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Titi-Ofei R, Osei-Afriyie D, Karamagi H. Monitoring Quality of Care in the WHO Africa Region-A study design for measurement and tracking, towards UHC attainment. Glob Health Action 2021; 14:1939493. [PMID: 34320908 PMCID: PMC8330734 DOI: 10.1080/16549716.2021.1939493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper reports on the design of a study to generate a quality of care index for countries in the World Health Organization Africa Region. Quality of care, for all people at all times, remains pivotal to the advancement of the 2030 agenda and the attainment of Universal Health Coverage. We present a study protocol for deriving a quality of care index, hinged on indicators and data elements currently monitored through routine information systems and institutionalized facility assessments in the World Health Organization Africa Region. This paper seeks to offer more insight into options in the Region for strengthening monitoring processes of quality of care, as a step towards generating empirical evidence which can galvanize action towards an improved care process. The methodology proposed in this study design has broad implications for policymaking and priority setting for countries, emphasizing the need for robust empirical measures to understand the functionality of health systems for the delivery of quality essential services. Application of this protocol will guide policymaking, as countries work to increasingly improve quality of care and adopt policies that will best facilitate their advancement towards Universal Health Coverage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regina Titi-Ofei
- Data, Analytics and Knowledge Management Unit, WHO Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Doris Osei-Afriyie
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Humphrey Karamagi
- Data, Analytics and Knowledge Management Unit, WHO Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo
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Kim MK, Baumgartner JN, Headley J, Kirya J, Kaggwa J, Egger JR. Medical record bias in documentation of obstetric and neonatal clinical quality of care indicators in Uganda. J Clin Epidemiol 2021; 136:10-19. [PMID: 33667620 DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2021.02.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To achieve a high quality of care (QoC), accurate measurements are needed. This study evaluated the validity of QoC data from the medical records for childbirth deliveries and assessed whether medical records can be used to evaluate the efficacy of interventions to improve QoC. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING This study was part of a larger study of QoC training program in Uganda. Study data were collected in two phases: (1) validation data from 321 direct observations of deliveries paired with the corresponding medical records; (2) surveillance data from 1,146 medical records of deliveries. Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values were used to measure the validity of the medical record from the validation data. Quantitative bias analysis was conducted to evaluate QoC program efficacy in the surveillance data using prevalence ratio and odds ratio. RESULTS On average, sensitivity (84%) of the medical record was higher than the specificity (34%) across 11 QoC indicators, showing a higher validity in identifying the performed procedure. For 5 out of 11 indicators, bias-corrected odds ratios and prevalence ratios deviated significantly from uncorrected estimates. CONCLUSION The medical records demonstrated poor validity in measuring QoC compared with direct observation. Using the medical record to assess QoC program efficacy should be interpreted carefully.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Kyung Kim
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joy Noel Baumgartner
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, 310 Trent Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Jennifer Headley
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, 310 Trent Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | | | - James Kaggwa
- Makerere University - Johns Hopkins University (MI-JHU) Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Joseph R Egger
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, 310 Trent Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
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Gage A, Bauhoff S. The effects of performance-based financing on neonatal health outcomes in Burundi, Lesotho, Senegal, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Health Policy Plan 2021; 36:332-340. [PMID: 33491082 PMCID: PMC8058947 DOI: 10.1093/heapol/czaa191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal and newborn care has been a primary focus of performance-based financing (PBF) projects, which have been piloted or implemented in 21 countries in sub-Saharan Africa since 2007. Several evaluations of PBF have demonstrated improvements to facility delivery or quality of care. However, no studies have measured the impact of PBF programmes directly on neonatal health outcomes in Africa, nor compared PBF programmes against another. We assess the impact of PBF on early neonatal health outcomes and associated health care utilization and quality in Burundi, Lesotho, Senegal, Zambia and Zimbabwe. We pooled Demographic and Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys and apply difference-in-differences analysis to estimate the effect of PBF projects supported by the World Bank on early neonatal mortality and low birthweight. We also assessed the effect of PBF on intermediate outputs that are frequently explicitly incentivized in PBF projects, including facility delivery and antenatal care utilization and quality, and caesarean section. Finally, we examined the impact among births to poor or high-risk women. We found no statistically significant impact of PBF on neonatal health outcomes, health care utilization or quality in a pooled sample. PBF was also not associated with better health outcomes in each country individually, though in some countries and among poor women PBF improved facility delivery, antenatal care utilization or antenatal care quality. There was no improvement on the health outcomes among poor or high-risk women in the five countries. PBF had no impact on early neonatal health outcomes in the five African countries studied and had limited and variable effects on the utilization and quality of neonatal health care. These findings suggest that there is a need for both a deeper assessment of PBF and for other strategies to make meaningful improvements to neonatal health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Gage
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Building 1, 11th Floor, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Sebastian Bauhoff
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Building 1, 11th Floor, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Quality of maternal and newborn health care in Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study. BMC Health Serv Res 2021; 21:679. [PMID: 34243787 PMCID: PMC8272353 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-021-06680-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Despite reports of universal access to and modest utilization of maternal and newborn health services in Ethiopia, mothers and newborns continue to die from preventable causes. Studies indicate this could be due to poor quality of care provided in health systems. Evidences show that high quality health care prevents more than half of all maternal deaths. In Ethiopia, there is limited knowledge surrounding the status of the quality of maternal and newborn health care in health facilities. This study aims to assess the quality of maternal and neonatal health care provision at the health facility level in four regions in Ethiopia. Methodology This study employed a facility-based cross-sectional study design. It included 32 health facilities which were part of the facilities for prototyping maternal and neonatal health quality improvement interventions. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire, key informant interviews and record reviews. Data was entered in Microsoft Excel and exported to STATA for analysis. Descriptive analysis results are presented in texts, tables and graphs. Quality of maternal and neonatal health care was measured by input, process and outputs components. The components were developed by computing scores using standards used to measure the three components of the quality of maternal and neonatal health care. Result The study was done in a total of 32 health facilities: 5 hospitals and 27 health centers in four regions. The study revealed that the average value of the quality of the maternal and neonatal health care input component among health facilities was 62%, while the quality of the process component was 43%. The quality of the maternal and neonatal health output component was 48%. According to the standard cut-off point for MNH quality of care, only 5 (15.6%), 3 (9.3%) and 3 (10.7%) of health facilities met the expected input, process and output maternal and neonatal health care quality standards, respectively. Conclusion This study revealed that the majority of health facilities did not meet the national MNH quality of care standards. Focus should be directed towards improving the input, process and output standards of the maternal and neonatal health care quality, with the strongest focus on process improvement. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-021-06680-1.
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Getachew T, Abebe SM, Yitayal M, Bergström A, Persson LA, Berhanu D. Health extension workers' perceived health system context and health post preparedness to provide services: a cross-sectional study in four Ethiopian regions. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e048517. [PMID: 34108171 PMCID: PMC8191611 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-048517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The health system context influences the implementation of evidence-based practices and quality of healthcare services. Ethiopia aims at reaching universal health coverage but faces low primary care utilisation and substandard quality of care. We assessed the health extension workers' perceived context and the preparedness of health posts to provide services. SETTING This study was part of evaluating a complex intervention in 52 districts of four regions of Ethiopia. This paper used the endline data collected from December 2018 to February 2019. PARTICIPANTS A total of 152 health posts and health extension workers serving selected enumeration areas were included. OUTCOME MEASURES We used the Context Assessment for Community Health (COACH) tool and the Service Availability and Readiness Assessment tool. RESULTS Internal reliability of COACH was satisfactory. The dimensions community engagement, work culture, commitment to work and leadership all scored high (mean 3.75-4.01 on a 1-5 scale), while organisational resources, sources of knowledge and informal payments scored low (1.78-2.71). The general service readiness index was 59%. On average, 67% of the health posts had basic amenities to provide services, 81% had basic equipment, 42% had standard precautions for infection prevention, 47% had test capacity for malaria and 58% had essential medicines. CONCLUSION The health extension workers had a good relationship with the local community, used data for planning, were highly committed to their work with positive perceptions of their work culture, a relatively positive attitude regarding their leaders, and reported no corruption or informal payments. In contrast, they had insufficient sources of information and a severe lack of resources. The health post preparedness confirmed the low level of resources and preparedness for services. These findings suggest a significant potential contribution by health extension workers to Ethiopia's primary healthcare, provided that they receive improved support, including new information and essential resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodros Getachew
- Health System and Reproductive Health Research Directtorate, Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Institute of Public Health, University of Gondar College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Solomon Mekonnen Abebe
- Institute of Public Health, University of Gondar College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Mezgebu Yitayal
- Institute of Public Health, University of Gondar College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | | | - Lars-Ake Persson
- Health System and Reproductive Health Research Directtorate, Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Della Berhanu
- Health System and Reproductive Health Research Directtorate, Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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Burnout among primary health care workers in Brazil: results of a multilevel analysis. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2021; 94:1863-1875. [PMID: 34057590 DOI: 10.1007/s00420-021-01709-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Burnout among health care workers may hamper the quality of care and effectiveness of health systems. Hence, we examined the prevalence of burnout in primary care teams, including community health workers; and investigated associations between individuals' characteristics, team and primary care center factors, and burnout. METHODS We carried out a cross-sectional study among primary care teams in the city of São Paulo, Brazil (n = 2940). We randomly selected 66 primary care centers. The Maslach burnout inventory was used to investigate burnout. We used multilevel modelling to examine the associations between individuals' characteristics, team and primary care center variables with burnout. RESULTS We addressed 351 primary care teams, with 11.4% of participants presenting severe burnout. The variance in burnout among primary care workers was partially explained by individuals' characteristics, and by team and primary care center factors. Severe burnout was associated with the following: (1) individuals' characteristics: being black, being younger, a higher length of employment in primary care, and presenting a lack of feedback from supervisors; (2) team factors: working in deprived areas and not receiving the support of a multidisciplinary team; and (3) primary care center factors: inadequate infrastructure (less than one office available per team), and having a bad/very bad relationship with the community council. CONCLUSIONS To reduce burnout among primary care teams, stakeholders should: (1) train managers/supervisors on leadership styles that prioritize performance feedback, support, and communication skills; (2) allocate catchment areas to teams according to each community's vulnerability; (3) provide a multidisciplinary team to support primary care workers; and (4) offer suitable facilities and infra-structure.
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Arsenault C, Yakob B, Tilahun T, Nigatu TG, Dinsa G, Woldie M, Kassa M, Berman P, Kruk ME. Patient volume and quality of primary care in Ethiopia: findings from the routine health information system and the 2014 Service Provision Assessment survey. BMC Health Serv Res 2021; 21:485. [PMID: 34022856 PMCID: PMC8140434 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-021-06524-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Several studies have reported inadequate levels of quality of care in the Ethiopian health system. Facility characteristics associated with better quality remain unclear. Understanding associations between patient volumes and quality of care could help organize service delivery and potentially improve patient outcomes. Methods Using data from the routine health management information system (HMIS) and the 2014 Ethiopian Service Provision Assessment survey + we assessed associations between daily total outpatient volumes and quality of services. Quality of care at the facility level was estimated as the average of five measures of provider knowledge (clinical vignettes on malaria and tuberculosis) and competence (observations of family planning, antenatal care and sick child care consultations). We used linear regression models adjusted for several facility-level confounders and region fixed effects with log-transformed patient volume fitted as a linear spline. We repeated analyses for the association between volume of antenatal care visits and quality. Results Our analysis included 424 facilities including 270 health centers, 45 primary hospitals and 109 general hospitals in Ethiopia. Quality was low across all facilities ranging from only 18 to 56% with a mean score of 38%. Outpatient volume varied from less than one patient per day to 581. We found a small but statistically significant association between volume and quality which appeared non-linear, with an inverted U-shape. Among facilities seeing less than 90.6 outpatients per day, quality increased with greater patient volumes. Among facilities seeing 90.6 or more outpatients per day, quality decreased with greater patient volumes. We found a similar association between volume and quality of antenatal care visits. Conclusions Health care utilization and quality must be improved throughout the health system in Ethiopia. Our results are suggestive of a potential U-shape association between volume and quality of primary care services. Understanding the links between volume of patients and quality of care may provide insights for organizing service delivery in Ethiopia and similar contexts. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-021-06524-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Arsenault
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Bereket Yakob
- Fenot Project, Harvard T.H. Chan school of Public Health and School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Tizta Tilahun
- Fenot Project, Harvard T.H. Chan school of Public Health and School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Tsinuel Girma Nigatu
- Fenot Project, Harvard T.H. Chan school of Public Health and School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Girmaye Dinsa
- Fenot Project, Harvard T.H. Chan school of Public Health and School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.,Department of Public Health and Health Policy, College of Health Sciences, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia
| | - Mirkuzie Woldie
- Fenot Project, Harvard T.H. Chan school of Public Health and School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.,Ministry of Health, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | | | - Peter Berman
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Margaret E Kruk
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
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Foster N, Cunnama L, McCarthy K, Ramma L, Siapka M, Sinanovic E, Churchyard G, Fielding K, Grant AD, Cleary S. Strengthening health systems to improve the value of tuberculosis diagnostics in South Africa: A cost and cost-effectiveness analysis. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0251547. [PMID: 33989317 PMCID: PMC8121360 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0251547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In South Africa, replacing smear microscopy with Xpert-MTB/RIF (Xpert) for tuberculosis diagnosis did not reduce mortality and was cost-neutral. The unchanged mortality has been attributed to suboptimal Xpert implementation. We developed a mathematical model to explore how complementary investments may improve cost-effectiveness of the tuberculosis diagnostic algorithm. METHODS Complementary investments in the tuberculosis diagnostic pathway were compared to the status quo. Investment scenarios following an initial Xpert test included actions to reduce pre-treatment loss-to-follow-up; supporting same-day clinical diagnosis of tuberculosis after a negative result; and improving access to further tuberculosis diagnostic tests following a negative result. We estimated costs, deaths and disability-adjusted-life-years (DALYs) averted from provider and societal perspectives. Sensitivity analyses explored the mediating influence of behavioural, disease- and organisational characteristics on investment effectiveness. FINDINGS Among a cohort of symptomatic patients tested for tuberculosis, with an estimated active tuberculosis prevalence of 13%, reducing pre-treatment loss-to-follow-up from ~20% to ~0% led to a 4% (uncertainty interval [UI] 3; 4%) reduction in mortality compared to the Xpert scenario. Improving access to further tuberculosis diagnostic tests from ~4% to 90% among those with an initial negative Xpert result reduced overall mortality by 28% (UI 27; 28) at $39.70/ DALY averted. Effectiveness of investment scenarios to improve access to further diagnostic tests was dependent on a high return rate for follow-up visits. INTERPRETATION Investing in direct and indirect costs to support the TB diagnostic pathway is potentially highly cost-effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Foster
- Health Economics Unit, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Health Research, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
- TB Centre, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lucy Cunnama
- Health Economics Unit, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Kerrigan McCarthy
- Division of Public Health, Surveillance and Response, National Institute for Communicable Disease of the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Lebogang Ramma
- Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Mariana Siapka
- TB Centre, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Edina Sinanovic
- Health Economics Unit, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Gavin Churchyard
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Aurum Institute, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Katherine Fielding
- TB Centre, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Alison D. Grant
- TB Centre, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Africa Health Research Institute, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Susan Cleary
- Health Economics Unit, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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Whitaker J, O'Donohoe N, Denning M, Poenaru D, Guadagno E, Leather AJM, Davies JI. Assessing trauma care systems in low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review and evidence synthesis mapping the Three Delays framework to injury health system assessments. BMJ Glob Health 2021; 6:e004324. [PMID: 33975885 PMCID: PMC8118008 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-004324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The large burden of injuries falls disproportionately on low/middle-income countries (LMICs). Health system interventions improve outcomes in high-income countries. Assessing LMIC trauma systems supports their improvement. Evaluating systems using a Three Delays framework, considering barriers to seeking (Delay 1), reaching (Delay 2) and receiving care (Delay 3), has aided maternal health gains. Rapid assessments allow timely appraisal within resource and logistically constrained settings. We systematically reviewed existing literature on the assessment of LMIC trauma systems, applying the Three Delays framework and rapid assessment principles. METHODS We conducted a systematic review and narrative synthesis of articles assessing LMIC trauma systems. We searched seven databases and grey literature for studies and reports published until October 2018. Inclusion criteria were an injury care focus and assessment of at least one defined system aspect. We mapped each study to the Three Delays framework and judged its suitability for rapid assessment. RESULTS Of 14 677 articles identified, 111 studies and 8 documents were included. Sub-Saharan Africa was the most commonly included region (44.1%). Delay 3, either alone or in combination, was most commonly assessed (79.3%) followed by Delay 2 (46.8%) and Delay 1 (10.8%). Facility assessment was the most common method of assessment (36.0%). Only 2.7% of studies assessed all Three Delays. We judged 62.6% of study methodologies potentially suitable for rapid assessment. CONCLUSIONS Whole health system injury research is needed as facility capacity assessments dominate. Future studies should consider novel or combined methods to study Delays 1 and 2, alongside care processes and outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Whitaker
- King's Centre for Global Health and Health Partnerships, King's College London Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, London, UK
- Academic Department of Military Surgery and Trauma, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Birmingham, UK
| | | | - Max Denning
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Stanford Graduate School of Business, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Dan Poenaru
- Harvey E Beardmore Division of Pediatric Surgery, Montreal Children's Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Elena Guadagno
- Harvey E Beardmore Division of Pediatric Surgery, Montreal Children's Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Andrew J M Leather
- King's Centre for Global Health and Health Partnerships, King's College London Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, London, UK
| | - Justine I Davies
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, West Midlands, UK
- Centre for Global Surgery, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa
- Medical Research Council/Wits University Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Whitaker J, Chirwa L, Munthali B, Dube A, Amoah AS, Leather AJM, Davies J. Development and use of clinical vignettes to assess injury care quality in Northern Malawi. Injury 2021; 52:793-805. [PMID: 33487406 DOI: 10.1016/j.injury.2021.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2020] [Revised: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is known that outcomes after injury care in low-and-middle income countries (LMICs) are poorer than those in high income countries. However, little is known about healthcare provider competency to deliver quality injury care in these settings. We developed and used clinical vignettes to evaluate injury care quality in an LMIC setting. METHOD Four serious injury scenarios, developed from agreed best practice, testing diagnostic and management skills, were piloted with high and low-income setting clinicians. Scenarios were used with primary and referral facility clinicians in Malawi. Participants described their clinical course of action (assessment, diagnostic, treatment and management approaches) for each scenario, registering one point per agreed best practice response. Mean percentage total scores were calculated and univariable and multivariable comparison made across provider groups, facility types, injury care frequency and training level. RESULTS Fourteen Doctors, 51 Clinical Officers, 20 Medical Assistants from 11 facilities participated. Mean percentage total vignette scores varied significantly with clinician provider group (Doctors 63.1% vs Clinical Officers 49.6%, p<0.001, Clinical Officers vs Medical Assistants 39.4% p=0.001). Important care aspects most frequently included or omitted were: following chest injury, 88.2% reported chest drain insertion, 7.1% checked for tracheal deviation; following penetrating abdominal injury and shock, 98.8% secured IV access, 0% mentioned tranexamic acid; following severe head injury, 88.2% proposed CT or neurosurgical transfer, 7.1% ensured normotension; and following isolated open lower leg fracture, 90.1% arranged orthopaedic consultation, 2.4% assessed distal neurological status. CONCLUSION These clinical vignettes proved easy to use and collected rich data. This supports their use for assessing and monitoring clinical care quality in other similar settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Whitaker
- King's Centre for Global Health and Health Partnerships, School of Population Health & Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK; Academic Department of Military Surgery and Trauma, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Birmingham, UK.
| | - Lindani Chirwa
- Karonga District Hospital, Karonga District Health Office, Karonga, Malawi
| | - Boston Munthali
- Mzuzu Central Hospital, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Mzuzu, Malawi
| | - Albert Dube
- Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit (MEIRU), Chilumba, Karonga District Malawi
| | - Abena S Amoah
- Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit (MEIRU), Chilumba, Karonga District Malawi; Department of Population Health, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Andrew J M Leather
- King's Centre for Global Health and Health Partnerships, School of Population Health & Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Justine Davies
- King's Centre for Global Health and Health Partnerships, School of Population Health & Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK; Centre for Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; Medical Research Council/Wits University Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Extraordinary Professor, Centre for Global Surgery, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town
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Bor J, Gage A, Onoya D, Maskew M, Tripodis Y, Fox MP, Puren A, Carmona S, Mlisana K, MacLeod W. Variation in HIV care and treatment outcomes by facility in South Africa, 2011-2015: A cohort study. PLoS Med 2021; 18:e1003479. [PMID: 33789340 PMCID: PMC8012100 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1003479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite widespread availability of HIV treatment, patient outcomes differ across facilities. We propose and evaluate an approach to measure quality of HIV care at health facilities in South Africa's national HIV program using routine laboratory data. METHODS AND FINDINGS Data were extracted from South Africa's National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) Corporate Data Warehouse. All CD4 counts, viral loads (VLs), and other laboratory tests used in HIV monitoring were linked, creating a validated patient identifier. We constructed longitudinal HIV care cascades for all patients in the national HIV program, excluding data from the Western Cape and very small facilities. We then estimated for each facility in each year (2011 to 2015) the following cascade measures identified a priori as reflecting quality of HIV care: median CD4 count among new patients; retention 12 months after presentation; 12-month retention among patients established in care; viral suppression; CD4 recovery; monitoring after an elevated VL. We used factor analysis to identify an underlying measure of quality of care, and we assessed the persistence of this quality measure over time. We then assessed spatiotemporal variation and facility and population predictors in a multivariable regression context. We analyzed data on 3,265 facilities with a median (IQR) annual size of 441 (189 to 988) lab-monitored HIV patients. Retention 12 months after presentation increased from 42% to 47% during the study period, and viral suppression increased from 66% to 79%, although there was substantial variability across facilities. We identified an underlying measure of quality of HIV care that correlated with all cascade measures except median CD4 count at presentation. Averaging across the 5 years of data, this quality score attained a reliability of 0.84. Quality was higher for clinics (versus hospitals), in rural (versus urban) areas, and for larger facilities. Quality was lower in high-poverty areas but was not independently associated with percent Black. Quality increased by 0.49 (95% CI 0.46 to 0.53) standard deviations from 2011 to 2015, and there was evidence of geospatial autocorrelation (p < 0.001). The study's limitations include an inability to fully adjust for underlying patient risk, reliance on laboratory data which do not capture all relevant domains of quality, potential for errors in record linkage, and the omission of Western Cape. CONCLUSIONS We observed persistent differences in HIV care and treatment outcomes across South African facilities. Targeting low-performing facilities for additional support could reduce overall burden of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Bor
- Department of Global Health, Boston University School of Public Health, BA, United States of America
- Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, BA, United States of America
| | - Anna Gage
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, BA, United States of America
| | - Dorina Onoya
- Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Mhairi Maskew
- Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Yorghos Tripodis
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, BA, United States of America
| | - Matthew P. Fox
- Department of Global Health, Boston University School of Public Health, BA, United States of America
- Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, BA, United States of America
| | - Adrian Puren
- National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Sergio Carmona
- National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Koleka Mlisana
- National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - William MacLeod
- Department of Global Health, Boston University School of Public Health, BA, United States of America
- Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Gage A, Aryal A, Paul Joseph J, Cohen J. The price of quality care: cross-sectional associations between out-of-pocket payments and quality of care in six low-income countries. Trop Med Int Health 2021; 26:701-714. [PMID: 33638293 DOI: 10.1111/tmi.13567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the relationship between out-of-pocket (OOP) payments and primary health care quality in six low-income countries: Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Haiti, Nepal, Senegal and Tanzania. METHODS We examined the association between OOP payments and quality of care during antenatal care and sick child care visits using Service Provision Assessments data. We defined four process quality outcomes from observations of clinical care: visit duration, history-taking items asked, exam items performed, and counselling items delivered. The outcome is the total amount paid for services. We used multilevel models to test the relationship between OOP payments and each quality measure in public, private non-profit and private for-profit facilities controlling for patient, provider, and facility characteristics. RESULTS Across the six countries, an average of 42% of the 29 677 observed clients paid for their visit. In the adjusted models, OOP payments were positively associated with the visit duration during sick child visits, with history-taking and exam items during antenatal care visits, and with counselling in private for-profit facilities for both visit types. These associations were strong particularly in Afghanistan, the DRC and Haiti; for example, a high-quality antenatal care visit in the DRC would cost approximately USD 1.12 more than a visit with median quality. CONCLUSION Provider effort was associated with higher OOP payments for sick child and antenatal care services in the six countries studied. While many families are already spending high amounts on care, they must often spend even more to receive higher quality care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Gage
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Amit Aryal
- Office of Member of Parliament, Gagan K Thapa, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Jean Paul Joseph
- Hôpital Universitaire de Mirebalais (HUM), Zanmi Lasante, Mirebalais, Haiti
| | - Jessica Cohen
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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Jordan K, Lewis TP, Roberts B. Quality in crisis: a systematic review of the quality of health systems in humanitarian settings. Confl Health 2021; 15:7. [PMID: 33531065 PMCID: PMC7851932 DOI: 10.1186/s13031-021-00342-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background There is a growing concern that the quality of health systems in humanitarian crises and the care they provide has received little attention. To help better understand current practice and research on health system quality, this paper aimed to examine the evidence on the quality of health systems in humanitarian settings. Methods This systematic review was based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol. The context of interest was populations affected by humanitarian crisis in low- and middle- income countries (LMICs). We included studies where the intervention of interest, health services for populations affected by crisis, was provided by the formal health system. Our outcome of interest was the quality of the health system. We included primary research studies, from a combination of information sources, published in English between January 2000 and January 2019 using quantitative and qualitative methods. We used the High Quality Health Systems Framework to analyze the included studies by quality domain and sub-domain. Results We identified 2285 articles through our search, of which 163 were eligible for full-text review, and 55 articles were eligible for inclusion in our systematic review. Poor diagnosis, inadequate patient referrals, and inappropriate treatment of illness were commonly cited barriers to quality care. There was a strong focus placed on the foundations of a health system with emphasis on the workforce and tools, but a limited focus on the health impacts of health systems. The review also suggests some barriers to high quality health systems that are specific to humanitarian settings such as language barriers for refugees in their host country, discontinued care for migrant populations with chronic conditions, and fears around provider safety. Conclusion The review highlights a large gap in the measurement of quality both at the point of care and at the health system level. There is a need for further work particularly on health system measurement strategies, accountability mechanisms, and patient-centered approaches in humanitarian settings. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13031-021-00342-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keely Jordan
- Department of Health Policy, New York University School of Global Public Health, 665 Broadway, New York, NY, 10012, USA.
| | - Todd P Lewis
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bayard Roberts
- Department of Health Services Research and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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Oluoch-Aridi J, Adam MB, Wafula F, K’okwaro G. Eliciting women's preferences for place of child birth at a peri-urban setting in Nairobi, Kenya: A discrete choice experiment. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0242149. [PMID: 33301447 PMCID: PMC7728449 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Maternal and newborn mortality rates are high in peri-urban areas in cities in Kenya, yet little is known about what drives women’s decisions on where to deliver. This study aimed at understanding women’s preferences on place of childbirth and how sociodemographic factors shape these preferences. Methods This study used a Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) to quantify the relative importance of attributes on women’s choice of place of childbirth within a peri-urban setting in Nairobi, Kenya. Participants were women aged 18–49 years, who had delivered at six health facilities. The DCE consisted of six attributes: cleanliness, availability of medical equipment and drug supplies, attitude of healthcare worker, cost of delivery services, the quality of clinical services, distance and an opt-out alternative. Each woman received eight questions. A conditional logit model established the relative strength of preferences. A mixed logit model was used to assess how women’s preferences for selected attributes changed based on their sociodemographic characteristics. Results 411 women participated in the Discrete Choice Experiment, a response rate of 97.6% and completed 20,080 choice tasks. Health facility cleanliness was found to have the strongest association with choice of health facility (β = 1.488 p<0.001) followed respectively by medical equipment and supplies availability (β = 1.435 p<0.001). The opt-out alternative (β = 1.424 p<0.001) came third. The attitude of the health care workers (β = 1.347, p<0.001), quality of clinical services (β = 0.385, p<0.001), distance (β = 0.339, p<0.001) and cost (β = 0.0002 p<0.001) were ranked 4th to 7th respectively. Women who were younger and were the main income earners having a stronger preference for clean health facilities. Older married women had stronger preference for availability of medical equipment and kind healthcare workers. Conclusions Women preferred both technical and process indicators of quality of care. DCE’s can lead to the development of person-centered strategies that take into account the preferences of women to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jackline Oluoch-Aridi
- Institute of Healthcare Management, Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya
- The Ford Family Program in Human Development Studies & Solidarity, Kellogg Institute of International Studies, University of Notre Dame, Indiana, United States
- * E-mail:
| | - Mary B. Adam
- Institute of Healthcare Management, Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya
- Maternal Newborn Community Health, AIC Hospital, Kijabe, Kenya
| | - Francis Wafula
- Institute of Healthcare Management, Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Gilbert K’okwaro
- Institute of Healthcare Management, Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya
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Asante A, Man N, Wiseman V. Evaluating Equity in Health Financing Using Benefit Incidence Analysis: A Framework for Accounting for Quality of Care. APPLIED HEALTH ECONOMICS AND HEALTH POLICY 2020; 18:759-766. [PMID: 32567036 PMCID: PMC7716894 DOI: 10.1007/s40258-020-00597-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Equity in health care financing has gained increased attention in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) following the renewed global interest in universal health coverage (UHC), a key component of the sustainable development goals (SDGs). UHC requires that people have access to the health services they need without risking financial hardship. Health financing is central to UHC and many LMICs have initiated reforms to align their health financing systems with the goals of UHC. Evaluation of the equity impact of these reforms has become a growing area of research, especially in countries with large health inequalities where the pressure to move towards UHC is most intense and the need for evidence to inform policy most critical. However, current analytical tools for evaluating equity in health financing conspicuously exclude indicators of quality, an important dimension of UHC. The aim of this paper was to address this critical methodological gap by introducing quality scores into benefit incidence analysis (BIA), one of the key techniques for assessing equity in health financing. BIA measures the extent to which different socioeconomic groups benefit from public spending on health care through their use of health services. The benefit (public subsidy) is captured in monetary terms by multiplying the quantity of a particular health service consumed by the unit cost of that service and subtracting any out-of-pocket costs incurred while using the service. It does not account for variations in the quality of health services in the computation of the public subsidy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Augustine Asante
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Room 238, Level 2 Samuels Building, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
| | - Nicola Man
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Virginia Wiseman
- Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Davies JI, Reddiar SK, Hirschhorn LR, Ebert C, Marcus ME, Seiglie JA, Zhumadilov Z, Supiyev A, Sturua L, Silver BK, Sibai AM, Quesnel-Crooks S, Norov B, Mwangi JK, Omar OM, Wong-McClure R, Mayige MT, Martins JS, Lunet N, Labadarios D, Karki KB, Kagaruki GB, Jorgensen JMA, Hwalla NC, Houinato D, Houehanou C, Guwatudde D, Gurung MS, Bovet P, Bicaba BW, Aryal KK, Msaidié M, Andall-Brereton G, Brian G, Stokes A, Vollmer S, Bärnighausen T, Atun R, Geldsetzer P, Manne-Goehler J, Jaacks LM. Association between country preparedness indicators and quality clinical care for cardiovascular disease risk factors in 44 lower- and middle-income countries: A multicountry analysis of survey data. PLoS Med 2020; 17:e1003268. [PMID: 33170842 PMCID: PMC7654799 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1003268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cardiovascular diseases are leading causes of death, globally, and health systems that deliver quality clinical care are needed to manage an increasing number of people with risk factors for these diseases. Indicators of preparedness of countries to manage cardiovascular disease risk factors (CVDRFs) are regularly collected by ministries of health and global health agencies. We aimed to assess whether these indicators are associated with patient receipt of quality clinical care. METHODS AND FINDINGS We did a secondary analysis of cross-sectional, nationally representative, individual-patient data from 187,552 people with hypertension (mean age 48.1 years, 53.5% female) living in 43 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and 40,795 people with diabetes (mean age 52.2 years, 57.7% female) living in 28 LMICs on progress through cascades of care (condition diagnosed, treated, or controlled) for diabetes or hypertension, to indicate outcomes of provision of quality clinical care. Data were extracted from national-level World Health Organization (WHO) Stepwise Approach to Surveillance (STEPS), or other similar household surveys, conducted between July 2005 and November 2016. We used mixed-effects logistic regression to estimate associations between each quality clinical care outcome and indicators of country development (gross domestic product [GDP] per capita or Human Development Index [HDI]); national capacity for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases ('NCD readiness indicators' from surveys done by WHO); health system finance (domestic government expenditure on health [as percentage of GDP], private, and out-of-pocket expenditure on health [both as percentage of current]); and health service readiness (number of physicians, nurses, or hospital beds per 1,000 people) and performance (neonatal mortality rate). All models were adjusted for individual-level predictors including age, sex, and education. In an exploratory analysis, we tested whether national-level data on facility preparedness for diabetes were positively associated with outcomes. Associations were inconsistent between indicators and quality clinical care outcomes. For hypertension, GDP and HDI were both positively associated with each outcome. Of the 33 relationships tested between NCD readiness indicators and outcomes, only two showed a significant positive association: presence of guidelines with being diagnosed (odds ratio [OR], 1.86 [95% CI 1.08-3.21], p = 0.03) and availability of funding with being controlled (OR, 2.26 [95% CI 1.09-4.69], p = 0.03). Hospital beds (OR, 1.14 [95% CI 1.02-1.27], p = 0.02), nurses/midwives (OR, 1.24 [95% CI 1.06-1.44], p = 0.006), and physicians (OR, 1.21 [95% CI 1.11-1.32], p < 0.001) per 1,000 people were positively associated with being diagnosed and, similarly, with being treated; and the number of physicians was additionally associated with being controlled (OR, 1.12 [95% CI 1.01-1.23], p = 0.03). For diabetes, no positive associations were seen between NCD readiness indicators and outcomes. There was no association between country development, health service finance, or health service performance and readiness indicators and any outcome, apart from GDP (OR, 1.70 [95% CI 1.12-2.59], p = 0.01), HDI (OR, 1.21 [95% CI 1.01-1.44], p = 0.04), and number of physicians per 1,000 people (OR, 1.28 [95% CI 1.09-1.51], p = 0.003), which were associated with being diagnosed. Six countries had data on cascades of care and nationwide-level data on facility preparedness. Of the 27 associations tested between facility preparedness indicators and outcomes, the only association that was significant was having metformin available, which was positively associated with treatment (OR, 1.35 [95% CI 1.01-1.81], p = 0.04). The main limitation was use of blood pressure measurement on a single occasion to diagnose hypertension and a single blood glucose measurement to diagnose diabetes. CONCLUSION In this study, we observed that indicators of country preparedness to deal with CVDRFs are poor proxies for quality clinical care received by patients for hypertension and diabetes. The major implication is that assessments of countries' preparedness to manage CVDRFs should not rely on proxies; rather, it should involve direct assessment of quality clinical care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justine I. Davies
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit, School of Public Health, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- King’s Centre for Global Health, King’s College London, United Kingdom
- Centre for Global Surgery, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Sumithra Krishnamurthy Reddiar
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Lisa R. Hirschhorn
- Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Cara Ebert
- RWI Leibniz Institute for Economic Research, Berlin Office, Berlin, Germany
| | - Maja-Emilia Marcus
- Department of Economics and Centre for Modern Indian Studies, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jacqueline A. Seiglie
- Diabetes Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Zhaxybay Zhumadilov
- National Laboratory Astana, University Medical Center, Nazarbayev University, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
| | - Adil Supiyev
- Laboratory of Epidemiology and Public Health, Center for Life Sciences, National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
| | - Lela Sturua
- Non-Communicable Disease Department, National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | | | - Abla M. Sibai
- Department of Epidemiology & Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | | | - Bolormaa Norov
- National Center for Public Health, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Joseph K. Mwangi
- Division of Non-Communicable Diseases, Kenya Ministry of Health, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Roy Wong-McClure
- Epidemiology Office and Surveillance, Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social, San Jose, Costa Rica
| | - Mary T. Mayige
- National Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Joao S. Martins
- Postgraduate Program Office, Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosae, Dili, Timor-Leste
| | - Nuno Lunet
- Departamento de Ciências da Saúde Pública e Forenses e Educação Médica, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Demetre Labadarios
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Khem B. Karki
- Institute of Medicine, Tribuvan, University Kathmandu, Nepal
| | | | | | - Nahla C. Hwalla
- Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Dismand Houinato
- Laboratory of Epidemiology of Chronic and Neurological Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Abomey–Calavi, Cotonou, Benin
| | - Corine Houehanou
- Laboratory of Epidemiology of Chronic and Neurological Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Abomey–Calavi, Cotonou, Benin
| | - David Guwatudde
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Mongal S. Gurung
- Health Research and Epidemiology Unit, Ministry of Health, Thimphu, Bhutan
| | - Pascal Bovet
- University Center of Primary Care and Health Services (Unisanté), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Ministry of Health, Victoria, Republic of Seychelles
| | - Brice W. Bicaba
- Institut Africain de Santé publique (IASP), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Krishna K. Aryal
- Monitoring Evaluation and Operational Research Project, Abt Associates, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Mohamed Msaidié
- Ministry of Health, Solidarity, Social Cohesion and Gender, Government of the Union of Comoros, Moroni, Union of Comoros
| | | | - Garry Brian
- The Fred Hollows Foundation New Zealand, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Andrew Stokes
- Department of Global Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Sebastian Vollmer
- Department of Economics and Centre for Modern Indian Studies, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), Somkhele and Durban, South Africa
| | - Rifat Atun
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Pascal Geldsetzer
- Division of Primary Care and Population Health, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, United States of America
| | - Jennifer Manne-Goehler
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Medical Practice Evaluation Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Lindsay M. Jaacks
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Public Health Foundation of India, New Delhi, Delhi, India
- Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Security, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom
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Beneath the Surface: A Comparison of Methods for Assessment of Quality of Care for Maternal and Neonatal Health Care in Rural Uganda. Matern Child Health J 2020; 24:328-339. [PMID: 31894511 DOI: 10.1007/s10995-019-02862-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Efforts to improve access to healthcare in low-income countries will not achieve the maternal and child health (MCH) Sustainable Development Goals unless a concomitant improvement in the quality of care (QoC) occurs. This study measures infrastructure and QoC indicators in rural Ugandan health facilities. Valid measure of the quality of current clinical practices in resource-limited settings are critical for effectively intervening to reduce adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. METHODS Facility-based assessments of infrastructure and clinical quality during labor and delivery were conducted in six primary care health facilities in the greater Masaka area, Uganda in 2017. Data were collected using direct observation of clinical encounters and facility checklists. Direct observation comprised the entire delivery process, from initial client assessment to discharge, and included emergency management (e.g. postpartum hemorrhage, neonatal resuscitation). Health providers were assessed on their adherence to best practice standards of care. RESULTS The quality of facility infrastructure was relatively high in facilities, with little variation in availability of equipment and supplies. However, heterogeneity in adherence to best clinical practices was noted across procedure type and facility. Adherence to crude measures of clinical quality were relatively high but more sensitive measures of the same clinical practice were found to be much lower. CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE Standard indicators of clinical practice may be insufficient to validly measure clinical quality for maternal and newborn care if we want to document evidence of impact.
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Gupta N, Coates MM, Bekele A, Dupuy R, Fénelon DL, Gage AD, Getachew T, Karmacharya BM, Kwan GF, Lulebo AM, Masiye JK, Mayige MT, Ndour Mbaye M, Mridha MK, Park PH, Dagnaw WW, Wroe EB, Bukhman G. Availability of equipment and medications for non-communicable diseases and injuries at public first-referral level hospitals: a cross-sectional analysis of service provision assessments in eight low-income countries. BMJ Open 2020; 10:e038842. [PMID: 33040014 PMCID: PMC7549470 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-038842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVES Non-communicable diseases and injuries (NCDIs) comprise a large share of mortality and morbidity in low-income countries (LICs), many of which occur earlier in life and with greater severity than in higher income settings. Our objective was to assess availability of essential equipment and medications required for a broad range of acute and chronic NCDI conditions. DESIGN Secondary analysis of existing cross-sectional survey data. SETTING We used data from Service Provision Assessment surveys in Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Malawi, Nepal, Senegal and Tanzania, focusing on public first-referral level hospitals in each country. OUTCOME MEASURES We defined sets of equipment and medications required for diagnosis and management of four acute and nine chronic NCDI conditions and determined availability of these items at the health facilities. RESULTS Overall, 797 hospitals were included. Medication and equipment availability was highest for acute epilepsy (country estimates ranging from 40% to 95%) and stage 1-2 hypertension (28%-83%). Availability was low for type 1 diabetes (1%-70%), type 2 diabetes (3%-57%), asthma (0%-7%) and acute presentations of diabetes (0%-26%) and asthma (0%-4%). Few hospitals had equipment or medications for heart failure (0%-32%), rheumatic heart disease (0%-23%), hypertensive emergencies (0%-64%) or acute minor surgical conditions (0%-5%). Data for chronic pain were limited to only two countries. Availability of essential medications and equipment was lower than previous facility-reported service availability. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate low availability of essential equipment and medications for diverse NCDIs at first-referral level hospitals in eight LICs. There is a need for decentralisation and integration of NCDI services in existing care platforms and improved assessment and monitoring to fully achieve universal health coverage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil Gupta
- Program in Global Noncommunicable Disease and Social Change, Harvard Medical School Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Global Health Equity, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Partners In Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Matthew M Coates
- Program in Global Noncommunicable Disease and Social Change, Harvard Medical School Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Global Health Equity, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Abebe Bekele
- Health System and Reproductive Health Research Directorate, Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Roodney Dupuy
- Le Ministère de la Santé Publique et de la Population, Port-au-Prince, Haiti
| | | | - Anna D Gage
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Theodros Getachew
- Health System and Reproductive Health Research Directorate, Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- College of Medicine and Health Science, Institute of Public Health, University of Gondar College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Biraj Man Karmacharya
- Department of Community Medicine, Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Gene F Kwan
- Program in Global Noncommunicable Disease and Social Change, Harvard Medical School Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Partners In Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Aimée M Lulebo
- Kinshasa School of Public Health, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | | | | | - Maïmouna Ndour Mbaye
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Center of Dakar, Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Malay Kanti Mridha
- Center for Non-communicable Diseases and Nutrition, BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Paul H Park
- Program in Global Noncommunicable Disease and Social Change, Harvard Medical School Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Global Health Equity, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Partners In Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Wubaye Walelgne Dagnaw
- Partners In Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Ethiopia Ministry of Health, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Emily B Wroe
- Program in Global Noncommunicable Disease and Social Change, Harvard Medical School Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Global Health Equity, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Partners In Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Gene Bukhman
- Program in Global Noncommunicable Disease and Social Change, Harvard Medical School Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Global Health Equity, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Partners In Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Moucheraud C, McBride K. Variability in Health Care Quality Measurement among Studies Using Service Provision Assessment Data from Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2020; 103:986-992. [PMID: 32588806 PMCID: PMC7470535 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.19-0644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Quality of care is essential for improving health outcomes, but heterogeneity in theoretical frameworks and metrics can limit studies' generalizability and comparability. This research aimed to compare definitions of care quality across research articles that incorporate data from Service Provision Assessment (SPA) surveys. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis guidelines, we used a keyword search in PubMed. Each author reviewed abstracts, then full texts, for inclusion criteria, and peer-reviewed publications of empirical analysis using SPA data. The search yielded 3,250 unique abstracts, and 34 publications were included in the final analysis. We extracted details on the SPA dataset(s) used, theoretical framework applied, and how care quality was operationalized. The 34 included articles used SPA data from 14 surveys in nine countries (all in sub-Saharan Africa plus Haiti). One-third of these articles (n = 13) included no theoretical or conceptual framework for care quality. Among those articles referencing a framework, the most common was the Donabedian model (n = 7). Studies operationalized quality constructs in extremely different ways. Few articles included outcomes as a quality construct, and the operationalization of structure varied widely. A key asset of SPA surveys, owing to the standardized structure and use of harmonized data collection instruments, is the potential for cross-survey comparisons. However, this is limited by the lack of a common framework for measuring and reporting quality in the existing literature using SPA data. Service Provision Assessment surveys offer unique and valuable insights, and a common framework and approach would substantially strengthen the body of knowledge on quality of care in low-resource settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corrina Moucheraud
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Kaitlyn McBride
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
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Getachew T, Abebe SM, Yitayal M, Persson LÅ, Berhanu D. Assessing the quality of care in sick child services at health facilities in Ethiopia. BMC Health Serv Res 2020; 20:574. [PMID: 32576187 PMCID: PMC7313135 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-020-05444-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Quality of care depends on system, facility, provider, and client-level factors. We aimed at examining structural and process quality of services for sick children and its association with client satisfaction at health facilities in Ethiopia. Methods Data from the Ethiopia Service Provision Assessment Plus (SPA+) survey 2014 were used. Measures of quality were assessed based on the Donabedian framework: structure, process, and outcome. A total of 1908 mothers or caretakers were interviewed and their child consultations were observed. Principal component analysis was used to construct quality of care indices including a structural composite score, a process composite score, and a client satisfaction score. Multilevel mixed linear regression was used to analyze the association between structural and process factors with client satisfaction. Result Among children diagnosed with suspected pneumonia, respiratory rate was counted in 56% and temperature was checked in 77% of the cases. A majority of children (92%) diagnosed with fever had their temperature taken. Only 3% of children with fever were either referred or admitted, and 60% received antibiotics. Among children diagnosed with malaria, 51% were assessed for all three Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI) main symptoms, and 4% were assessed for all three general danger signs. Providers assessed dehydration in 54% of children with diarrhea with dehydration, 17% of these children were admitted or referred to another facility, and Oral Rehydration Solution was prescribed for 67% while none received intravenous fluids. The number of basic amenities in the facility was negatively associated with the clients’ satisfaction. Private facilities, when the providers had got training for care of sick children in the past 2 years, had higher client satisfaction. There was no statistical association between structure, process composite indicators and client satisfaction. Conclusion The assessment of sick children was of low quality, with many missing procedures when comparing with IMCI guidelines. In spite of this, most clients were satisfied with the services they received. Structural and process composite indicators were not associated with client’s satisfaction. These findings highlight the need to assess other dimensions of quality of care besides structure and process that may influence client satisfaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodros Getachew
- Health System and Reproductive Health Research Directorate, Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. .,Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
| | - Solomon Mekonnen Abebe
- Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Mezgebu Yitayal
- Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Lars Åke Persson
- Health System and Reproductive Health Research Directorate, Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.,London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Della Berhanu
- Health System and Reproductive Health Research Directorate, Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.,London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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71
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Weldearegay HG, Kahsay AB, Medhanyie AA, Godefay H, Petrucka P. Quality of and barriers to routine childbirth care signal functions in primary level facilities of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia: Mixed method study. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0234318. [PMID: 32530944 PMCID: PMC7292403 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0234318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Efforts to expand access to institutional delivery alone without quality of care do not guarantee better survival. However, little evidence documents the quality of childbirth care in Ethiopia, which limits our ability to improve quality. Therefore, this study assessed the quality of and barriers to routine childbirth care signal functions during intra-partum and immediate postpartum period. Methods A sequential explanatory mixed method study was conducted among 225 skilled birth attendants who attended 876 recently delivered women in primary level facilities. A multi stage sampling procedure was used for the quantitative phase whilst purposive sampling was used for the qualitative phase. The quantitative survey recruitment occurred in July to August 2018 and in April 2019 for the qualitative key informant interview and Focus Group Discussions (FGD). A validated quantitative tool from a previous validated measurement study was used to collect quantitative data, whereas an interview guide, informed by the literature and quantitative findings, was used to collect the qualitative data. Principal component analysis and a series of univariate and multivariate linear regression analysis were used to analyze the quantitative data. For the qualitative data, verbatim review of the data was iteratively followed by content analysis and triangulation with the quantitative results. Results This study showed that one out of five (20.7%, n = 181) mothers received high quality of care in primary level facilities. Primary hospitals (β = 1.27, 95% CI:0.80,1.84, p = 0.001), facilities which had staff rotation policies (β = 2.19, 95% CI:0.01,4.31, p = 0.019), maternal involvement in care decisions (β = 0.92, 95% CI:0.38,1.47, p = 0.001), facilities with maternal and newborn health quality improvement initiatives (β = 1.58, 95% CI:0.26, 3.43, p = 0.001), compassionate respectful maternity care training (β = 0.08, 95% CI: 0.07,0.88, p = 0.021), client flow for delivery (β = 0.19, 95% CI:-0.34, -0.04, p = 0.012), mentorship (β = 0.02, 95% CI:0.01, 0.78, p = 0.049), and providers’ satisfaction (β = 0.16, 95% CI:0.03, 0.29, p = 0.013) were predictors of quality of care. This is complemented by qualitative research findings that poor quality of care during delivery and immediate postpartum related to: work related burnout, gap between providers’ skill and knowledge, lack of enabling working environment, poor motivation scheme and issues related to retention, poor providers caring behavior, unable translate training into practice, mismatch between number of provider and facility client flow for delivery, and in availability of essential medicine and supplies. Conclusions There is poor quality of childbirth care in primary level facilities of Tigray. Primary hospitals, facilities with staff rotation, maternal and newborn health quality improvement initiatives, maternal involvement in care decisions, training on compassionate respectful maternity care, mentorship, and high provider satisfaction were found to have significantly increased quality of care. However, client flow for delivery service is negatively associated with quality of care. Efforts must be made to improve the quality of care through catchment-based mentorship to increase providers’ level of adherence to good practices and standards. More attention and thoughtful strategies are required to minimize providers’ work-related burnout.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Pammla Petrucka
- University of Saskatchewan, College of Nursing, Canada and Adjunct Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology, Tanzania, Canada
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72
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Kredo T, Cooper S, Abrams AL, Muller J, Schmidt BM, Volmink J, Atkins S. 'Building on shaky ground'-challenges to and solutions for primary care guideline implementation in four provinces in South Africa: a qualitative study. BMJ Open 2020; 10:e031468. [PMID: 32474422 PMCID: PMC7264636 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-031468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2019] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Clinical guidelines support evidence-informed quality patient care. Our study explored perspectives of South African subnational health managers regarding barriers to and enablers for implementation for all available primary care guidelines. DESIGN We used qualitative research methods, including semistructured, individual interviews and an interpretative perspective. Thematic content analysis was used to develop data categories and themes. SETTING We conducted research in four of nine South African provinces with diverse geographic, economic and health system arrangements (Eastern Cape, Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo). South Africa is a middle-income country with high levels of inequality. The settings represented public sector rural and peri-urban health facilities. PARTICIPANTS Twenty-two participants with provincial and district health management roles, that comprised implementation and/or training on primary care guidelines, were included. RESULTS Participants recommended urgent consideration of health system challenges, particularly financial constraints, impacting on access to the guidelines themselves and to medical equipment and supplies necessary to adhere to guidelines. They suggested that overcoming service delivery gaps requires strengthening of leadership, clarification of roles and enhanced accountability. Participants suggested that inadequate numbers of skilled clinical staff hampered guideline use and, ultimately, patient care. Quality assurance of training programmes for clinicians-particularly nurses-interdisciplinary training, and strengthening post-training mentorship were recommended. Furthermore, fit-for-purpose guideline implementation necessitates considering the unique settings of facilities, including local culture and geography. This requires guideline development to include guideline end users. CONCLUSIONS Guidelines are one of the policy tools to achieve evidence-informed, cost-effective and universal healthcare. But, if not effectively implemented, they have no impact. Subnational health managers in poorly resourced settings suggested that shortcomings in the health system, along with poor consultation with end users, affect implementation. Short-term improvements are possible through increasing access to and training on guidelines. However, health system strengthening and recognition of socio-cultural-geographic diversity are prerequisites for context-appropriate evidence-informed practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Kredo
- Cochrane South Africa, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South Africa
- Department of Medicine, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Stellenbosch University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
| | - Sara Cooper
- Cochrane South Africa, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South Africa
- School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Observatory, Western Cape, South Africa
| | - Amber Louise Abrams
- Cochrane South Africa, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South Africa
| | - Jocelyn Muller
- Cochrane South Africa, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South Africa
| | - Bey-Marrié Schmidt
- Cochrane South Africa, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South Africa
| | - Jimmy Volmink
- Cochrane South Africa, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South Africa
- Deans office and Centre for Evidence Based Health Care, Stellenbosch University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
| | - Salla Atkins
- New Social Research and Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Pirkanmaa, Finland
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Stockholm County, Sweden
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73
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Mallick L, Benedict RK, Wang W. Facility readiness and counseling during antenatal care and the relationship with early breastfeeding in Haiti and Malawi. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2020; 20:325. [PMID: 32471370 PMCID: PMC7257126 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-020-02919-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early initiation of breastfeeding (within an hour of birth) has benefits for newborn health and survival. Optimal breastfeeding supports growth, health, and development. Health facilities provide essential pregnancy, maternal, and newborn care and offer support for early breastfeeding. We examined the relationship between the breastfeeding-related health service environment during antenatal care (ANC) and early initiation of breastfeeding. METHODS Using data from recent Service Provision Assessment (SPA) surveys in Haiti and Malawi, we defined three indicators of the health service environment: availability of facilities with ANC services reporting routine breastfeeding counseling; provider training on breastfeeding; and breastfeeding counseling during ANC. We linked SPA data geographically to Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) data from Haiti and Malawi. Multilevel, multivariable logistic regressions examined associations between the health service environment and early initiation of breastfeeding, controlling for women's background characteristics, with separate analyses for urban and rural residence. RESULTS Over 95% of facilities in Haiti and Malawi reported routinely providing breastfeeding counseling during ANC. Only 40% of both urban and rural providers in Malawi and 29 and 26% of providers at urban and rural facilities in Haiti (respectively) received recent training in counseling on breastfeeding. Further, only 4-10% of clients received counseling. Breastfeeding counseling was generally more common among clients who attended ANC with a provider who had received recent training. After linking SPA and DHS data, our analysis showed that having more providers recently trained on breastfeeding was significantly associated with increased odds of early breastfeeding among women in urban areas of Haiti and Malawi. Additionally, women in urban areas of Malawi lived near facilities with more counseling during ANC were more likely to begin breastfeeding within an hour of birth compared with women in areas with less counseling. CONCLUSIONS Our study identified gaps in the health system's capacity to implement the recommended global guidelines in support of optimal breastfeeding practices. While breastfeeding counseling during ANC can promote early breastfeeding, counseling was not common. The study provides evidence that provider training could help improve counseling and support for early initiation of breastfeeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay Mallick
- The DHS Program, Avenir Health, ICF, 530 Gaither Road, Suite 500, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA.
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74
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Roder-DeWan S. Health system quality in the time of COVID-19. LANCET GLOBAL HEALTH 2020; 8:e738-e739. [PMID: 32389194 PMCID: PMC7202854 DOI: 10.1016/s2214-109x(20)30223-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sanam Roder-DeWan
- Health Section, UNICEF Tanzania Country Office, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
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75
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Berhanu D, Okwaraji YB, Belayneh AB, Lemango ET, Agonafer N, Birhanu BG, Abera K, Betemariam W, Medhanyie AA, Abera M, Yitayal M, Belay FW, Persson LÅ, Schellenberg J. Protocol for the evaluation of a complex intervention aiming at increased utilisation of primary child health services in Ethiopia: a before and after study in intervention and comparison areas. BMC Health Serv Res 2020; 20:339. [PMID: 32316969 PMCID: PMC7171736 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-020-05151-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2019] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background By expanding primary health care services, Ethiopia has reduced under-five mor4tality. Utilisation of these services is still low, and concerted efforts are needed for continued improvements in newborn and child survival. “Optimizing the Health Extension Program” is a complex intervention based on a logic framework developed from an analysis of barriers to the utilisation of primary child health services. This intervention includes innovative components to engage the community, strengthen the capacity of primary health care workers, and reinforce the local ownership and accountability of the primary child health services. This paper presents a protocol for the process and outcome evaluation, using a pragmatic trial design including before-and-after assessments in both intervention and comparison areas across four Ethiopian regions. The study has an integrated research capacity building initiative, including ten Ph.D. students recruited from Ethiopian Regional Health Bureaus and universities. Methods Baseline and endline surveys 2 years apart include household, facility, health worker, and district health office modules in intervention and comparison areas across Amhara, Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples, Oromia, and Tigray regions. The effectiveness of the intervention on the seeking and receiving of appropriate care will be estimated by difference-in-differences analysis, adjusting for clustering and for relevant confounders. The process evaluation follows the guidelines of the UK Medical Research Council. The implementation is monitored using data that we anticipate will be used to describe the fidelity, reach, dose, contextual factors and cost. The participating Ph.D. students plan to perform in-depth analyses on different topics including equity, referral, newborn care practices, quality-of-care, geographic differences, and other process evaluation components. Discussion This protocol describes an evaluation of a complex intervention that aims at increased utilisation of primary and child health services. This unique collaborative effort includes key stakeholders from the Ethiopian health system, the implementing non-governmental organisations and universities, and combines state-of-the art effectiveness estimates and process evaluation with capacity building. The lessons learned from the project will inform efforts to engage communities and increase utilisation of care for children in other parts of Ethiopia and beyond. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN12040912, retrospectively registered on 19 December, 2017.
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Affiliation(s)
- Della Berhanu
- Department of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom.,Ethiopian Public Health Institute, P.O.Box 1242, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Yemisrach B Okwaraji
- Department of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom.,Ethiopian Public Health Institute, P.O.Box 1242, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | | | | | - Nesibu Agonafer
- PATH, Ethiopia Country Program Office, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | | | - Kurabachew Abera
- Save the Children, Ethiopia Country Office, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | | | - Araya Abrha Medhanyie
- School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia
| | | | - Mezgebu Yitayal
- Department of Health Systems and Policy, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | | | - Lars Åke Persson
- Department of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom.,Ethiopian Public Health Institute, P.O.Box 1242, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Joanna Schellenberg
- Department of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
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Montagu D, Landrian A, Kumar V, Phillips BS, Singhal S, Mishra S, Singh S, Cotter SY, Singh VP, Kajal F, Sudhinaraset M. Patient-experience during delivery in public health facilities in Uttar Pradesh, India. Health Policy Plan 2020; 34:574-581. [PMID: 31419287 PMCID: PMC6794568 DOI: 10.1093/heapol/czz067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In India, most women now delivery in hospitals or other facilities, however, maternal and neonatal mortality remains stubbornly high. Studies have shown that mistreatment causes delays in care-seeking, early discharge and poor adherence to post-delivery guidance. This study seeks to understand the variation of women’s experiences in different levels of government facilities. This information can help to guide improvement planning. We surveyed 2018 women who gave birth in a representative set of 40 government facilities from across Uttar Pradesh (UP) state in northern India. Women were asked about their experiences of care, using an established scale for person-centred care. We asked questions specific to treatment and clinical care, including whether tests such as blood pressure, contraction timing, newborn heartbeat or vaginal exams were conducted, and whether medical assessments for mothers or newborns were done prior to discharge. Women delivering in hospitals reported less attentive care than women in lower-level facilities, and were less trusting of their providers. After controlling for a range of demographic attributes, we found that better access, higher clinical quality, and lower facility-level, were all significantly predictive of patient-centred care. In UP, lower-level facilities are more accessible, women have greater trust for the providers and women report being better treated than in hospitals. For the vast majority of women who will have a safe and uncomplicated delivery, our findings suggest that the best option would be to invest in improvements mid-level facilities, with access to effective and efficient emergency referral and transportation systems should they be needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominic Montagu
- School of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, Mission Hall 550 16th St. 3rd Floor, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Amanda Landrian
- Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, 650 Charles E. Young Dr. South, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Beth S Phillips
- School of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, Mission Hall 550 16th St. 3rd Floor, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Shreya Singhal
- Community Empowerment Lab, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | | | | | - Sun Yu Cotter
- School of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, Mission Hall 550 16th St. 3rd Floor, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Fnu Kajal
- National Health Mission, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - May Sudhinaraset
- Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, 650 Charles E. Young Dr. South, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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77
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Tawfiq E, Alawi SAS, Natiq K. Effects of Training Health Workers in Integrated Management of Childhood Illness on Quality of Care for Under-5 Children in Primary Healthcare Facilities in Afghanistan. Int J Health Policy Manag 2020; 9:17-26. [PMID: 31902191 PMCID: PMC6943297 DOI: 10.15171/ijhpm.2019.69] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Training courses in integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI) have been conducted for health workers for nearly one and half decades in Afghanistan. The objective of the training courses is to improve quality of care in terms of health workers communication skills and clinical performance when they provide health services for under-5 children in public healthcare facilities. This paper presents our findings on the effects of IMCI training courses on quality of care in public primary healthcare facilities in Afghanistan. Methods: We used a cross-sectional post-intervention design with regression-adjusted difference-in-differences (DiD) analysis, and included 2 groups of health workers (treatment and control). The treatment group were those who have received training in IMCI recently (in the last 12 months), and the control group were those who have never received training in IMCI. The assessment method was direct observation of health workers during patient-provider interaction. We used data, collected over a period of 3 years (2015–2017) from primary healthcare facilities, and investigated training effects on quality of care. The outcome variables were 4 indices of quality care related to history taking, information sharing, counseling/medical advice, and physical examination. Each index was formed as a composite score, composed of several inter-related tasks of quality of care carried out by health workers during patient-provider interaction for under-5 children. Results: Data were collected from 733 primary healthcare facilities with 5818 patients. Quality of care was assessed at the level of patient-provider interaction. Findings from the regression-adjusted DiD multivariate analysis showed significant effects of IMCI training on 2 indices of quality care in 2016, and on 4 indices of quality care in 2017. In 2016 two indices of quality care showed improvement. There was an increase of 8.1% in counseling/medical advice index, and 8.7% in physical examination index. In 2017, there was an increase of 5.7% in history taking index, 8.0% in information sharing index, 10.9% in counseling/medical advice index, and 17.2% in physical examination index. Conclusion: Conducting regular IMCI training courses for health workers can improve quality of care for under-5 children in primary healthcare facilities in Afghanistan. Findings from our study have the potential to influence policy and strategic decisions on IMCI programs in developing countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Essa Tawfiq
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Population Health, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Sayed Ali Shah Alawi
- Child and Adolescent Health Department, Afghan Ministry of Public Health, Kabul, Afghanistan
| | - Kayhan Natiq
- Silk Route Training and Research Organization (SRTRO), Kabul, Afghanistan
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78
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Improvisation and harm avoidance: An ethnographic study of adherence to postnatal care protocols in two hospitals in Southern Ghana. Midwifery 2019; 82:102576. [PMID: 31869728 DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2019.102576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Providers' adherence to case management protocols can affect quality of care. However, how and why protocols are adhered to by frontline health workers in low- and middle-income countries is not always clear. This study explored midwives' adherence to national postnatal care protocols in two public hospitals in Southern Ghana using an ethnographic study design. Ninety participant observations and 88 conversations were conducted over a 20-months period, and two group interviews held with the midwives in the two hospitals. Data was analysed using a grounded theory approach. Findings: Midwives collectively decided when to adhere, modify or totally ignore postnatal care protocols. Adherence often occurred if required resources (equipment, tools, supplies) were available. Modification occurred when midwives felt that strict adherence could have negative implications for patients and they could be seen as acting 'unprofessionally'. Ignoring or modifying protocols also occurred when midwives were uncertain of the patient's health condition; basic supplies, logistics and infrastructure needed for adherence were unavailable or inappropriate; or midwives felt they might expose themselves or their clients to physical, psychological, emotional, financial or social harm. Regardless of the reasons that midwives felt justified to ignore or modify postnatal care protocols, it appeared in many instances to lead to the provision of care of suboptimal quality. Conclusion and recommendations: Providing clinical decision-making protocols is not enough to improve mother and new born care quality and outcomes. Faced with constraining conditions of work, providers are likely to modify guidelines as part of coping behaviour. Addressing constraining conditions of work must accompany guidelines. This includes adequate risks protection for health workers and clients; and resolution of deficits in essential equipment, infrastructure, supplies and staffing.
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Dorjbal D, Zanini C, Tsegmid N, Stucki G, Rubinelli S. Toward an optimization of rehabilitation services for persons with spinal cord injury in Mongolia: the perspective of medical doctors. Disabil Rehabil 2019; 43:2200-2212. [PMID: 31790290 DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2019.1696415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To explore medical doctors' views on what are barriers in providing rehabilitation services for persons with SCI in Mongolia. METHODS A qualitative study with semi-structured interviews was conducted with 12 medical doctors. Participants were purposely sampled. The World Health Organization (WHO)'s report International Perspectives on Spinal Cord Injury was chosen as a guide to structure the interviews. The study used inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS Five barriers in the provision of rehabilitation services were identified: low awareness and limited knowledge regarding SCI and rehabilitation issues, inadequate rehabilitation policies, deficiencies in infrastructure, deficiencies in equipment and medication, and a shortage of well-prepared rehabilitation workforce. CONCLUSIONS Based on WHO recommendations "Rehabilitation in health systems", this study provides suggestions on how to strengthen rehabilitation services in Mongolia to better respond to the needs of the SCI population. Our findings highlight that a core issue is the lack of awareness among policymakers regarding rehabilitation and its benefits at the micro, meso and macro levels of the health system. Actions are needed at the level of health policies to ensure, for instance, adequate financing and access to the services. Also, synergies between the Ministries of Education and Health can improve the training of the workforce.Implications for rehabilitationEvidence that rehabilitation services contribute to improving health outcomes and cost-effectiveness could raise awareness among Mongolian policymakers and inform their decisions on funding schemes.Health policies in Mongolia should be reformed to remove barriers in the provision of rehabilitation services for persons with complex and chronic health conditions.Rehabilitation services need to be included into the Mongolian health insurance scheme in order to improve the quality and accessibility of rehabilitation services.Synergies between the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health in Mongolia are needed to develop training standards for rehabilitation professionals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delgerjargal Dorjbal
- Swiss Paraplegic Research, Nottwil, Switzerland.,Department of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
| | - Claudia Zanini
- Swiss Paraplegic Research, Nottwil, Switzerland.,Department of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
| | - Narantsetseg Tsegmid
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, School of Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Gerold Stucki
- Swiss Paraplegic Research, Nottwil, Switzerland.,Department of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
| | - Sara Rubinelli
- Swiss Paraplegic Research, Nottwil, Switzerland.,Department of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
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Acharya K, Paudel YR. General health service readiness and its association with the facility level indicators among primary health care centers and hospitals in Nepal. JOURNAL OF GLOBAL HEALTH REPORTS 2019. [DOI: 10.29392/joghr.3.e2019057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
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81
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Chakravorty S, Dick MC. Antenatal screening for haemoglobinopathies: current status, barriers and ethics. Br J Haematol 2019; 187:431-440. [PMID: 31509241 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.16188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Sickle cell disease (SCD) and thalassaemia are genetic disorders that are caused by errors in the genes for haemoglobin and are some of the most common significant genetic disorders in the world, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Great disparities exist in the outcome of these conditions between resource- rich and resource-poor nations. Antenatal screening for these disorders aims to provide couples with information about their reproductive risk and enable them to make informed reproductive choices; ultimately reducing the likelihood of children being born with these conditions. This review provides an overview of the current status of antenatal, pre-marital and population screening of SCD and thalassaemia in countries with both high-and low prevalence of these conditions, methods of screening in use, and discusses some of the pitfalls, ethical issues and controversies surrounding antenatal screening. It also discusses outcomes of some screening programmes and recognises the need for the establishment of antenatal screening in areas where their prevalence is highest; namely sub-Saharan Africa and India.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Moira C Dick
- Paediatric Haematology, King's College Hospital, London, UK
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82
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Ezran C, Bonds MH, Miller AC, Cordier LF, Haruna J, Mwanawabenea D, Randriamanambintsoa M, Razanadrakato HTR, Ouenzar MA, Razafinjato BR, Murray M, Garchitorena A. Assessing trends in the content of maternal and child care following a health system strengthening initiative in rural Madagascar: A longitudinal cohort study. PLoS Med 2019; 16:e1002869. [PMID: 31430286 PMCID: PMC6701767 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In order to reach the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, gains attained in access to primary healthcare must be matched by gains in the quality of services delivered. Despite the broad consensus around the need to address quality, studies on the impact of health system strengthening (HSS) have focused predominantly on measures of healthcare access. Here, we examine changes in the content of maternal and child care as a proxy for healthcare quality, to better evaluate the effectiveness of an HSS intervention in a rural district of Madagascar. The intervention aimed at improving system readiness at all levels of care (community health, primary health centers, district hospital) through facility renovations, staffing, equipment, and training, while removing logistical and financial barriers to medical care (e.g., ambulance network and user-fee exemptions). METHODS AND FINDINGS We carried out a district-representative open longitudinal cohort study, with surveys administered to 1,522 households in the Ifanadiana district of Madagascar at the start of the HSS intervention in 2014, and again to 1,514 households in 2016. We examined changes in healthcare seeking behavior and outputs for sick-child care among children <5 years old, as well as for antenatal care and perinatal care among women aged 15-49. We used a difference-in-differences (DiD) analysis to compare trends between the intervention group (i.e., people living inside the HSS catchment area) and the non-intervention comparison group (i.e., the rest of the district). In addition, we used health facility-based surveys, monitoring service availability and readiness, to assess changes in the operational capacities of facilities supported by the intervention. The cohort study included 657 and 411 children (mean age = 2 years) reported to be ill in the 2014 and 2016 surveys, respectively (27.8% and 23.8% in the intervention group for each survey), as well as 552 and 524 women (mean age = 28 years) reported to have a live birth within the previous two years in the 2014 and 2016 surveys, respectively (31.5% and 29.6% in the intervention group for each survey). Over the two-year study period, the proportion of people who reported seeking care at health facilities experienced a relative change of +51.2% (from 41.4% in 2014 to 62.5% in 2016) and -7.1% (from 30.0% to 27.9%) in the intervention and non-intervention groups, respectively, for sick-child care (DiD p-value = 0.01); +11.4% (from 78.3% to 87.2%), and +10.3% (from 67.3% to 74.2%) for antenatal care (p-value = 0.75); and +66.2% (from 23.1% to 38.3%) and +28.9% (from 13.9% to 17.9%) for perinatal care (p-value = 0.13). Most indicators of care content, including rates of medication prescription and diagnostic test administration, appeared to increase more in the intervention compared to in the non-intervention group for the three areas of care we assessed. The reported prescription rate for oral rehydration therapy among children with diarrhea changed by +68.5% (from 29.6% to 49.9%) and -23.2% (from 17.8% to 13.7%) in the intervention and non-intervention groups, respectively (p-value = 0.05). However, trends observed in the care content varied widely by indicator and did not always match the large apparent increases observed in care seeking behavior, particularly for antenatal care, reflecting important gaps in the provision of essential health services for individuals who sought care. The main limitation of this study is that the intervention catchment was not randomly allocated, and some demographic indicators were better for this group at baseline than for the rest of the district, which could have impacted the trends observed. CONCLUSION Using a district-representative longitudinal cohort to assess the content of care delivered to the population, we found a substantial increase over the two-year study period in the prescription rate for ill children and in all World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended perinatal care outputs assessed in the intervention group, with more modest changes observed in the non-intervention group. Despite improvements associated with the HSS intervention, this study highlights the need for further quality improvement in certain areas of the district's healthcare system. We show how content of care, measured through standard population-based surveys, can be used as a component of HSS impact evaluations, enabling healthcare leaders to track progress as well as identify and address specific gaps in the provision of services that extend beyond care access.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Ezran
- Department of Health Research and Policy, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
- * E-mail: (CE); (AG)
| | - Matthew H. Bonds
- PIVOT, Ranomafana, Madagascar
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Blavatnik Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Ann C. Miller
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Blavatnik Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | | | | | | | - Marius Randriamanambintsoa
- Direction de la Démographie et des Statistiques Sociales, Institut National de la Statistique, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Hery-Tiana R. Razanadrakato
- Direction de la Démographie et des Statistiques Sociales, Institut National de la Statistique, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | | | | | - Megan Murray
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Blavatnik Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Andres Garchitorena
- PIVOT, Ranomafana, Madagascar
- MIVEGEC, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France
- * E-mail: (CE); (AG)
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Arsenault C, Roder-DeWan S, Kruk ME. Measuring and improving the quality of tuberculosis care: A framework and implications from the Lancet Global Health Commission. J Clin Tuberc Other Mycobact Dis 2019; 16:100112. [PMID: 31497655 PMCID: PMC6716550 DOI: 10.1016/j.jctube.2019.100112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
In this article, we describe the framework of the Lancet Global Health Commission on High Quality Health Systems, propose new and undermeasured indicators of TB care quality, and discuss implications of the Commission's key conclusions for measuring and improving the quality of TB care services. The Commission contends that measurement of quality should focus on the processes of care and their impacts. In addition to monitoring treatment coverage and the availability of tools, governments should consider indicators of clinical competence (for e.g. ability of providers to correctly diagnose TB and adhere to treatment guidelines), of timely, continuous and integrated care and of respectful and patient-centered care. Indicators of impact include TB mortality and treatment success rates, but also quality of life and daily functioning among TB patients, public trust in TB services, and bypassing of the formal health system for TB care. Cascades of care, from initial care seeking to recurrence-free survival, should be built in every high-burden country to monitor quality longitudinally. In turn, improvement efforts should target the foundations of health systems and consider the Commission's four universal actions: governing for quality, redesigning service delivery, transforming the health workforce and igniting demand for quality TB services. Important work remains to validate new indicators of TB care quality, develop data collection systems for new measures, and to test new strategies for improving the delivery of competent and respectful TB care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Arsenault
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Ave., Building 1, 1115, Boston, MA 02115, United States
| | | | - Margaret E. Kruk
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Ave., Building 1, 1115, Boston, MA 02115, United States
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Wang W, Mallick L, Allen C, Pullum T. Effective coverage of facility delivery in Bangladesh, Haiti, Malawi, Nepal, Senegal, and Tanzania. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0217853. [PMID: 31185020 PMCID: PMC6559642 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0217853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 05/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The persistence of preventable maternal and newborn deaths highlights the importance of quality of care as an essential element in coverage interventions. Moving beyond the conventional measurement of crude coverage, we estimated effective coverage of facility delivery by adjusting for facility preparedness to provide delivery services in Bangladesh, Haiti, Malawi, Nepal, Senegal, and Tanzania. METHODS The study uses data from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and Service Provision Assessments (SPA) in Bangladesh (2014 DHS and 2014 SPA), Haiti (2012 DHS and 2013 SPA), Malawi (2015-16 DHS and 2013-14 SPA), Nepal (2016 DHS and 2015 SPA), Senegal (2016 DHS and 2015 SPA), and Tanzania (2015-16 DHS and 2014-15 SPA). We defined effective coverage as the mathematical product of crude coverage and quality of care. The coverage of facility delivery was measured with DHS data and quality of care was measured with facility data from SPA. We estimated effective coverage at both the regional and the national level and accounted for type of facility where delivery care was sought. FINDINGS The findings from the six countries indicate the effective coverage ranges from 24% in Haiti to 66% in Malawi, representing substantial reductions (20% to 39%) from crude coverage rates. Although Malawi has achieved almost universal coverage of facility delivery (93%), effective coverage was only 66%.vSuch gaps between the crude coverage and the effective coverage suggest that women delivered in health facility but did not necessarily receive an adequate quality of care. In all countries except Malawi, effective coverage differed substantially among the country's regions of the country, primarily due to regional variability in coverage. INTERPRETATION Our findings reinforce the importance of quality of obstetric and newborn care to achieve further reduction of maternal and newborn mortality. Continued efforts are needed to increase the use of facility delivery service in countries or regions where coverage remains low.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjuan Wang
- The Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program, Division of International Health and Development, ICF, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Lindsay Mallick
- Avenir Health, Glastonbury, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Courtney Allen
- The Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program, Division of International Health and Development, ICF, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Thomas Pullum
- The Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program, Division of International Health and Development, ICF, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
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Mocumbi S, McKee K, Munguambe K, Chiau R, Högberg U, Hanson C, Wallin L, Sevene E, Bergström A. Ready to deliver maternal and newborn care? Health providers' perceptions of their work context in rural Mozambique. Glob Health Action 2019; 11:1532631. [PMID: 30387378 PMCID: PMC6225433 DOI: 10.1080/16549716.2018.1532631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Deficiencies in the provision of evidence-based obstetric care are common in low-income countries, including Mozambique. Constraints relate to lack of human and financial resources and weak health systems, however limited resources alone do not explain the variance. Understanding the healthcare context ahead of implementing new interventions can inform the choice of strategies to achieve a successful implementation. The Context Assessment for Community Health (COACH) tool was developed to assess modifiable aspects of the healthcare context that theoretically influence the implementation of evidence. Objectives: To investigate the comprehensibility and the internal reliability of COACH and its use to describe the healthcare context as perceived by health providers involved in maternal care in Mozambique. Methods: A response process evaluation was completed with six purposively selected health providers to uncover difficulties in understanding the tool. Internal reliability was tested using Cronbach’s α. Subsequently, a cross-sectional survey using COACH, which contains 49 items assessing eight dimensions, was administered to 175 health providers in 38 health facilities within six districts in Mozambique. Results: The content of COACH was clear and most items were understood. All dimensions were near to or exceeded the commonly accepted standard for satisfactory internal reliability (0.70). Analysis of the survey data indicated that items on all dimensions were rated highly, revealing positive perception of context. Significant differences between districts were found for the Work culture, Leadership, and Informal payment dimensions. Responses to many items had low variance and were left-skewed. Conclusions: COACH was comprehensible and demonstrated good reliability, although biases may have influenced participants’ responses. The study suggests that COACH has the potential to evaluate the healthcare context to identify shortcomings and enable the tailoring of strategies ahead of implementation. Supplementing the tool with qualitative approaches will provide an in-depth understanding of the healthcare context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sibone Mocumbi
- a Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine , Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM) , Maputo , Mozambique.,b Department of Women's and Children's Health , Uppsala University , Uppsala , Sweden
| | - Kevin McKee
- c School of Education, Health and Social Studies , Dalarna University , Falun , Sweden
| | - Khátia Munguambe
- d Department of Public Health , Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM) , Maputo , Mozambique.,e Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM) , Manhiça , Mozambique
| | - Rogério Chiau
- e Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM) , Manhiça , Mozambique
| | - Ulf Högberg
- b Department of Women's and Children's Health , Uppsala University , Uppsala , Sweden
| | - Claudia Hanson
- f Department of Public Health Sciences , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden.,g Department of Disease Control , London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine , London , UK
| | - Lars Wallin
- c School of Education, Health and Social Studies , Dalarna University , Falun , Sweden.,h Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Nursing , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden.,i Department of Health and Care Sciences , The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden
| | - Esperança Sevene
- e Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM) , Manhiça , Mozambique.,j Department of Physiological Science, Clinical Pharmacology , Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM) , Maputo , Mozambique
| | - Anna Bergström
- b Department of Women's and Children's Health , Uppsala University , Uppsala , Sweden.,k Institute for Global Health , University College London , London , UK
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Moucheraud C. Service Readiness For Noncommunicable Diseases Was Low In Five Countries In 2013-15. Health Aff (Millwood) 2019; 37:1321-1330. [PMID: 30080459 DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2018.0151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The growing burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) may pose challenges for resource-limited health systems. This study used standardized, nationally representative data from Service Provision Assessments conducted in 2013-15 and the Service Availability and Readiness Assessment methodology to examine NCD service availability and readiness in Bangladesh, Haiti, Malawi, Nepal, and Tanzania. Both service availability and readiness were found to be very low: Very few facilities were fully "ready" to provide any one NCD service. Shortages of trained health workers and essential medicines were critical limitations to readiness. Rural and free facilities had lower availability and readiness, which may present access barriers. Policy makers should draw on decades of experience with global health initiatives to close these service gaps through the training of health workers on NCD screening and treatment, engaging the private sector on NCDs, and ensuring access to NCD medicines. Such efforts must be attentive to distributional equity and the multiple dimensions of care quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corrina Moucheraud
- Corrina Moucheraud ( ) is an assistant professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management, Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health, at the University of California Los Angeles
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Brizuela V, Leslie HH, Sharma J, Langer A, Tunçalp Ö. Measuring quality of care for all women and newborns: how do we know if we are doing it right? A review of facility assessment tools. LANCET GLOBAL HEALTH 2019; 7:e624-e632. [DOI: 10.1016/s2214-109x(19)30033-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2018] [Revised: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Vousden N, Lawley E, Seed PT, Gidiri MF, Charantimath U, Makonyola G, Brown A, Yadeta L, Best R, Chinkoyo S, Vwalika B, Nakimuli A, Ditai J, Greene G, Chappell LC, Sandall J, Shennan AH. Exploring the effect of implementation and context on a stepped-wedge randomised controlled trial of a vital sign triage device in routine maternity care in low-resource settings. Implement Sci 2019; 14:38. [PMID: 30999963 PMCID: PMC6471783 DOI: 10.1186/s13012-019-0885-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Interventions aimed at reducing maternal mortality are increasingly complex. Understanding how complex interventions are delivered, to whom, and how they work is key in ensuring their rapid scale-up. We delivered a vital signs triage intervention into routine maternity care in eight low- and middle-income countries with the aim of reducing a composite outcome of morbidity and mortality. This was a pragmatic, hybrid effectiveness-implementation stepped-wedge randomised controlled trial. In this study, we present the results of the mixed-methods process evaluation. The aim was to describe implementation and local context and integrate results to determine whether differences in the effect of the intervention across sites could be explained. METHODS The duration and content of implementation, uptake of the intervention and its impact on clinical management were recorded. These were integrated with interviews (n = 36) and focus groups (n = 19) at 3 months and 6-9 months after implementation. In order to determine the effect of implementation on effectiveness, measures were ranked and averaged across implementation domains to create a composite implementation strength score and then correlated with the primary outcome. RESULTS Overall, 61.1% (n = 2747) of health care providers were trained in the intervention (range 16.5% to 89.2%) over a mean of 10.8 days. Uptake and acceptability of the intervention was good. All clusters demonstrated improved availability of vital signs equipment. There was an increase in the proportion of women having their blood pressure measured in pregnancy following the intervention (79.2% vs. 97.6%; OR 1.30 (1.29-1.31)) and no significant change in referral rates (3.7% vs. 4.4% OR 0.89; (0.39-2.05)). Availability of resources and acceptable, effective referral systems influenced health care provider interaction with the intervention. There was no correlation between process measures within or between domains, or between the composite score and the primary outcome. CONCLUSIONS This process evaluation has successfully described the quantity and quality of implementation. Variation in implementation and context did not explain differences in the effectiveness of the intervention on maternal mortality and morbidity. We suggest future trials should prioritise in-depth evaluation of local context and clinical pathways. TRIAL REGISTRATION Trial registration: ISRCTN41244132 . Registered on 2 Feb 2016.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Vousden
- Department of Women and Children’s Health, School of Life Course Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London, SE1 7EH UK
| | - Elodie Lawley
- Department of Women and Children’s Health, School of Life Course Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London, SE1 7EH UK
| | - Paul T. Seed
- Department of Women and Children’s Health, School of Life Course Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London, SE1 7EH UK
| | - Muchabayiwa Francis Gidiri
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Umesh Charantimath
- Women’s and Children’s Health Research Unit, KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Belgaum, Karnataka 590010 India
| | - Grace Makonyola
- Maternity Worldwide, Community Base, 113 Queens Rd, Brighton, BN1 3XG UK
| | - Adrian Brown
- Maternity Worldwide, Community Base, 113 Queens Rd, Brighton, BN1 3XG UK
| | - Lomi Yadeta
- Maternity Worldwide, Community Base, 113 Queens Rd, Brighton, BN1 3XG UK
| | - Rebecca Best
- Welbodi Partnership, Ola During Childrens Hospital, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Sebastian Chinkoyo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Ndola Teaching Hospital, Ndola, Zambia
| | - Bellington Vwalika
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Annettee Nakimuli
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Mulago Hospital, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - James Ditai
- Sanyu Africa Research Institute, Mbale Regional Referral Hospital, Mbale, Uganda
| | - Grace Greene
- Hope Health Action, Hopital Convention Baptiste d’Haiti, Cap Haitien, Haiti
| | - Lucy C. Chappell
- Department of Women and Children’s Health, School of Life Course Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London, SE1 7EH UK
| | - Jane Sandall
- Department of Women and Children’s Health, School of Life Course Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London, SE1 7EH UK
| | - Andrew H. Shennan
- Department of Women and Children’s Health, School of Life Course Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London, SE1 7EH UK
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Arsenault C, Jordan K, Lee D, Dinsa G, Manzi F, Marchant T, Kruk ME. Equity in antenatal care quality: an analysis of 91 national household surveys. LANCET GLOBAL HEALTH 2019; 6:e1186-e1195. [PMID: 30322649 PMCID: PMC6187112 DOI: 10.1016/s2214-109x(18)30389-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Revised: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Background Emerging data show that many low-income and middle-income country (LMIC) health systems struggle to consistently provide good-quality care. Although monitoring of inequalities in access to health services has been the focus of major international efforts, inequalities in health-care quality have not been systematically examined. Methods Using the most recent (2007–16) Demographic and Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys in 91 LMICs, we described antenatal care quality based on receipt of three essential services (blood pressure monitoring and urine and blood testing) among women who had at least one visit with a skilled antenatal-care provider. We compared quality across country income groups and quantified within-country wealth-related inequalities using the slope and relative indices of inequality. We summarised inequalities using random-effects meta-analyses and assessed the extent to which other geographical and sociodemographic factors could explain these inequalities. Findings Globally, 72·9% (95% CI 69·1–76·8) of women who used antenatal care reported blood pressure monitoring and urine and blood testing; this number ranged from 6·3% in Burundi to 100·0% in Belarus. Antenatal care quality lagged behind antenatal care coverage the most in low-income countries, where 86·6% (83·4–89·7) of women accessed care but only 53·8% (44·3–63·3) reported receiving the three services. Receipt of the three services was correlated with gross domestic product per capita and was 40 percentage points higher in upper-middle-income countries compared with low-income countries. Within countries, the wealthiest women were on average four times more likely to report good quality care than the poorest (relative index of inequality 4·01, 95% CI 3·90–4·13). Substantial inequality remained after adjustment for subnational region, urban residence, maternal age, education, and number of antenatal care visits (3·20, 3·11–3·30). Interpretation Many LMICs that have reached high levels of antenatal care coverage had much lower and inequitable levels of quality. Achieving ambitious maternal, newborn, and child health goals will require greater focus on the quality of health services and their equitable distribution. Equity in effective coverage should be used as the new metric to monitor progress towards universal health coverage. Funding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Arsenault
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Keely Jordan
- Department of Public Health Policy and Management, NYU College of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dennis Lee
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Girmaye Dinsa
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Public Health and Health Policy, College of Health Sciences, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia
| | - Fatuma Manzi
- Ifakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Tanya Marchant
- Department of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Margaret E Kruk
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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90
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Macarayan EK, Gage AD, Doubova SV, Guanais F, Lemango ET, Ndiaye Y, Waiswa P, Kruk ME. Assessment of quality of primary care with facility surveys: a descriptive analysis in ten low-income and middle-income countries. LANCET GLOBAL HEALTH 2019; 6:e1176-e1185. [PMID: 30322648 PMCID: PMC6187280 DOI: 10.1016/s2214-109x(18)30440-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Revised: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Background Primary care has the potential to address a large proportion of people's health needs, promote equity, and contain costs, but only if it provides high-quality health services that people want to use. 40 years after the Declaration of Alma-Ata, little is known about the quality of primary care in low-income and middle-income countries. We assessed whether existing facility surveys capture relevant aspects of primary care performance and summarised the quality of primary care in ten low-income and middle-income countries. Methods We used Service Provision Assessment surveys, the most comprehensive nationally representative surveys of health systems, to select indicators corresponding to three of the process quality domains (competent systems, evidence-based care, and user experience) identified by the Lancet Global Health Commission on High Quality Health Systems in the Sustainable Development Goals Era. We calculated composite and domain quality scores for first-level primary care facilities across and within ten countries with available facility assessment data (Ethiopia, Haiti, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nepal, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, and Uganda). Findings Data were available for 7049 facilities and 63 869 care visits. There were gaps in measurement of important outcomes such as user experience, health outcomes, and confidence, and processes such as timely action, choice of provider, affordability, ease of use, dignity, privacy, non-discrimination, autonomy, and confidentiality. No information about care competence was available outside maternal and child health. Overall, scores for primary care quality were low (mean 0·41 on a scale of 0 to 1). At a domain level, scores were lowest for user experience, followed by evidence-based care, and then competent systems. At the subdomain level, scores for patient focus, prevention and detection, technical quality of sick-child care, and population-health management were lower than those for other subdomains. Interpretation Facility surveys do not capture key elements of primary care quality. The available measures suggest major gaps in primary care quality. If not addressed, these gaps will limit the contribution of primary care to reaching the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals. Funding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erlyn K Macarayan
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Ariadne Labs, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Anna D Gage
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Svetlana V Doubova
- Epidemiology and Health Services Research Unit, Mexican Institute of Social Security, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Frederico Guanais
- Division of Social Protection and Health, Inter-American Development Bank, Lima, Peru
| | - Ephrem T Lemango
- Maternal and Child Health Directorate, Federal Ministry of Health, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Youssoupha Ndiaye
- Planning, Research, and Statistics, Ministry of Health and Social Action, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Peter Waiswa
- Department of Public Health Sciences-Global Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Maternal and Newborn Centre of Excellence, Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda; INDEPTH Network Maternal and Newborn Working Group, Iganga-Mayuge Health and Demographic Surveillance Site, Iganga, Uganda
| | - Margaret E Kruk
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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91
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Mirzaei S, Noorihekmat S, Oroomiei N, Vali L. Administrative challenges of clinical governance in military and university hospitals of Kerman/Iran. Int J Health Plann Manage 2019; 34:e1293-e1301. [PMID: 30924978 DOI: 10.1002/hpm.2774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2018] [Revised: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Over the recent years, clinical governance model has been applied to improve the quality of university and private hospitals in Iran. In addition to university hospitals, military hospitals have an effective role in the preservation and promotion of public health. The challenges of clinical governance implementation have not been investigated in such settings. Hence, the present study objective is to identify the administrative challenges of clinical governance in military and university hospitals of Kerman/Iran METHODS: This qualitative study was carried out through phenomenology in 2017. A sample of managers and experts in the implementation and execution of clinical governance was purposefully selected from three university hospitals and three military hospitals in Kerman, Iran. A total of 39 managers and experts were interviewed, and data were gathered via semistructured interviews with open questions. For data analysis, conventional content analysis method was employed. RESULTS In this study, five main codes and 17 subcodes were obtained. Main codes were structural challenges, educational challenges, limitations, evaluation, and human resource challenges. CONCLUSIONS Clinical governance is being implemented hastily with no appropriate structural, financial, and training facilities, ensuing a waste of resources, more difficult work for staff and a negative view of personnel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saeid Mirzaei
- Neuroscience Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Somayeh Noorihekmat
- Research Center for Health Services Management, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Nadia Oroomiei
- Department of Health Management, Policy and Economics, School of Public Health, Bam University of Medical Sciences, Bam, Iran
| | - Leila Vali
- Environmental Health Engineering Research center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
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92
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Evaluating Primary Health Care Performance from User Perspective in China: Review of Survey Instruments and Implementation Issues. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16060926. [PMID: 30875833 PMCID: PMC6466226 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16060926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2019] [Revised: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
This review aims to summarize the progress of patient evaluation studies focusing on primary health care (PHC) in China, specifically in relation to survey instruments and implementation issues. Eligible studies published in English or Chinese were obtained through online searches of PubMed and China National Knowledge Infrastructure. A descriptive reporting approach was used due to variations in the measurements and administration methods between studies. A total of 471 articles were identified and of these articles; of those 91 full-text articles were included in the final analysis. Most studies used author-developed measurements with five-point Likert response scales and many used the Chinese translations of validated tools from other countries. Most instruments assessed the physical environment, medical equipment, clinical competency and convenience aspects of PHC using a satisfaction rating instead of care experience reporting. Many studies did not report the sampling approach, patient recruitment procedures and survey administration modes. The patient exit survey was the most commonly used survey implementation method. The focus on the structural dimensions of PHC, inconsistent wording, categories of response options that use satisfaction rating, and unclear survey implementation processes are common problems in patient evaluation studies of PHC in China. Further studies are necessary to identify population preferences of PHC in China in order to move towards developing Chinese value-based patient experience measurements.
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93
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Venkateswaran M, Bogale B, Abu Khader K, Awwad T, Friberg IK, Ghanem B, Hijaz T, Mørkrid K, Frøen JF. Effective coverage of essential antenatal care interventions: A cross-sectional study of public primary healthcare clinics in the West Bank. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0212635. [PMID: 30794645 PMCID: PMC6386267 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The proportion of women attending four or more antenatal care (ANC) visits is widely used for monitoring, but provides limited information on quality of care. Effective coverage metrics, assessing if ANC interventions are completely delivered, can identify critical gaps in healthcare service delivery. We aimed to measure coverage of at least one screening and effective coverage of ANC interventions in the public health system in the West Bank, Palestine, and to explore associations between infrastructure-related and maternal sociodemographic variables and effective coverage. METHODS We used data from paper-based clinical records of 1369 pregnant women attending ANC in 17 primary healthcare clinics. Infrastructure-related variables were derived from a 2014 national inventory assessment of clinics. Sample size calculations were made to detect effective coverage ranging 40-60% with a 2-3% margin of error, clinics were selected by probability sampling. We calculated inverse probability weighted percentages of: effective coverage of appropriate number and timing of screenings of ANC interventions; and coverage of at least one screening. RESULTS Coverage of one screening and effective coverage of ANC interventions were notably different for screening for: hypertension (98% vs. 10%); fetal growth abnormalities (66% vs. 6%); anemia (93% vs. 14%); gestational diabetes (93% vs. 34%), and antenatal ultrasound (74% vs. 24%). Clinics with a laboratory and ultrasound generally performed better in terms of effective coverage, and maternal sociodemographic factors had no associations with effective coverage estimates. Only 13% of the women attended ANC visits according to the recommended national schedule, driving effective coverage down. CONCLUSION Indicators for ANC monitoring and their definitions can have important consequences for quantifying health system performance and identifying issues with care provision. To achieve more effective coverage in public primary care clinics in the West Bank, efforts should be made to improve care provision according to prescribed guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahima Venkateswaran
- Global Health Cluster, Division for Health Services, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Intervention Science in Maternal and Child Health (CISMAC), University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Binyam Bogale
- Global Health Cluster, Division for Health Services, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Intervention Science in Maternal and Child Health (CISMAC), University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Khadija Abu Khader
- Palestinian National Institute of Public Health, World Health Organization, Ramallah, Palestine
| | - Tamara Awwad
- Palestinian National Institute of Public Health, World Health Organization, Ramallah, Palestine
| | - Ingrid K. Friberg
- Global Health Cluster, Division for Health Services, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Buthaina Ghanem
- Palestinian National Institute of Public Health, World Health Organization, Ramallah, Palestine
| | | | - Kjersti Mørkrid
- Global Health Cluster, Division for Health Services, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - J. Frederik Frøen
- Global Health Cluster, Division for Health Services, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Intervention Science in Maternal and Child Health (CISMAC), University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- * E-mail:
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Smiley K, Ofori L, Spangler C, Acquaah-Arhin R, Deh D, Enos J, Manortey S, Baiden F, Finlayson S, Price R, McCrum M. Safety Culture and Perioperative Quality at the Volta River Authority Hospital in Akosombo, Ghana. World J Surg 2019; 43:16-23. [PMID: 30109388 DOI: 10.1007/s00268-018-4763-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Volta River Authority Hospital (VRAH) is a district hospital associated with a large public works project in Akosombo, Ghana, that has developed a reputation for high-quality care. We hypothesized that this stems from a culture of safety and standardized processes typical of high-risk engineering environments. To investigate this, we evaluated staff and patient perceptions of safety and quality, as well as perioperative process variability. MATERIALS AND METHODS The Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ) and Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) surveys were used to evaluate staff and patient perceptions of safety. Perioperative general surgery and obstetrical procedure observations generated process maps, which were analyzed for variability and waste. RESULTS Thirty-one SAQs were administered. 83% of workers held a positive perception of teamwork, and 77.4% held a positive perception of safety culture. Fifteen HCAHPS surveys of surgical inpatients showed a median hospital rating of 10 [IQR 8.5-10] on a ten-point scale. 90% gave maximal scores for pain management and 84.4% for nurse communication. Ten general surgery and obstetrical procedures were observed for which process map analysis was notable for no consistent waste steps and 100% adherence to the World Health Organization Safe Surgery Checklist. CONCLUSIONS Surveys suggest an institutional commitment to safety with strong teamwork culture and patient communication. Perioperative process mapping supports this culture, with low levels of variability and waste, and is useful for evaluating standardization of care. VRAH demonstrates the feasibility of delivering high standards of perioperative care in a low-resource setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Smiley
- Department of Surgery, University of Utah Center for Global Surgery, 30 N 1900 E, Rm 3B110 SOM, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA
| | - Love Ofori
- Electro Volta House, Volta River Authority Hospital, 28th February Road, P.O. Box MB 77, Accra, Ghana
| | - Cindy Spangler
- Department of Surgery, University of Utah Center for Global Surgery, 30 N 1900 E, Rm 3B110 SOM, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA
| | - Rebecca Acquaah-Arhin
- Electro Volta House, Volta River Authority Hospital, 28th February Road, P.O. Box MB 77, Accra, Ghana
| | - Deborah Deh
- Ensign College of Public Health, P.O. Box AK 136, Akosombo, Eastern Region, Ghana
| | - Juliana Enos
- Ensign College of Public Health, P.O. Box AK 136, Akosombo, Eastern Region, Ghana
| | - Stephen Manortey
- Ensign College of Public Health, P.O. Box AK 136, Akosombo, Eastern Region, Ghana
| | - Frank Baiden
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Samuel Finlayson
- Department of Surgery, University of Utah Center for Global Surgery, 30 N 1900 E, Rm 3B110 SOM, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA
| | - Raymond Price
- Department of Surgery, University of Utah Center for Global Surgery, 30 N 1900 E, Rm 3B110 SOM, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA
| | - Marta McCrum
- Department of Surgery, University of Utah Center for Global Surgery, 30 N 1900 E, Rm 3B110 SOM, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA.
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Renggli S, Mayumana I, Mboya D, Charles C, Mshana C, Kessy F, Glass TR, Pfeiffer C, Schulze A, Aerts A, Lengeler C. Towards improved health service quality in Tanzania: appropriateness of an electronic tool to assess quality of primary healthcare. BMC Health Serv Res 2019; 19:55. [PMID: 30670011 PMCID: PMC6341708 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-019-3908-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Progress in health service quality is vital to reach the target of Universal Health Coverage. However, in order to improve quality, it must be measured, and the assessment results must be actionable. We analyzed an electronic tool, which was developed to assess and monitor the quality of primary healthcare in Tanzania in the context of routine supportive supervision. The electronic assessment tool focused on areas in which improvements are most effective in order to suit its purpose of routinely steering improvement measures at local level. METHODS Due to the lack of standards regarding how to best measure quality of care, we used a range of different quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate the appropriateness of the quality assessment tool. The quantitative methods included descriptive statistics, linear regression models, and factor analysis; the qualitative methods in-depth interviews and observations. RESULTS Quantitative and qualitative results were overlapping and consistent. Robustness checks confirmed the tool's ability to assign scores to health facilities and revealed the usefulness of grouping indicators into different quality dimensions. Focusing the quality assessment on processes and structural adequacy of healthcare was an appropriate approach for the assessment's intended purpose, and a unique key feature of the electronic assessment tool. The findings underpinned the accuracy of the assessment tool to measure and monitor quality of primary healthcare for the purpose of routinely steering improvement measures at local level. This was true for different level and owner categories of primary healthcare facilities in Tanzania. CONCLUSION The electronic assessment tool demonstrated a feasible option for routine quality measures of primary healthcare in Tanzania. The findings, combined with the more operational results of companion papers, created a solid foundation for an approach that could lastingly improve services for patients attending primary healthcare. However, the results also revealed that the use of the electronic assessment tool outside its intended purpose, for example for performance-based payment schemes, accreditation and other systematic evaluations of healthcare quality, should be considered carefully because of the risk of bias, adverse effects and corruption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Renggli
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Iddy Mayumana
- Ifakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam/Ifakara, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Dominick Mboya
- Ifakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam/Ifakara, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Christopher Charles
- Ifakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam/Ifakara, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Christopher Mshana
- Ifakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam/Ifakara, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Flora Kessy
- Ifakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam/Ifakara, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Tracy R. Glass
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Constanze Pfeiffer
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Ann Aerts
- Novartis Foundation, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christian Lengeler
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Datta V, Srivastava S, Garde R, Tluangi L, Giri H, Sangma S, Burman H, Pahwa P, Pemde H, Livesley N. Combining bottleneck analysis and quality improvement as a novel methodology to improve the quality of neonatal care in a northeastern state of India: a feasibility study. Int Health 2019; 11:52-63. [PMID: 30247590 PMCID: PMC6314155 DOI: 10.1093/inthealth/ihy062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2018] [Revised: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The State of Meghalaya, India, has some of the worst newborn health outcomes in the country. State health authorities commissioned an assessment of newborn service delivery to improve services. This study proposes bottleneck analysis (BNA) and quality improvement (QI) methods as a combined method to improve compliance with evidence-based neonatal interventions in newborn health facilities. Methods An adapted Every Newborn BNA tool was applied to collect data on barriers to providing quality care in five district hospitals. Subsequently, health workers were coached to use QI methodology to overcome identified bottlenecks. Data from QI projects were analysed using run charts. Results BNA revealed that interventions directed toward basic newborn care and special newborn care facilities needed attention. Facilities that undertook QI projects showed an improvement in neonates having early initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour of birth, from 64% to a peak of 94% in one facility and from 75% to 91% in another. Skin-to-skin contact increased from 49% to a peak of 78% and is sustained at 58%. Improved performance has been sustained in some facilities. Conclusions The combination of BNA and QI is a successful method for identifying and overcoming bottlenecks in newborn care in resource-limited settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vikram Datta
- Department of Neonatology, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, India
| | - Sushil Srivastava
- Department of Pediatrics, University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi, India
| | - Rahul Garde
- Public Health Consultant, R39E Dilshad Garden, Delhi, India
- cNQOCN, India
| | | | - Hunsi Giri
- Department of Pediatrics, Ganesh Das Hospital, Shillong, Meghalaya
| | | | - Himesh Burman
- Department of Pediatrics, North East Indira Gandhi Institute of Health and Medical Sciences, Shillong, Meghalaya, India
| | - Parika Pahwa
- Improvement Advisor, University Research Co., LLC, USAID Applying Science to Strengthen and Improve Systems (ASSIST) Project, Green Park, New Delhi, India
| | - Harish Pemde
- Department of Neonatology, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, India
| | - Nigel Livesley
- Project Director, University Research Co., LLC, USAID Applying Science to Strengthen and Improve Systems (ASSIST) Project, 5404 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 800, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
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Sheffel A, Karp C, Creanga AA. Use of Service Provision Assessments and Service Availability and Readiness Assessments for monitoring quality of maternal and newborn health services in low-income and middle-income countries. BMJ Glob Health 2018; 3:e001011. [PMID: 30555726 PMCID: PMC6267320 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2018-001011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2018] [Revised: 08/15/2018] [Accepted: 09/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Improving the quality of maternal and newborn health (MNH) services is key to reducing adverse MNH outcomes in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). The Service Provision Assessment (SPA) and Service Availability and Readiness Assessment (SARA) are the most widely employed, standardised tools that generate health service delivery data in LMICs. We ascertained the use of SPA/SARA surveys for assessing the quality of MNH services using a two-step approach: a SPA/SARA questionnaire mapping exercise in line with WHO's Quality of Care (QoC) Framework for pregnant women and newborns and the WHO quality standards for care around the time of childbirth; and a scoping literature review, searching for articles that report SPA/SARA data. SPA/SARA surveys are well suited to assess the WHO Framework's cross-cutting dimensions (physical and human resources); SPA also captures elements in the provision and experience of care domains for antenatal care and family planning. Only 4 of 31 proposed WHO quality indicators around the time of childbirth can be fully generated using SPA and SARA surveys, while 19 and 23 quality indicators can be partially obtained from SARA and SPA surveys, respectively; most of these are input indicators. Use of SPA/SARA data is growing, but there is considerable variation in methods employed to measure MNH QoC. With SPA/SARA data available in 30 countries, MNH QoC assessments could benefit from guidance for creating standard metrics. Adding questions in SPA/SARA surveys to assess the WHO QoC Framework's provision and experience of care dimensions would fill significant data gaps in LMICs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Sheffel
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Celia Karp
- Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Andreea A Creanga
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Kruk ME, Gage AD, Arsenault C, Jordan K, Leslie HH, Roder-DeWan S, Adeyi O, Barker P, Daelmans B, Doubova SV, English M, García-Elorrio E, Guanais F, Gureje O, Hirschhorn LR, Jiang L, Kelley E, Lemango ET, Liljestrand J, Malata A, Marchant T, Matsoso MP, Meara JG, Mohanan M, Ndiaye Y, Norheim OF, Reddy KS, Rowe AK, Salomon JA, Thapa G, Twum-Danso NAY, Pate M. High-quality health systems in the Sustainable Development Goals era: time for a revolution. Lancet Glob Health 2018; 6:e1196-e1252. [PMID: 30196093 PMCID: PMC7734391 DOI: 10.1016/s2214-109x(18)30386-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1510] [Impact Index Per Article: 251.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 05/16/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna D Gage
- Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Keely Jordan
- New York University College of Global Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | | | - Pierre Barker
- Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Mike English
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | | | - Oye Gureje
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health, Neuroscience, Drug and Alcohol Abuse, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Lisa R Hirschhorn
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Lixin Jiang
- National Centre for Cardiovascular Disease, Beijing, China
| | | | | | | | - Address Malata
- Malawi University of Science and Technology, Limbe, Malawi
| | - Tanya Marchant
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | | | - John G Meara
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Manoj Mohanan
- Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Youssoupha Ndiaye
- Ministry of Health and Social Action of the Republic of Senegal, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Ole F Norheim
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Alexander K Rowe
- Malaria Branch, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Center for Global Health, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Gagan Thapa
- Legislature Parliament of Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal
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99
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Leslie HH, Zhou X, Spiegelman D, Kruk ME. Health system measurement: Harnessing machine learning to advance global health. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0204958. [PMID: 30289935 PMCID: PMC6173424 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0204958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 09/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Further improvements in population health in low- and middle-income countries demand high-quality care to address an increasingly complex burden of disease. Health facility surveys provide an important but costly source of information on readiness to provide care. To improve the efficiency of health system measurement, we applied unsupervised machine learning methods to assess the performance of the service readiness index (SRI) defined by the World Health Organization and compared it to empirically derived indices. Methods We drew data from nationally representative Service Provision Assessment surveys conducted in 10 countries between 2007 and 2015. We extracted 649 items in domains such as infrastructure, medication, and management to calculate an index using all available information and classified facilities into quintiles. We compared three approaches against the full item set: the SRI, a new index based on sequential backward selection, and an enriched SRI that added empirically selected items to the SRI. We evaluated index performance with a cross-validated kappa statistic comparing classification using the candidate index against the 649-item index. Results 9238 facilities were assessed. The 49-item SRI performed poorly against the index using all 649 items, with a kappa value of 0.35. New empirically derived indices with 50 and 100 items captured much more information, with cross-validated kappa statistics of 0.71 and 0.80, respectively. Items varied across the indices and in sensitivity analyses. A 100-item enriched SRI reliably captured the information from the full index: 83% of the facilities were classified into correct quintiles of service readiness based on the full index. Conclusion A facility readiness measure developed by global health experts performed poorly in capturing the totality of readiness information collected during facility surveys. Using a machine learning approach with sequential selection and cross-validation to identify the most informative items dramatically improved performance. Such approaches can make assessment of health facility readiness more efficient. Further improvements in measurement will require identification of external criteria—such as patient outcomes—to guide and validate measure development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah H. Leslie
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Xin Zhou
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Donna Spiegelman
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Center on Methods for Implementation and Prevention Science, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Margaret E. Kruk
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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100
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Leslie HH, Hirschhorn LR, Marchant T, Doubova SV, Gureje O, Kruk ME. Health systems thinking: A new generation of research to improve healthcare quality. PLoS Med 2018; 15:e1002682. [PMID: 30376581 PMCID: PMC6207294 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Hannah Leslie and colleagues of the High-Quality Health Commission discuss in an Editorial the findings from their report that detail the improvements needed to prevent declines in individuals' health as the scope and quality of health systems increase. Patient-centered care at the population level, improved utility of research products, and innovative reporting tools to help guide the development of new methods are key to improved global healthcare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah H. Leslie
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Lisa R. Hirschhorn
- Departments of Medical Social Sciences and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Tanya Marchant
- Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Svetlana V. Doubova
- Epidemiology and Health Services Research Unit, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Oye Gureje
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health, Neuroscience, Drug and Alcohol Abuse, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Margaret E. Kruk
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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