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Wildbret S, Stuck L, Luchen CC, Simuyandi M, Chisenga C, Schultsz C, Harris VC. Drivers of informal sector and non-prescription medication use in pediatric populations in a low- and middle-income setting: A prospective cohort study in Zambia. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 3:e0002072. [PMID: 37410740 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Obtaining medication from the informal sector is common in low- and middle- income countries. Informal sector use increases the risk for inappropriate medication use, including inappropriate antibiotic usage. Infants are at the highest risk of complications from inappropriate medication use, yet there is insufficient knowledge about the risk factors driving caregivers to obtain medication from the informal sector for young children. We aimed to define infant and illness characteristics associated with use of medication purchased in the informal sector for infants up to fifteen months of age in Zambia. We used data from, a prospective cohort study (ROTA-biotic) conducted among 6 weeks to 15 months old children in Zambia, which is nested within an ongoing phase III rotavirus vaccine trial (Clinicaltrial.gov NCT04010448). Weekly in-person surveys collected information about illness episodes and medication usage for the trial population and for a community control cohort. The primary outcome for this study was whether medication was purchased in the formal sector (hospital or clinic) or informal sector (pharmacy, street vendor, friend/relative/neighbor, or chemical shop) per illness episode. Descriptive analyses were used to describe the study population, and the independent and medication use variables stratified by the outcome. A mixed-effects logistic regression model with a participant-level random intercept was used to identify independent variables associated with the outcome. The analysis included 439 participants accounting for 1927 illness episodes over fourteen months in time. Medication was purchased in the informal sector for 386 (20.0%) illness episodes, and in the formal sector for 1541 (80.0%) illness episodes. Antibiotic usage was less common in the informal sector than in the formal sector (29.3% vs 56.2%, p < 0.001, chi-square). Most medications purchased in the informal sector were orally administered (93.4%), and non-prescribed (78.8%). Increased distance from the closest study site (OR: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.17), being included in the community cohort site (OR: 3.18; 95% CI: 1.86, 5.46), illnesses with general malaise fever, or headache (OR: 2.62; 95% CI: 1.75, 3.93), and wound/skin disease (OR: 0.36; 95% CI: 0.18, 0.73) were associated with use of medication from the informal sector. Sex, socioeconomic status, and gastrointestinal disease were not associated with use of medication from the informal sector. Informal sector medication use is common and, in this study, risk factors for obtaining medications in the informal sector included a long distance to a formal clinic, type of illness, and not being enrolled in a clinical trial. Continued research on medication use from the informal sector is crucial and should include generalizable study populations, information on severity of disease, emphasis on qualitative research, and a move towards testing interventions that aim to improve access to formal health care settings. Our findings suggest that improved access to formal health care services may decrease reliance on medication from the informal sector for infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanne Wildbret
- Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Logan Stuck
- Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Global Health, Amsterdam UMC, Location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Chaluma C Luchen
- Department of Global Health, Amsterdam UMC, Location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | | | | | - Constance Schultsz
- Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Global Health, Amsterdam UMC, Location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, Location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Infectious Diseases, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Vanessa C Harris
- Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Global Health, Amsterdam UMC, Location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Infectious Diseases, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Daka DW, Wordofa MA, Berhanu D, Persson LÅ, Woldie M. Quality of sick child management by health extension workers: role of a complex improvement intervention. BMC Health Serv Res 2023; 23:165. [PMID: 36797722 PMCID: PMC9933397 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-023-09131-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the expansion of the Integrated Community Case Management services for childhood illness, quality and utilization of services have remained low. To address the problem, the Government of Ethiopia introduced a complex intervention that included community engagement, capacity building of health workers and enhanced district-level ownership of sick child management. We examined whether this complex intervention was associated with improved management of sick children by health extension workers. METHODS The study was conducted in four Ethiopian regions. A baseline survey was conducted in 26 intervention and 26 comparison districts from December 2016 to February 2017, followed by an end-line survey 24 months later. We observed health extension workers' consultations of sick 2-59 months old children. The analysis has evaluated if children with pneumonia, diarrhoea and malnutrition were assessed, classified and treated according to guidelines, and included difference-in-difference analyses. RESULTS We observed 1325 consultations of sick children. At baseline, 86% of the sick children with cough in the intervention areas and 85% in comparison areas were assessed according to the guidelines, without any change at end-line associated with the intervention (difference-in-difference = -21%, p = 0.55). Sixty-two percent of children were assessed for dehydration at baseline in intervention and 47% in comparison areas, with no improvement associated with the intervention. Similarly, 87% of sick children in intervention and 91% in comparison areas were assessed for malnutrition, with no change over time associated with the intervention (difference-in-difference = 5%, p = 0.16). Appropriate pneumonia treatment with antibiotics declined and diarrhea treatment increased in both areas. Half of the malnourished children received ready-to-use therapeutic foods without any improvement associated with the intervention. CONCLUSION The intervention was not associated with improved quality of the health extension workers' management of sick children. The lack of association may be linked to low fidelity in the implementation of the intervention. Our findings suggest that training healthcare providers without continued clinical mentoring and support does not improve the quality of care. Community-based programs can be strengthened by ensuring high coverage and continued clinical mentorships, supportive supervision, and supply of medicines and other essential commodities. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER ISRCTN12040912, retrospectively registered on 19/12/ 2017.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawit Wolde Daka
- Faculty of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
| | - Muluemebet Abera Wordofa
- grid.411903.e0000 0001 2034 9160Faculty of Public Health, Department of Population and Family Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Della Berhanu
- grid.452387.f0000 0001 0508 7211Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia ,grid.8991.90000 0004 0425 469XThe London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Lars Åke Persson
- grid.452387.f0000 0001 0508 7211Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia ,grid.8991.90000 0004 0425 469XThe London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Mirkuzie Woldie
- grid.411903.e0000 0001 2034 9160Faculty of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia ,Fenot Project, University of British Columbia, School of Public Health and Population, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Abtew S, Negatou M, Wondie T, Tadesse Y, Alemayehu WA, Tsegaye DA, Mulaw M, Muluneh D, Collison D, Mdluli EA, Mekuria LA. Poor Adherence to the Integrated Community Case Management of Newborn and Child Illness Protocol in Rural Ethiopia. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2022; 107:1337-1344. [PMID: 36316002 PMCID: PMC9768262 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.21-1018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Ethiopia has adopted the Integrated Community Case Management of Newborn and Child Illness (iCMNCI) strategy to expand access to neonatal and child health services. This study assessed compliance with the iCMNCI case management protocol at the primary care settings. A descriptive cross-sectional assessment was conducted in eight districts of Benishangul-Gumuz Region from April to December 2019, and 1,217 sick children aged 2 to 59 months and 43 sick young infants aged 0 to 2 months who sought clinical consultation at the 236 health posts were selected purposively. Trained supervisors reviewed the medical records of two most recent cases from each illness category to quantify the extent to which health workers correctly assessed, classified, treated, and followed up cases per the iCMNCI guidelines. A total of 32,981 children sought clinical consultation of whom 31,830 (96.5%) were aged 2 to 59 months, and 1,151 (3.5%) were young infants aged 0 to 2 months. Of the 1,217 selected children, 426 (35%) had pneumonia, 287 (23.6%) malaria, 501 (41.2%) diarrhea, and 3 (0.2%) had malnutrition. Nearly two-thirds 306 (72%) of pneumonia cases were correctly classified as having had the disease and 297 (70%) were correctly treated for pneumonia; 213 (74%) were correctly classified as having had malaria and 210 (73%) were correctly treated for malaria; and 393 (78%) were correctly classified as having had diarrhea and 297 (59%) were correctly treated for diarrhea. Generally, the current practices of child illness assessment, classification, and treatment have deviated from iCMNCI guidelines. Future interventions should support frontline health workers to comply strictly with case management protocols through training, mentorship, and supervision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solomon Abtew
- Project HOPE, Assosa, Ethiopia;,Address correspondence to Solomon Abtew, Project HOPE, Assosa, P.O. Box 45 Addis Ababa Ethiopia, Ethiopia. E-mail:
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Quach A, Spence H, Nguyen C, Graham SM, von Mollendorf C, Mulholland K, Russell FM. Slow progress towards pneumonia control for children in low-and-middle income countries as measured by pneumonia indicators: A systematic review of the literature. J Glob Health 2022; 12:10006. [PMID: 36282893 PMCID: PMC9595578 DOI: 10.7189/jogh.12.10006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The integrated Global Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Pneumonia and Diarrhoea (GAPPD) has the goal of ending preventable childhood deaths from pneumonia and diarrhoea by 2025 with targets and indicators to monitor progress. The aim of this systematic review is to summarise how low-and-middle income countries (LMICs) reported pneumonia-specific GAPPD indicators at national and subnational levels and whether GAPPD targets have been achieved. Methods We searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed and Global Health Databases, and the World Health Organization (WHO) website. Publications/reports between 2015 and 2020 reporting on two or more GAPPD-pneumonia indicators from LMICs were included. Data prior to 2015 were included if available in the same report series. Quality of publications was assessed with the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies. A narrative synthesis of the literature was performed to describe which countries and WHO regions were reporting on GAPPD indicators and progress in GAPPD coverage targets. Results Our search identified 17 publications/reports meeting inclusion criteria, with six from peer-reviewed publications. Data were available from 139 LMICs between 2010 and 2020, predominantly from Africa. Immunisation coverage rates were the indicators most commonly reported, followed by exclusive breastfeeding rates and pneumonia case management. Most GAPPD indicators were reported at the national level with minimal reporting at the subnational level. Immunisation coverage (Haemophilus influenzae, measles, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccines) in the WHO Europe, Americas and South-East Asia regions were meeting 90% coverage targets, while pneumococcal conjugate vaccine coverage lagged globally. The remaining GAPPD indicators (breastfeeding, pneumonia case management, antiretroviral prophylaxis, household air pollution) were not meeting GAPPD targets in LMICs. There was a strong negative correlation between pneumonia specific GAPPD coverage rates and under-five mortality (Pearson correlation coefficient range = -0.74, -0.79). Conclusion There is still substantial progress to be made in LMICs to achieve the 2025 GAPPD targets. Current GAPPD indicators along with country reporting mechanisms should be reviewed with consideration of adding undernutrition and access to oxygen therapy as important indicators which impact pneumonia outcomes. Further research on GAPPD indicators over longer time periods and at subnational levels can help identify high-risk populations for targeted pneumonia interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Quach
- Asia-Pacific Health Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Hollie Spence
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia.,The Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Cattram Nguyen
- Asia-Pacific Health Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stephen M Graham
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia.,The Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Claire von Mollendorf
- Asia-Pacific Health Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kim Mulholland
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia.,London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Fiona M Russell
- Asia-Pacific Health Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Ajayi IO, Oyewole OE, Ogah OS, Akinyemi JO, Salawu MM, Bamgboye EA, Obembe T, Olawuwo M, Sani MU. Development and evaluation of a package to improve hypertension control in Nigeria [DEPIHCON]: a cluster-randomized controlled trial. Trials 2022; 23:366. [PMID: 35501887 PMCID: PMC9058739 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-022-06209-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Nigeria’s healthcare system capacity to stem the increasing trend in hypertension is limited in coverage, scope and manpower. Use of trained community-based care providers demonstrated to be an effective complement in improving access to, and supporting healthcare delivery has not been adequately examined for hypertension care in Nigeria. This study is proposed to evaluate the effectiveness of using trained community-oriented resource persons (CORPs) to improve hypertension control in Nigeria. Methods An intervention study will be conducted in three states using a mixed method design. First is a baseline survey using a semi-structured pre-tested questionnaire to collect information on demographics, clinical data, knowledge, occurrence and risk factors of hypertension among 1704 adults ≥18 years. Focus group discussions (FGD) and key informant interviews (KII) will be conducted to explore a community’s experience of hypertension, challenges with hypertension management and support required to improve control in 10 selected communities in each state. The second is a cluster-randomized controlled trial to evaluate effect of a package on reduction of blood pressure (BP) and prevention of cardiovascular (CVD) risk factors among 200 hypertensive patients to be followed up in intervention and control arms over a 6-month period in each state. The package will include trained CORPs conducting community-based screening of BP and referral, diagnosis confirmation and initial treatment in the health facility, followed by monthly home-based follow-up care and provision of health education on hypertension control and healthy lifestyle enhanced by phone voice message reminders. In the control arm, the usual care (diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care in hospital of a patient’s choice) will continue. Third, an endline survey will be conducted in both intervention and control communities to evaluate changes in mean BP, control, knowledge and proportion of other CVD risk factors. In addition, FGD and KII will be used to assess participants’ perceived quality and acceptability of the interventions as delivered by CORPs. Discussion This research is expected to create awareness, improve knowledge, perception, behaviours, attitude and practices that will reduce hypertension in Nigeria. Advocacy for buy-in and scale up of using CORPs in hypertension care by the government is key if found to be effective. Trial registration PACTR Registry PACTR202107530985857. Registered on 26 July 2021.
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Common childhood illnesses: a cross-sectional study of commodity stocking patterns and management knowledge among patent and proprietary medicine vendors in Nigeria. Arch Public Health 2022; 80:88. [PMID: 35317867 PMCID: PMC8939160 DOI: 10.1186/s13690-022-00846-x] [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] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The trio of commonest illnesses and causes mortality among children under five (Malaria, Pneumonia and Diarrhea) are easily treatable through timely exposure to cost effective interventions at the community level. Patent and proprietary medicine vendors (PPMVs) are a leading source of care for illnesses among under-five children in Nigeria. This study was designed to explore child health services offering, particularly commodity stocking patterns and case management knowledge for common childhood illnesses among PPMVs in Ebonyi and Kaduna States. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among PPMVs in four local government areas across Ebonyi and Kaduna States. Data was collected using semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaires. Information was obtained on medicine and supplies, knowledge of common childhood illnesses management and referral practices. Results A total of 374 PPMVs were interviewed; the mean age was 33.7 ± 9.8 years. Among the 132 health trained respondents, 59.0% offer treatment services for sick children while 83.5% of the non-health trained respondents offer the same service. At least, 88.0% of the respondents keep stock ACTs, Amoxycilin DT, ORS and Zinc. About 38.5% reported stock-out of ACTs in the month preceding the study, 55.1% reported stock out lasting only 0 to 6 days. Only 83 (22.2%) of respondents knew the correct diagnosis of fast breathing among children aged 2 to less than 12 months old. Education and health training background were associated with a good knowledge of common childhood illnesses management (X2 = 44.88, p < 0.001; X2 = 27.14, p < 0.001). Conclusion The relative constant availability of medicines and commodities for managing childhood illnesses positions PPMVs as a preferred source of care for these illnesses. There is a need to complement steady stock availability with provision of quality services by exposing PPMVs to trainings on integrated community case management of childhood illnesses and implementation of robust supervision mechanism to monitor them.
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Innovative, enhanced community management of non-hypoxaemic chest-indrawing pneumonia in 2-59-month-old children: a cluster-randomised trial in Africa and Asia. BMJ Glob Health 2022; 7:bmjgh-2021-006405. [PMID: 34987033 PMCID: PMC8734014 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2021-006405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The WHO recommends oral amoxicillin for 2–59-month-old children with chest-indrawing pneumonia presenting at the health facility. Community-level health workers (CLHWs) are not allowed to treat these children when presented at the community level. This study aimed to evaluate whether CLHWs can safely and effectively treat children 2–59 months-old with chest indrawing with a 5-day course of oral amoxicillin in a few selected countries in Africa and Asia, especially when a referral is not feasible. Methods We conducted a prospective multicountry cluster-randomised, open-label, non-inferiority trial in rural areas of four countries (Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India and Malawi) from September 2016 to December 2018. Children aged 2–59 months having parents/caregivers reported cough and/or difficult breathing presenting to a CLHW were screened for enrolment. CLHWs in the intervention clusters assessed children for hypoxaemia and treated non-hypoxaemic chest-indrawing pneumonia with two times per day oral amoxicillin (50 mg/kg body weight per dose) for 5 days at the community level. CLHWs in the control clusters identified chest indrawing and referred them to a referral-level health facility for treatment. Study supervisors performed pulse oximetry in the control clusters except in Bangladesh. Children were assessed for the primary outcome (clinical treatment failure) up to day 14 after enrolment. The accuracy and impact of pulse oximetry by CLHWs in the intervention clusters were also assessed. Results In 208 clusters, 1688 CLHWs assessed 62 363 children with cough and/or difficulty breathing. Of these, 4013 non-hypoxaemic 2–59-month-old children with chest-indrawing pneumonia were enrolled. We excluded 116 children from analysis, leaving 3897 for intention-to-treat analysis. In the intervention clusters, 4.3% (90/2081) failed treatment, including five deaths, while in the control clusters, 4.4% (79/1816) failed treatment, including five deaths. The adjusted risk difference was -0.01 (95% CI −1.5% to 1.5%), which satisfied the prespecified non-inferiority criterion. CLHWs correctly performed pulse oximetry in 91.1% (2001/2196) of cases in the intervention clusters. Conclusions The community treatment of non-hypoxaemic children with chest-indrawing pneumonia with 5-day oral amoxicillin by trained, equipped and supervised CLHWs is non-inferior to currently recommended facility-based treatment. These findings encourage a review of the existing strategy of community-based management of pneumonia. Trial registration ACTRN12617000857303; The Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry.
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Rabbani F, Khan HA, Piryani S, Pradhan NA, Shaukat N, Feroz AS, Perveen S. Changing Perceptions of Rural Frontline Workers and Caregivers About Management of Childhood Diarrhea and Pneumonia Despite Several Inequities: The Nigraan Plus Trial in Pakistan. J Multidiscip Healthc 2021; 14:3343-3355. [PMID: 34880624 PMCID: PMC8648085 DOI: 10.2147/jmdh.s334844] [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] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Diarrhea and pneumonia greatly contribute to high childhood mortality in Pakistan. Frontline community health workers or the Lady Health Workers (LHWs) provide care at the doorstep of over 60% of Pakistan’s rural residents. Difficult terrain, lack of supplies, and inadequate supervision put these LHWs at an added disadvantage in the timely diagnosis and delivery of known treatment options to community caregivers (CCGs). This study aims to assess whether a supportive supervision intervention through Lady Health Supervisors (LHSs) using enhanced mentorship and written feedback cards have the potential to improve case management of childhood diarrhea and pneumonia. Study Setting and Design This perception-based qualitative inquiry nested within the Nigraan Plus trial included LHSs, LHWs, and CCGs as the participants. Twenty-two in-depth interviews (IDIs) and 16 focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted before a supportive supervision intervention in 2017, and 10 FGDs were conducted in 2019 once the intervention concluded. Data were analyzed using manual content analysis. Results The perceived ability of LHWs and LHSs to describe the danger signs of diarrhea and pneumonia, classify dehydration and relate respiratory rate to the severity of pneumonia improved over time. Appropriate prescription of zinc in diarrhea and antibiotics in pneumonia was noted. Furthermore, CCGs’ trust in LHWs increased following the intervention, and they reported a growing inclination to contact LHWs as their first point of care. LHWs in the intervention arm were more satisfied with their job due to frequent supervisory visits and continuous feedback by LHSs. Conclusion Despite geographic, social, and economic inequities, supportive supervision has the potential to improve knowledge, practice, and skills of frontline health workers related to CCM of childhood diarrhea and pneumonia in disadvantaged rural communities. Additionally, the trust of CCGs in the health workers’ ability to manage such cases is also enhanced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fauziah Rabbani
- Office of Research and Graduate Studies, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.,Department of Community Health Sciences, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Hyder Ali Khan
- Department of Community Health Sciences, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Suneel Piryani
- Department of Community Health Sciences, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Nousheen Akber Pradhan
- Department of Community Health Sciences, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Natasha Shaukat
- Department of Community Health Sciences, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Anam Shahil Feroz
- Department of Community Health Sciences, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Shagufta Perveen
- Department of Community Health Sciences, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
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Tack B, Vita D, Mbaki TN, Lunguya O, Toelen J, Jacobs J. Performance of Automated Point-of-Care Respiratory Rate Counting versus Manual Counting in Children under Five Admitted with Severe Febrile Illness to Kisantu Hospital, DR Congo. Diagnostics (Basel) 2021; 11:2078. [PMID: 34829427 PMCID: PMC8623579 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics11112078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
To improve the early recognition of danger signs in children with severe febrile illness in low resource settings, WHO promotes automated respiratory rate (RR) counting, but its performance is unknown in this population. Therefore, we prospectively evaluated the field performance of automated point-of-care plethysmography-based RR counting in hospitalized children with severe febrile illness (<5 years) in DR Congo. A trained research nurse simultaneously counted the RR manually (comparative method) and automatically with the Masimo Rad G pulse oximeter. Valid paired RR measurements were obtained in 202 (83.1%) children, among whom 43.1% (87/202) had fast breathing according to WHO criteria based on manual counting. Automated counting frequently underestimated the RR (median difference of -1 breath/minute; p2.5-p97.5 limits of agreement: -34-6), particularly at higher RR. This resulted in a failure to detect fast breathing in 24.1% (21/87) of fast breathing children (positive percent agreement: 75.9%), which was not explained by clinical characteristics (p > 0.05). Children without fast breathing were mostly correctly classified (negative percent agreement: 98.3%). In conclusion, in the present setting the automated RR counter performed insufficiently to facilitate the early recognition of danger signs in children with severe febrile illness, given wide limits of agreement and a too low positive percent agreement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bieke Tack
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium;
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Daniel Vita
- Hôpital Général de Référence Saint Luc de Kisantu, Kisantu, Democratic Republic of the Congo; (D.V.); (T.N.M.)
| | - Thomas Nsema Mbaki
- Hôpital Général de Référence Saint Luc de Kisantu, Kisantu, Democratic Republic of the Congo; (D.V.); (T.N.M.)
| | - Octavie Lunguya
- Department of Microbiology, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo;
- Department of Medical Biology, University Teaching Hospital of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Jaan Toelen
- Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium;
| | - Jan Jacobs
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium;
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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Sayre D, Steinhardt LC, Irinantenaina J, Dentinger C, Rasoanaivo TF, Kapesa L, Razafindrakoto J, Legrand A, Prada N, Gutman J, Lewis L, Mangahasimbola RT, Andriamananjara M, Ravaoarinosy AV, Ralemary N, Garchitorena A, Harimanana A. Baseline malaria prevalence and care-seeking behaviours in rural Madagascar prior to a trial to expand malaria community case management to all ages. Malar J 2021; 20:422. [PMID: 34702255 PMCID: PMC8549293 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-021-03956-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Integrated community case management of malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhoea can reduce mortality in children under five years (CU5) in resource-poor countries. There is growing interest in expanding malaria community case management (mCCM) to older individuals, but limited empirical evidence exists to guide this expansion. As part of a two-year cluster-randomized trial of mCCM expansion to all ages in southeastern Madagascar, a cross-sectional survey was conducted to assess baseline malaria prevalence and healthcare-seeking behaviours. METHODS Two enumeration areas (EAs) were randomly chosen from each catchment area of the 30 health facilities (HFs) in Farafangana district designated for the mCCM age expansion trial; 28 households were randomly selected from each EA for the survey. All household members were asked about recent illness and care-seeking, and malaria prevalence was assessed by rapid diagnostic test (RDT) among children < 15 years of age. Weighted population estimates and Rao-Scott chi-squared tests were used to examine illness, care-seeking, malaria case management, and malaria prevalence patterns. RESULTS Illness in the two weeks prior to the survey was reported by 459 (6.7%) of 8050 respondents in 334 of 1458 households surveyed. Most individuals noting illness (375/459; 82.3%) reported fever. Of those reporting fever, 28.7% (112/375) sought care; this did not vary by participant age (p = 0.66). Most participants seeking care for fever visited public HFs (48/112, 46.8%), or community healthcare volunteers (CHVs) (40/112, 31.0%). Of those presenting with fever at HFs or to CHVs, 87.0% and 71.0%, respectively, reported being tested for malaria. RDT positivity among 3,316 tested children < 15 years was 25.4% (CI: 21.5-29.4%) and increased with age: 16.9% in CU5 versus 31.8% in 5-14-year-olds (p < 0.0001). Among RDT-positive individuals, 28.4% of CU5 and 18.5% of 5-14-year-olds reported fever in the two weeks prior to survey (p = 0.044). CONCLUSIONS The higher prevalence of malaria among older individuals coupled with high rates of malaria testing for those who sought care at CHVs suggest that expanding mCCM to older individuals may substantially increase the number of infected individuals with improved access to care, which could have additional favorable effects on malaria transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dean Sayre
- Epidemic Intelligence Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, USA. .,Malaria Branch, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Center for Global Health, CDC Atlanta, 1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Laura C Steinhardt
- Malaria Branch, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Center for Global Health, CDC Atlanta, 1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Catherine Dentinger
- Malaria Branch, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Center for Global Health, CDC Atlanta, 1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, USA.,U.S. President's Malaria Initiative, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Lot 207A, Point Liberty, Andranoro, Antehiroka, 105, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | | | - Laurent Kapesa
- U.S. President's Malaria Initiative, USAID, Lot 207A, Point Liberty, Andranoro, Antehiroka, 105, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Jocelyn Razafindrakoto
- U.S. President's Malaria Initiative, USAID, Lot 207A, Point Liberty, Andranoro, Antehiroka, 105, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Agathe Legrand
- Institut Pasteur de Madagascar , BP 1274 Ambatofotsikely, 101, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Nicole Prada
- Institut Pasteur de Madagascar , BP 1274 Ambatofotsikely, 101, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Julie Gutman
- Malaria Branch, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Center for Global Health, CDC Atlanta, 1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Lauren Lewis
- U.S. President's Malaria Initiative, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Malaria Branch, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Center for Global Health, CDC Atlanta, 1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Nicolas Ralemary
- Ministry of Public Health, Farafangana District Office, Farafangana, Madagascar
| | - Andres Garchitorena
- Institut Pasteur de Madagascar , BP 1274 Ambatofotsikely, 101, Antananarivo, Madagascar.,MIVEGEC, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, 911 Av Agropolis, Montpellier, France
| | - Aina Harimanana
- Institut Pasteur de Madagascar , BP 1274 Ambatofotsikely, 101, Antananarivo, Madagascar
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11
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Orkin AM, Venugopal J, Curran JD, Fortune MK, McArthur A, Mew E, Ritchie SD, Drennan IR, Exley A, Jamieson R, Johnson DE, MacPherson A, Martiniuk A, McDonald N, Osei-Ampofo M, Wegier P, Van de Velde S, VanderBurgh D. Emergency care with lay responders in underserved populations: a systematic review. Bull World Health Organ 2021; 99:514-528H. [PMID: 34248224 PMCID: PMC8243031 DOI: 10.2471/blt.20.270249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To assess the individual and community health effects of task shifting for emergency care in low-resource settings and underserved populations worldwide. Methods We systematically searched 13 databases and additional grey literature for studies published between 1984 and 2019. Eligible studies involved emergency care training for laypeople in underserved or low-resource populations, and any quantitative assessment of effects on the health of individuals or communities. We conducted duplicate assessments of study eligibility, data abstraction and quality. We synthesized findings in narrative and tabular format. Findings Of 19 308 papers retrieved, 34 studies met the inclusion criteria from low- and middle-income countries (21 studies) and underserved populations in high-income countries (13 studies). Targeted emergency conditions included trauma, burns, cardiac arrest, opioid poisoning, malaria, paediatric communicable diseases and malnutrition. Trainees included the general public, non-health-care professionals, volunteers and close contacts of at-risk populations, all trained through in-class, peer and multimodal education and public awareness campaigns. Important clinical and policy outcomes included improvements in community capacity to manage emergencies (14 studies), patient outcomes (13 studies) and community health (seven studies). While substantial effects were observed for programmes to address paediatric malaria, trauma and opioid poisoning, most studies reported modest effect sizes and two reported null results. Most studies were of weak (24 studies) or moderate quality (nine studies). Conclusion First aid education and task shifting to laypeople for emergency care may reduce patient morbidity and mortality and build community capacity to manage health emergencies for a variety of emergency conditions in underserved and low-resource settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron M Orkin
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, 155 College St, Toronto, ON M5T 3M7, Canada
| | | | | | - Melanie K Fortune
- Division of Clinical Sciences, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Timmins, Canada
| | | | - Emma Mew
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | | | - Ian R Drennan
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Canada
| | - Adam Exley
- Division of Clinical Sciences, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Thunder Bay, Canada
| | | | - David E Johnson
- Wilderness Medical Associates International, Portland, United States of America
| | - Andrew MacPherson
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Victoria, Canada
| | - Alexandra Martiniuk
- Faculty of Medicine School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Maxwell Osei-Ampofo
- Department of Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | | | - Stijn Van de Velde
- Division for Health Services, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - David VanderBurgh
- Division of Clinical Sciences, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Thunder Bay, Canada
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12
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Winskill P, Mousa A, Oresanya O, Counihan H, Okell LC, Walker PG. Does integrated community case management (iCCM) target health inequities and treatment delays? Evidence from an analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys data from 21 countries in the period 2010 to 2018. J Glob Health 2021; 11:04013. [PMID: 33791093 PMCID: PMC7979156 DOI: 10.7189/jogh.11.04013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Integrated community case management (iCCM) is a programme that can, via community health workers (CHWs), increase access to timely and essential treatments for children. As well as improving treatment coverage, iCCM has an additional equity-focus with the aim of targeting underserved populations. To assess the success of iCCM programmes it is important that we understand the contribution they are making to equitable health coverage. Methods We analysed demographic and health survey data from 21 countries over 9 years to assess evidence and evaluate iCCM programmes. We summarise the contribution CHWs are making relative to other health care provider groups and what treatment combinations CHWs are commonly prescribing. We assessed the ability of CHWs to target treatment delays and health inequities by evaluating time to treatment following fever onset and relationships between CHWs and wealth, rurality and remoteness. Results There was good evidence that CHWs are being successfully targeted to improve inequities in health care coverage. There is a larger contribution of CHWs in areas with higher poverty, rurality and remoteness. In six surveys CHWs were associated with significantly shorter average time between fever onset and advice or treatment seeking, whilst in one they were associated with significantly longer times. In areas with active CHW programmes, the contribution of CHWs relative to other health care provider groups varied between 11% to 45% of treatment visits. The distribution of types of treatment provided by CHWs was also very variable between countries. Conclusions The success of an iCCM programme depends not only on increasing treatment coverage but addressing inequities in access to timely health care. Whilst much work is still needed to attain universal health care targets, and despite incomplete data, there is evidence that iCCM is successfully addressing treatment delays and targeting underserved populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Winskill
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Imperial College, London
| | - Andria Mousa
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Imperial College, London
| | | | | | - Lucy C Okell
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Imperial College, London
| | - Patrick G Walker
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Imperial College, London
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13
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Changes in care-seeking for common childhood illnesses in the context of Integrated Community Case Management (iCCM) program implementation in Benishangul Gumuz region of Ethiopia. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0242451. [PMID: 33186375 PMCID: PMC7665800 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Integrated Community Case Management (iCCM) is a strategy for promoting access of under-served populations to lifesaving treatments through extending case management of common childhood illnesses to trained frontline health workers. In Ethiopia iCCM is provided by health extension workers (HEWs) deployed at health posts. We evaluated the association between the implementation of iCCM program in Assosa Zuria zone, Benishangul Gumuz region and changes in care-seeking for common childhood illnesses. Methods We conducted a pre-post study without control arm to evaluate the association of interest. The iCCM program that incorporated training, mentoring and supportive supervision of HEWs with community-based demand creation activities was implemented for two years (2017–18). Baseline, midline and endline surveys were completed approximately one year apart. Across the surveys, children aged 2–59 months (n = 1,848) who recently had cough, fever or diarrhea were included. Data were analysed using mixed-effects logistic regression model. Results Over the two-year period, care-seeking from any health facility and from health posts significantly increased by 10.7 and 17.4 percentage points (PP) from baseline levels of 64.5 and 34.1%, respectively (p<0.001). Care sought from health centres (p = 0.420) and public hospitals (p = 0.129) did not meaningfully change while proportion of caregivers who approached private (p = 0.003) and informal providers (p<0.001) declined. Caregivers who visited health posts for the treatment of diarrhea (19.2 PP, p<0.001), fever (15.5 PP, p<0.001), cough (17.8 PP, p<0.001) and cough with respiratory difficulty (17.3 PP, p = 0.038) significantly increased. After accounting for extraneous variables, we observed that care-seeking from iCCM providers was almost doubled (adjusted odds ratio = 2.32: 95% confidence interval; 1.88–2.86) over the period. Conclusion iCCM implementation was associated with a meaningful shift in care-seeking to health posts.
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14
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Mousa A, Al-Taiar A, Anstey NM, Badaut C, Barber BE, Bassat Q, Challenger JD, Cunnington AJ, Datta D, Drakeley C, Ghani AC, Gordeuk VR, Grigg MJ, Hugo P, John CC, Mayor A, Migot-Nabias F, Opoka RO, Pasvol G, Rees C, Reyburn H, Riley EM, Shah BN, Sitoe A, Sutherland CJ, Thuma PE, Unger SA, Viwami F, Walther M, Whitty CJM, William T, Okell LC. The impact of delayed treatment of uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria on progression to severe malaria: A systematic review and a pooled multicentre individual-patient meta-analysis. PLoS Med 2020; 17:e1003359. [PMID: 33075101 PMCID: PMC7571702 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1003359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Delay in receiving treatment for uncomplicated malaria (UM) is often reported to increase the risk of developing severe malaria (SM), but access to treatment remains low in most high-burden areas. Understanding the contribution of treatment delay on progression to severe disease is critical to determine how quickly patients need to receive treatment and to quantify the impact of widely implemented treatment interventions, such as 'test-and-treat' policies administered by community health workers (CHWs). We conducted a pooled individual-participant meta-analysis to estimate the association between treatment delay and presenting with SM. METHODS AND FINDINGS A search using Ovid MEDLINE and Embase was initially conducted to identify studies on severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria that included information on treatment delay, such as fever duration (inception to 22nd September 2017). Studies identified included 5 case-control and 8 other observational clinical studies of SM and UM cases. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale, and all studies were ranked as 'Good', scoring ≥7/10. Individual-patient data (IPD) were pooled from 13 studies of 3,989 (94.1% aged <15 years) SM patients and 5,780 (79.6% aged <15 years) UM cases in Benin, Malaysia, Mozambique, Tanzania, The Gambia, Uganda, Yemen, and Zambia. Definitions of SM were standardised across studies to compare treatment delay in patients with UM and different SM phenotypes using age-adjusted mixed-effects regression. The odds of any SM phenotype were significantly higher in children with longer delays between initial symptoms and arrival at the health facility (odds ratio [OR] = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.07-1.64 for a delay of >24 hours versus ≤24 hours; p = 0.009). Reported illness duration was a strong predictor of presenting with severe malarial anaemia (SMA) in children, with an OR of 2.79 (95% CI:1.92-4.06; p < 0.001) for a delay of 2-3 days and 5.46 (95% CI: 3.49-8.53; p < 0.001) for a delay of >7 days, compared with receiving treatment within 24 hours from symptom onset. We estimate that 42.8% of childhood SMA cases and 48.5% of adult SMA cases in the study areas would have been averted if all individuals were able to access treatment within the first day of symptom onset, if the association is fully causal. In studies specifically recording onset of nonsevere symptoms, long treatment delay was moderately associated with other SM phenotypes (OR [95% CI] >3 to ≤4 days versus ≤24 hours: cerebral malaria [CM] = 2.42 [1.24-4.72], p = 0.01; respiratory distress syndrome [RDS] = 4.09 [1.70-9.82], p = 0.002). In addition to unmeasured confounding, which is commonly present in observational studies, a key limitation is that many severe cases and deaths occur outside healthcare facilities in endemic countries, where the effect of delayed or no treatment is difficult to quantify. CONCLUSIONS Our results quantify the relationship between rapid access to treatment and reduced risk of severe disease, which was particularly strong for SMA. There was some evidence to suggest that progression to other severe phenotypes may also be prevented by prompt treatment, though the association was not as strong, which may be explained by potential selection bias, sample size issues, or a difference in underlying pathology. These findings may help assess the impact of interventions that improve access to treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andria Mousa
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Abdullah Al-Taiar
- School of Community & Environmental Health, College of Health Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Nicholas M. Anstey
- Global Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research and Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
- Division of Medicine, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Cyril Badaut
- Unité de Biothérapie Infectieuse et Immunité, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées, Brétigny-sur-Orge, France
- Unité des Virus Emergents (UVE: Aix-Marseille Univ—IRD 190—Inserm 1207—IHU Méditerranée Infection), Marseille, France
| | - Bridget E. Barber
- Global Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research and Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Quique Bassat
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique
- ICREA, Barcelona, Spain
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases Unit, Pediatrics Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu (University of Barcelona), Barcelona, Spain
- Consorcio de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Joseph D. Challenger
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Aubrey J. Cunnington
- Section of Paediatric Infectious Disease, Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - Dibyadyuti Datta
- Ryan White Center for Pediatric Infectious Disease and Global Health, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Chris Drakeley
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Azra C. Ghani
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Victor R. Gordeuk
- Sickle Cell Center, Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Matthew J. Grigg
- Global Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research and Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Pierre Hugo
- Medicines for Malaria Venture, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Chandy C. John
- Ryan White Center for Pediatric Infectious Disease and Global Health, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Alfredo Mayor
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique
- Consorcio de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Robert O. Opoka
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Makerere University School of Medicine, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Geoffrey Pasvol
- Imperial College London, Department of Life Sciences, London, United Kingdom
| | - Claire Rees
- Centre for Global Public Health, Institute of Population Health Sciences, Barts & The London School of Medicine & Dentistry, London, United Kingdom
| | - Hugh Reyburn
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Eleanor M. Riley
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Binal N. Shah
- Sickle Cell Center, Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Antonio Sitoe
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Colin J. Sutherland
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Stefan A. Unger
- Department of Child Life and Health, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Firmine Viwami
- Institut de Recherche Clinique du Bénin (IRCB), Cotonou, Benin
| | - Michael Walther
- Medical Research Council Unit, Fajara, The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Christopher J. M. Whitty
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Timothy William
- Infectious Diseases Society Sabah-Menzies School of Health Research Clinical Research Unit, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
- Gleneagles Hospital, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Lucy C. Okell
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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15
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Agom DA, Allen S, Neill S, Sixsmith J, Poole H, Onyeka TC, Ominyi J. Social and Health System Complexities Impacting on Decision-Making for Utilization of Oncology and Palliative Care in an African Context: A Qualitative Study. J Palliat Care 2019; 35:185-191. [PMID: 31842664 DOI: 10.1177/0825859719892084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a dearth of research focusing on identifying the social complexities impacting on oncology and palliative care (PC), and no study has explored how the health-care system in Nigeria or other African contexts may be influencing utilization of these services. AIM This study explored how social complexities and the organization of health-care influenced the decision-making process for the utilization of oncology and PC in a Nigerian hospital. METHODS This qualitative study used an interpretive descriptive design. Data were collected using semistructured interview guides with 40 participants, comprising health-care professionals, patients, and their families. Thematic analysis was conducted to generate and analyze patterns within the data. FINDINGS Three themes were identified: dysfunctional structural organization of the health-care delivery system, service-users' economic status, and the influence of social networks. The interrelationship between the themes result in patients and their family members decisions either to present late to the hospital, miss their clinical appointments, or not to seek oncological health care and PC. CONCLUSION This article offers insights into the role of the health-care system, as organized currently in Nigeria, as "autoinhibitory" and not adequately prepared to address the increasing burden of cancer. We therefore argue that there is a need to restructure the Nigerian health-care system to better meet the needs of patients with cancer and their families as failure to do so will strengthen the existing inequalities, discourage usage, and increase mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Agom
- Faculty of Health and Society, University of Northampton, United Kingdom
| | - Stuart Allen
- School of Life Science, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Neill
- Faculty of Health and Society, University of Northampton, United Kingdom
| | - Judith Sixsmith
- School of Nursing and Health Sciences, University of Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Helen Poole
- Faculty of Health and Society, University of Northampton, United Kingdom
| | - Tonia C Onyeka
- Department of Anaesthesia/Pain & Palliative Care Unit, Multidisciplinary Oncology Centre, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu, Nigeria
| | - Jude Ominyi
- Faculty of Health and Society, University of Northampton, United Kingdom
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