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Owoyemi A, Osuchukwu JI, Azubuike C, Ikpe RK, Nwachukwu BC, Akinde CB, Biokoro GW, Ajose AB, Nwokoma EI, Mfon NE, Benson TO, Ehimare A, Irowa-Omoregie D, Olaniran S. Digital Solutions for Community and Primary Health Workers: Lessons From Implementations in Africa. Front Digit Health 2022; 4:876957. [PMID: 35754461 PMCID: PMC9215204 DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2022.876957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The agenda for Universal Health Coverage has driven the exploration of various innovative approaches to expanding health services to the general population. As more African countries have adopted digital health tools as part of the strategic approach to expanding health services, there is a need for defining a standard framework for implementation across board. Therefore, there is a need to review and employ an evidence-based approach to inform managing challenges, adopting best approaches, and implement informed recommendations. We reviewed a variety of digital health tools applied to different health conditions in primary care settings and highlighted the challenges faced, approaches that worked and relevant recommendations. These include limited coverage and network connectivity, lack of technological competence, lack of power supply, limited mobile phone usage and application design challenges. Despite these challenges, this review suggests that mHealth solutions could attain effective usage when healthcare workers receive adequate onsite training, deploying applications designed in an intuitive and easy to understand approach in a manner that fits into the users existing workflows, and involvement of the stakeholders at all levels in the design, planning, and implementation stages of the interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayomide Owoyemi
- Department of Biomedical and Health Information Sciences, Chicago, IL, United States
- *Correspondence: Ayomide Owoyemi
| | | | - Clark Azubuike
- Social and Behavioral Sciences Department, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | - Blessing C. Nwachukwu
- Department of Biomedical and Health Information Sciences, Chicago, IL, United States
| | | | - Grace W. Biokoro
- Department of Human and Health Sciences, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, United States
| | - Abisoye B. Ajose
- Department of Community Health and Primary Care, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
| | | | - Nehemiah E. Mfon
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Temitope O. Benson
- Institute for Computational and Data Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Albany, NY, United States
| | - Anthony Ehimare
- Department of Health Informatics, Swansea University, Wales, United Kingdom
| | | | - Seun Olaniran
- Department of Integrated Information Technology, College of Engineering and Computing, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States
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Keddy KH, Saha S, Kariuki S, Kalule JB, Qamar FN, Haq Z, Okeke IN. Using big data and mobile health to manage diarrhoeal disease in children in low-income and middle-income countries: societal barriers and ethical implications. THE LANCET INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2022; 22:e130-e142. [DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(21)00585-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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Nkosi-Gondwe T, Robberstad B, Mukaka M, Idro R, Opoka RO, Banda S, Kühl MJ, O. Ter Kuile F, Blomberg B, Phiri KS. Adherence to community versus facility-based delivery of monthly malaria chemoprevention with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine for the post-discharge management of severe anemia in Malawian children: A cluster randomized trial. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0255769. [PMID: 34506503 PMCID: PMC8432777 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0255769] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The provision of post-discharge malaria chemoprevention (PMC) in children recently admitted with severe anemia reduces the risk of death and re-admissions in malaria endemic countries. The main objective of this trial was to identify the most effective method of delivering dihydroartemesinin-piperaquine to children recovering from severe anemia. Methods This was a 5-arm, cluster-randomized trial among under-5 children hospitalized with severe anemia at Zomba Central Hospital in Southern Malawi. Children were randomized to receive three day treatment doses of dihydroartemesinin-piperaquine monthly either; 1) in the community without a short text reminder; 2) in the community with a short message reminder; 3) in the community with a community health worker reminder; 4) at the facility without a short text reminder; or 5) at the facility with a short message reminder. The primary outcome measure was adherence to all treatment doses of dihydroartemesinin-piperaquine and this was assessed by pill-counts done by field workers during home visits. Poisson regression was utilized for analysis. Results Between March 2016 and October 2018, 1460 clusters were randomized. A total of 667 children were screened and 375 from 329 clusters were eligible and enrolled from the hospital. Adherence was higher in all three community-based compared to the two facility-based delivery (156/221 [70·6%] vs. 78/150 [52·0%], IRR = 1·24,95%CI 1·06–1·44, p = 0·006). This was observed in both the SMS group (IRR = 1·41,1·21–1·64, p<0·001) and in the non-SMS group (IRR = 1·37,1·18–1·61, p<0·001). Although adherence was higher among SMS recipients (98/148 66·2%] vs. non-SMS 82/144 (56·9%), there was no statistical evidence that SMS reminders resulted in greater adherence ([IRR = 1·03,0·88–1·21, p = 0·68). When compared to the facility-based non-SMS arm (control arm), community-based delivery utilizing CHWs resulted in higher adherence [39/76 (51·3%) vs. 54/79 (68·4%), IRR = 1·32, 1·14–1·54, p<0·001]. Interpretation Community-based delivery of dihydroartemesinin-piperaquine for post-discharge malaria chemoprevention in children recovering from severe anemia resulted in higher adherence compared to facility-based methods. Trial registration NCT02721420; ClinicalTrials.gov.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thandile Nkosi-Gondwe
- School of Public Health and Family Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Centre for International Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- * E-mail:
| | - Bjarne Robberstad
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Centre for International Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Mavuto Mukaka
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Centre for Tropical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Idro
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Robert O. Opoka
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Saidon Banda
- School of Public Health and Family Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Melf-Jakob Kühl
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Centre for International Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Feiko O. Ter Kuile
- Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Centre for Global Health Research, Kisumu, Kenya
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Bjorn Blomberg
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Centre for International Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Tropical Infectious Diseases, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Kamija S. Phiri
- School of Public Health and Family Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi
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Ikeda DJ, Gosling R, Eliades MJ, Chung A, Murungu J, Agins BD. Bridging the quality gap in diagnosis and treatment of malaria. BMJ 2020; 369:m1176. [PMID: 32321709 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.m1176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Ikeda
- HEALTHQUAL, Institute for Global Health Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Roly Gosling
- Malaria Elimination Initiative, Institute for Global Health Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Amanda Chung
- Malaria Elimination Initiative, Institute for Global Health Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Joseph Murungu
- HEALTHQUAL, Institute for Global Health Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Bruce D Agins
- HEALTHQUAL, Institute for Global Health Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
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