneficiaries value different health outcomes? | Qualitative: studies of views and experiences Quantitative: Questionnaire surveys |
Human rights and sociocultural acceptability | Is the intervention socioculturally acceptable to patients/beneficiaries as well as to those implementing it? To what extent do patients/beneficiaries value different non-health outcomes? How does the intervention affect an individual’s, population group’s or organisation’s autonomy, that is, their ability to make a competent, informed and voluntary decision? | Qualitative: discourse analysis, qualitative studies (ideally longitudinal to examine changes over time) Quantitative: pro et contra analysis, discrete choice experiments, longitudinal quantitative studies (to examine changes over time), cross-sectional studies Mixed-method studies; case studies |
Health equity, equality and non-discrimination | How affordable is the intervention for individuals, households or communities? How accessible—in terms of physical as well as informational access—is the intervention across different population groups? | Qualitative: studies of views and experiences Quantitative: cross-sectional or longitudinal observational studies, discrete choice experiments, health expenditure studies; health system barrier studies, cross-sectional or longitudinal observational studies, discrete choice experiments, ethical analysis, GIS-based studies |
Societal implications | What is the social impact of the intervention: are there features of the intervention that increase or reduce stigma and that lead to social consequences? Does the intervention enhance or limit social goals, such as education, social cohesion and the attainment of various human rights beyond health? Does it change social norms at individual or population level? What is the environmental impact of the intervention? Does it contribute to or limit the achievement of goals to protect the environment and efforts to mitigate or adapt to climate change? | Qualitative: studies of views and experiences Quantitative: RCTs, quasi-experimental studies, comparative observational studies, longitudinal implementation studies, case studies, power analyses, environmental impact assessments, modelling studies |
Feasibility and health system considerations | Are there any legal factors that impact on implementation of the intervention? How might governance aspects, such as past decisions and strategic considerations, positively or negatively impact the implementation of the intervention? How does the intervention interact with the existing health system? Is it likely to fit well or not, is it likely to impact on it in positive or negative ways? How does the intervention interact with the need for and usage of the existing health workforce and broader human resources, at national and subnational levels? How does the intervention interact with the need for and usage of the existing health system infrastructure as well as other relevant infrastructure, at national and subnational levels? | Non-research: policy and regulatory frameworks Qualitative: studies of views and experiences Mixed-method: health systems research, situation analysis, case studies Quantitative: cross-sectional studies |
GIS, Geographical Information System; RCT, randomised controlled trial.