Tools

The Health Policy Initiative creates user-friendly tools to help in-country partners understand the magnitude of health challenges, explore policy and resource options, and set priorities. Through this page, you can access computer models, including the Spectrum Suite of Policy Models and the Goals Model. This page also provides access to the Maternal and Neonatal Program Effort Index database and e-learning resources.

Software & Models

Spectrum is a suite of policy models that make use of a unified set of Windows-based commands that can be easily learned. The models are used to project the need for FP/RH, MH, and HIV/AIDS services. Most models are available in English, French, and Spanish. Some are also available in Portuguese, Arabic, and Russian. Each model includes a detailed user manual that not only describes how to use the software but also includes sections on data sources, interpretation and use of the results, a tutorial, and a description of the methodology. The models included in the Spectrum system are: DemProj, FamPlan, AIM, RAPID, Ben-Cost, NewGen, PMTCT, Safe Motherhood, and Condom Requirements. Allocate is a tool used to relate program actions to goals and summarizes output from other Spectrum models.

Goals Model

The Goals Model helps efforts to respond to the HIV/AIDS epidemic by showing how the amount and allocation of funding is related to the achievement of national goals, such as the reduction of HIV prevalence and expansion of care and support.

Workplace Policy Builder

The Workplace Policy Builder (WPB) is designed to help companies develop their own HIV/AIDS workplace policy.

The Male Circumcision (MC) Decisionmakers Tool is an Excel-based model that estimates the impact and cost of scaling up male circumcision services as an HIV prevention intervention. The model considers different policy options including target populations (all adult males, young males, adolescents, neonates, high-risk males, etc.) and different rates of scaling up MC coverage. Outputs of the model include cost per MC performed, number of HIV infections averted, and cost per infection averted. Total costs can be based on detailed facility-level inputs on the costs of service provision or on assumptions about the average costs per male circumcision performed.

Resource Estimation Tool for Advocacy

The Resource Estimation Tool for Advocacy (RETA) is a new tool to estimate resource needs for scaling up comprehensive HIV prevention programming for men who have sex with men and transgenders. RETA estimates the resources needed for a five-year period, based on user input of population size estimates, target coverage levels, and local costs of HIV prevention services. It was developed for use by civil society groups and can estimate resource needs at local, municipal, provincial, or national levels. RETA allows users to plan how specific services can or should be targeted at sub-populations of men who have sex with men to more accurately project the funding needs.

Family-Friendly Workplace Model

The Family-Friendly Workplace (FFW) Model is designed to help managers analyze the costs and advantages of providing family-friendly benefits through the workplace. Family-friendly workplace policies provide benefits such as on-site health services, childcare, family planning, maternity leave, transportation, and flexible scheduling. As a result, employees can manage their careers and family responsibilities more successfully, while employers are better able to retain highly-skilled employees and reduce absenteeism. However, many employers are still unaware of the potential gains associated with creating a more family-friendly workplace. The FFW Model can be used to engage stakeholders to build support for family-friendly workplace policies.

AIM-B: AIDS Impact Model for Business

AIM-B is an economic and demographic model designed to help managers analyze how HIV/AIDS is affecting their businesses and project how it will affect them in the future. This simplified on-line version of AIM-B estimates the main direct costs of HIV/AIDS in health, recruitment, and benefit costs. It does not estimate the epidemic's affect on productivity, labor relations, workforce morale, or absenteeism.

E-learning

DemProj is one of the most widely used software models for making population projections. Researchers, planners, and policymakers can use the model findings to inform research activities, program planning, and policy development. Divided into three parts, this e-learning course provides (1) a review of the basic demographic concepts and measures of population and the processes that influence population growth, (2) step-by-step instructions in using DemProj to make population projections, and (3) a series of useful exercises and "quiz" questions to reinforce concepts.

MNPI

The Maternal and Neonatal Program Effort Index (MNPI), carried out with USAID assistance, provides country-specific data for more than 30 developing countries. You can explore the interactive dataset here.