title: Gender counts: A systematic review of evaluations of gender-integrated health interventions in low- and middle-income countries.
abstract: As a result of new global priorities, there is a growing need for high-quality evaluations of gender-integrated health programmes. This systematic review examined 99 peer-reviewed articles on evaluations of gender-integrated (accommodating and transformative) health programmes with regard to their theory of change (ToC), study design, gender integration in data collection, analysis, and gender measures used. Half of the evaluations explicitly described a ToC or conceptual framework (n = 50) that guided strategies for their interventions. Over half (61%) of the evaluations used quantitative methods exclusively; 11% used qualitative methods exclusively; and 28% used mixed methods. Qualitative methods were not commonly detailed. Evaluations of transformative interventions were less likely than those of accommodating interventions to employ randomised control trials. Two-thirds of the reviewed evaluations reported including at least one specific gender-related outcome (n = 18 accommodating, n = 44 transformative). To strengthen evaluations of gender-integrated programmes, we recommend use of ToCs, explicitly including gender in the ToC, use of gender-sensitive measures, mixed-method designs, in-depth descriptions of qualitative methods, and attention to gender-related factors in data collection logistics. We also recommend further research to develop valid and reliable gender measures that are globally relevant.
authors.affiliation: a MEASURE Evaluation, Carolina Population Center , University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill , NC , USA.
authors.forename: Brittany
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schriver
authors.affiliation: a MEASURE Evaluation, Carolina Population Center , University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill , NC , USA.
authors.forename: Mahua
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mandal
authors.affiliation: b Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) , New Delhi , India.
authors.forename: Arundati
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Muralidharan
authors.affiliation: a MEASURE Evaluation, Carolina Population Center , University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill , NC , USA.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nwosu
authors.affiliation: b Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) , New Delhi , India.
authors.forename: Radhika
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dayal
authors.affiliation: c International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) , New Delhi , India.
authors.forename: Madhumita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Das
authors.affiliation: a MEASURE Evaluation, Carolina Population Center , University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill , NC , USA.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fehringer
mesh_terms: D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011203:Poverty; D012737:Sex Factors
keywords: Gender; evaluation; gender-integrated health programmes; systematic review