Our analysis shows few instances where there is full integration of a health intervention or where an intervention is completely non-integrated .
Instead , there exists a highly heterogeneous picture both for the nature and also for the extent of integration .
Health systems combine both non-integrated and integrated interventions , but the balance of these interventions varies considerably
A longst and ing debate on health systems organization relates to benefits of integrating  health programmes that emphasize specific interventions into mainstream health systems to increase access and improve health outcomes .
This debate has long been characterized by polarization of views and ideologies , with protagonists for and against integration arguing the relative merits of each approach .
However , all too frequently these arguments have not been based on hard evidence .
The presence of both integrated and non-integrated programmes in many countries suggests there may be benefits to either approach , but the relative merits of integration in various context s and for different interventions have not been systematic ally analysed and documented .
In this paper we present findings of a systematic review that explores a broad range of evidence on : ( i ) the extent and nature of the integration of targeted health programmes that emphasize specific interventions into critical health systems functions , ( ii ) how the integration or non-integration of health programmes into critical health systems functions in different context s has influenced programme success , ( iii ) how context ual factors have affected the extent to which these programmes were integrated into critical health systems functions .
Utilization of ICDS scheme in children one to six years of age in a rural block of central India.
The evaluation of nutritional and immunization services  was undertaken in the rural ICDS block Sanwer ( Madhya Pradesh ) where the project is functioning from last 3 years . A door to door survey was conducted in 1993 in six Anganwadi areas in ICDS block and five r and omly selected matched non ICDS rural area served as controls . There were a total of 709 children in ICDS and 500 in non ICDS block in 1 - 6 years age group . The difference was not statistically significant for nutritional status in the two blocks , but a remarkably better immunization status ( p < 0.005 ) was observed in non ICDS block . The coverage for DPT ( 3 doses ) , and measles vaccination  in ICDS block was 79.57 % and 45.7 % , respectively , while in non ICDS block it was 94.4 % and 62.03 % , respectively . It seems the ICDS scheme is under utilized by the community and requires immediate attention by the health authorities
Our analysis shows few instances where there is full integration of a health intervention or where an intervention is completely non-integrated .
Instead , there exists a highly heterogeneous picture both for the nature and also for the extent of integration .
Health systems combine both non-integrated and integrated interventions , but the balance of these interventions varies considerably
A longst and ing debate on health systems organization relates to benefits of integrating  health programmes that emphasize specific interventions into mainstream health systems to increase access and improve health outcomes .
This debate has long been characterized by polarization of views and ideologies , with protagonists for and against integration arguing the relative merits of each approach .
However , all too frequently these arguments have not been based on hard evidence .
The presence of both integrated and non-integrated programmes in many countries suggests there may be benefits to either approach , but the relative merits of integration in various context s and for different interventions have not been systematic ally analysed and documented .
In this paper we present findings of a systematic review that explores a broad range of evidence on : ( i ) the extent and nature of the integration of targeted health programmes that emphasize specific interventions into critical health systems functions , ( ii ) how the integration or non-integration of health programmes into critical health systems functions in different context s has influenced programme success , ( iii ) how context ual factors have affected the extent to which these programmes were integrated into critical health systems functions .