Quaglio G, Tognon F, Finos L, Bome D, Sesay S, Kebbie A, Di Gennaro F, Camara BS, Marotta C, Pisani V, Bangura Z, Pizzol D, Saracino A, Mazzucco W, Jones S, Putoto G. Impact of Ebola outbreak on reproductive health services in a rural district of Sierra Leone: a prospective observational study.
BMJ Open 2019;
9:e029093. [PMID:
31488479 PMCID:
PMC6731846 DOI:
10.1136/bmjopen-2019-029093]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
To assess the trends concerning utilisation of maternal and child health (MCH) services before, during and after the Ebola outbreak, quantifying the contribution of a reorganised referral system (RS).
DESIGN
A prospective observational study of MCH services.
SETTING
Pujehun district in Sierra Leone, 77 community health facilities and 1 hospital from 2012 to 2017.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
MCH utililization was evaluated by assessing: (1) institutional deliveries, Cesarean-sections, paediatric and maternity admissions and deaths, and major direct obstetric complications (MDOCs), at hospital level; (2) antenatal care (ANC) 1 and 4, institutional delivery and family planning, at community level. Contribution of a strengthened RS was also measured.
RESULTS
At hospital level, there is a significant difference between trends Ebola versus pre-Ebola for maternal admissions (7, 95% CI 4 to 11, p<0.001), MDOCs (4, 95% CI 1 to 7, p=0.006) and institutional deliveries (4, 95% CI 2 to 6, p=0.001). There is also a negative trend in the transition from Ebola to post-Ebola for maternal admissions (-7, 95% CI -10 to -4, p<0.001), MDOCs (-4, 95% CI -7 to -1, p=0.009) and institutional deliveries (-3, 95% CI -5 to -1, p=0.001). The differences between trends pre-Ebola versus post-Ebola are only significant for paediatric admissions (3, 95% CI 0 to 5, p=0.035). At community level, the difference between trends Ebola versus pre-Ebola and Ebola versus post-Ebola are not significant for any indicators. The differences between trends pre-Ebola versus post-Ebola show a negative difference for institutional deliveries (-7, 95% CI -10 to -4, p<0.001), ANC 1 (-6, 95% CI -10 to -3, p<0.001), ANC 4 (-8, 95% CI -11 to -5, p<0.001) and family planning (-85, 95% CI -119 to -51, p<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
A stronger health system compared with other districts in Sierra Leone and a strengthened RS enabled health facilities in Pujehun to maintain service provision and uptake during and after the Ebola epidemic.
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