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Hufstedler H, Mauer N, Yeboah E, Carr S, Rahman S, Danzer AM, Debray TPA, de Jong VMT, Campbell H, Gustafson P, Maxwell L, Jaenisch T, Matthay EC, Bärnighausen T. Application of causal inference methods in individual-participant data meta-analyses in medicine: addressing data handling and reporting gaps with new proposed reporting guidelines. BMC Med Res Methodol 2024; 24:91. [PMID: 38641771 PMCID: PMC11027270 DOI: 10.1186/s12874-024-02210-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Observational data provide invaluable real-world information in medicine, but certain methodological considerations are required to derive causal estimates. In this systematic review, we evaluated the methodology and reporting quality of individual-level patient data meta-analyses (IPD-MAs) conducted with non-randomized exposures, published in 2009, 2014, and 2019 that sought to estimate a causal relationship in medicine. We screened over 16,000 titles and abstracts, reviewed 45 full-text articles out of the 167 deemed potentially eligible, and included 29 into the analysis. Unfortunately, we found that causal methodologies were rarely implemented, and reporting was generally poor across studies. Specifically, only three of the 29 articles used quasi-experimental methods, and no study used G-methods to adjust for time-varying confounding. To address these issues, we propose stronger collaborations between physicians and methodologists to ensure that causal methodologies are properly implemented in IPD-MAs. In addition, we put forward a suggested checklist of reporting guidelines for IPD-MAs that utilize causal methods. This checklist could improve reporting thereby potentially enhancing the quality and trustworthiness of IPD-MAs, which can be considered one of the most valuable sources of evidence for health policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather Hufstedler
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Nicole Mauer
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Edmund Yeboah
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sinclair Carr
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Center for Interdisciplinary Addiction Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sabahat Rahman
- University of Massachusetts Medical School, University of Massachusetts, Worcester, USA, MA
| | - Alexander M Danzer
- KU Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Ingolstadt School of Management and Economics (WFI), Ingolstadt, Germany
- IZA, Bonn, Germany
- CESifo, Munich, Germany
| | - Thomas P A Debray
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Smart Data Analysis and Statistics B.V, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Valentijn M T de Jong
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Cochrane Netherlands, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Harlan Campbell
- Department of Statistics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, BC
| | - Paul Gustafson
- Department of Statistics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, BC
| | - Lauren Maxwell
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Jaenisch
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Center for Global Health, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, USA, CO
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, USA
| | - Ellicott C Matthay
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, USA, NY
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, USA, MA
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Jockers D, Bakoubayi AW, Bärnighausen K, Bando PP, Pechar S, Maina TW, Wachinger J, Vetter M, Djakpa Y, Saka B, Gnossike P, Schröder NM, Liu S, Gadah DAY, Kasang C, Bärnighausen T. Effectiveness of Sensitization Campaigns in Reducing Leprosy-Related Stigma in Rural Togo: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc 2024; 13:e52106. [PMID: 38635983 DOI: 10.2196/52106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the global strategy to eliminate leprosy, there remains a need for early case detection to successfully interrupt transmissions. Poor knowledge about leprosy and leprosy-related stigma are key drivers of delayed diagnosis and treatment. Sensitization campaigns to inform and increase awareness among the general population are an integral part of many national neglected tropical disease programs. Despite their importance, the effectiveness of such campaigns has not been rigorously studied in the West African context. A multilingual rural setting with low health literacy in this region presents challenges to the potential impact of sensitization campaigns. OBJECTIVE The primary objective of this study is to assess the causal effect of common practice community sensitization campaigns on leprosy-related knowledge and stigma at the community level and among community health volunteers. Additionally, we will test the potential of novel educational audio tools in the 15 most prominent local languages to overcome literacy and language barriers and amplify sensitization campaigns. METHODS We will conduct a cluster randomized controlled trial using a sequential mixed methods approach in 60 rural communities across all regions of Togo, West Africa. The study features 2 intervention arms and 1 control arm, with intervention and control assignments made at the community level through randomization. Communities in intervention arm 1 will receive a sensitization campaign in line with the current Togolese national neglected tropical disease program. Communities in intervention arm 2 will receive the same sensitization campaign along with educational audio tools distributed to community households. The control arm will receive no intervention before data collection. Quantitative outcome measures on knowledge and stigma will be collected from a random sample of 1200 individuals. Knowledge will be assessed using the 9-item standardized Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Questionnaire. Stigma will be measured using the 7-item Social Distance Scale and the 15-item Explanatory Model Interview Catalogue Community Stigma Scale. We will estimate intention-to-treat effects at the individual level, comparing the outcomes of the intervention and control arms. In an accompanying qualitative component, we will conduct in-depth interviews with community members, community health volunteers, and health care workers in both treatment arms and the control arm to explore intervention and stigma-related experiences. RESULTS This paper describes and discusses the protocol for a mixed methods cluster randomized controlled trial. Data collection is planned to be completed in June 2024, with ongoing data analysis. The first results are expected to be submitted for publication by the end of 2024. CONCLUSIONS This trial will be among the first to test the causal effectiveness of community-based sensitization campaigns and audio tools to increase knowledge and reduce leprosy-related stigma. As such, the results will inform health policy makers, decision-makers, and public health practitioners designing sensitization campaigns in rural multilingual settings. TRIAL REGISTRATION German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00029355; https://drks.de/search/en/trial/DRKS00029355. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/52106.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Jockers
- Heidelberg Insititute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Kate Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Insititute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Stefanie Pechar
- Public Health and Prevention, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Teresia Wamuyu Maina
- Heidelberg Insititute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jonas Wachinger
- Heidelberg Insititute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mark Vetter
- Geovisualization, Technical University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Yawovi Djakpa
- German Leprosy and Tuberculosis Relief Association, Lomé, Togo
| | - Bayaki Saka
- Department of Dermatology, Tsévié Hospital, University of Lomé, Lomé, Togo
| | - Piham Gnossike
- National Programme for Neglected Tropical Diseases, Lomé, Togo
| | - Nora Maike Schröder
- Heidelberg Insititute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Shuyan Liu
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (Campus Charité Mitte), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Christa Kasang
- German Leprosy and Tuberculosis Relief Association, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Insititute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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Franke MA, Nordmann K, Frühauf A, Ranaivoson RM, Rebaliha M, Rapanjato Z, Bärnighausen T, Muller N, Knauss S, Emmrich JV. Inter-facility transfers for emergency obstetrical and neonatal care in rural Madagascar: a cost-effectiveness analysis. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e081482. [PMID: 38569673 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-081482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
CONTEXT There is a substantial lack of inter-facility referral systems for emergency obstetrical and neonatal care in rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa. Data on the costs and cost-effectiveness of such systems that reduce preventable maternal and neonatal deaths are scarce. SETTING We aimed to determine the cost-effectiveness of a non-governmental organisation (NGO)-run inter-facility referral system for emergency obstetrical and neonatal care in rural Southern Madagascar by analysing the characteristics of cases referred through the intervention as well as its costs. DESIGN We used secondary NGO data, drawn from an NGO's monitoring and financial administration database, including medical and financial records. OUTCOME MEASURES We performed a descriptive and a cost-effectiveness analysis, including a one-way deterministic sensitivity analysis. RESULTS 1172 cases were referred over a period of 4 years. The most common referral reasons were obstructed labour, ineffective labour and eclampsia. In total, 48 neonates were referred through the referral system over the study period. Estimated cost per referral was US$336 and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was US$70 per additional life-year saved (undiscounted, discounted US$137). The sensitivity analysis showed that the intervention was cost-effective for all scenarios with the lowest ICER at US$99 and the highest ICER at US$205 per additional life-year saved. When extrapolated to the population living in the study area, the investment costs of the programme were US$0.13 per person and annual running costs US$0.06 per person. CONCLUSIONS In our study, the inter-facility referral system was a very cost-effective intervention. Our findings may inform policies, decision-making and implementation strategies for emergency obstetrical and neonatal care referral systems in similar resource-constrained settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mara Anna Franke
- Charité Center for Global Health, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Ärzte für Madagaskar, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Anna Frühauf
- Charité Center for Global Health, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Africa Health Research Institute, Somkhele and Durban, South Africa
| | - Nadine Muller
- Charité Center for Global Health, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Ärzte für Madagaskar, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Samuel Knauss
- Charité Center for Global Health, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Ärzte für Madagaskar, Berlin, Germany
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Neurology with Experimental Neurology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Julius Valentin Emmrich
- Charité Center for Global Health, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Ärzte für Madagaskar, Berlin, Germany
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Neurology with Experimental Neurology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Min K, Wang M, Wang C, Geldsetzer P, Bärnighausen T, Wang C, Liu J, Chen S, Yang J. Prevalence and Associated Factors of E-Cigarette Use and Susceptibility Among Adolescents in China. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2024. [PMID: 38564414 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.202402-0421le] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kaiyuan Min
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, 12501, Beijing, China
| | - Mingyao Wang
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, 196536, Department of Pathophysiology, Beijing, China
| | - Chuan Wang
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, 12501, Beijing, China
| | | | | | - Chen Wang
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 12501, Beijing, China
| | - Jiangfeng Liu
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, 196536, Beijing, China
| | - Simiao Chen
- Heidelberg University, 9144, Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Juntao Yang
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, 196536, State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Beijing, China;
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Li X, Dessie Y, Mwanyika-Sando M, Assefa N, Millogo O, Manu A, Chukwu A, Bukenya J, Patil R, Zou S, Zhang H, Nurhussien L, Tinkasimile A, Bärnighausen T, Shinde S, Fawzi WW, Tang K. Co-occurrence of and factors associated with health risk behaviors among adolescents: a multi-center study in sub-Saharan Africa, China, and India. EClinicalMedicine 2024; 70:102525. [PMID: 38533342 PMCID: PMC10963189 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Despite lifelong and detrimental effects, the co-occurrence of health risk behaviors (HRBs) during adolescence remains understudied in low- and middle-income countries. This study examines the co-occurrence of HRBs and its correlates among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa, China, and India. Methods A multi-country cross-sectional study was conducted in 2021-2022, involving 9697 adolescents (aged 10-19 years) from eight countries, namely Burkina Faso, China, Ethiopia, India, Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda. A standardized questionnaire was administered to examine five types of HRBs - physical inactivity, poor dietary habits, smoking, alcohol consumption, and risky sexual behavior. Latent class analysis was employed to identify clustering patterns among the behaviors, and logistic regression was used to identify the correlates of these patterns. Findings Three clusters of HRBs were identified, with Cluster 1 (27.73%) characterized by the absence of any specific risky behavior, Cluster 2 (68.16%) characterized by co-occurrence of physical inactivity and poor dietary habits, and Cluster 3 (4.11%) characterized by engagement in smoking, alcohol consumption, and risky sexual behavior. Relative to Cluster 1, being in Cluster 2 was associated with being female (aOR 1.20, 95% CI 1.09-1.32), not enrolled in education (aOR 0.84, 95% CI 0.71-0.99), and not engaged in paid work (aOR 1.23, 95% CI 1.08-1.41). Compared with those Cluster 1, adolescents in Cluster 3 were less likely to be female (aOR 0.41, 95% CI 0.32-0.54), be engaged in paid work (aOR 0.54, 95% CI 0.41-0.71), more likely to be older (aOR 7.56, 95% CI 5.18-11.03), not be enrolled in educational institution (aOR 1.74, 95% CI 1.27-2.38), and more likely to live with guardians other than parents (aOR 1.56, 95% CI 1.19-2.05). Interpretation The significant clustering patterns of HRBs among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa, China, and India highlights the urgent need for convergent approaches to improve adolescent health behaviors. Early life and school-based programs aimed at promoting healthy behaviors and preventing risky and unhealthy behaviors should be prioritized to equip adolescents with the tools and skills for lifelong well-being. Funding Fondation Botnar (Grant #INV-037672) and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, partially funded this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Li
- Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, China
| | - Yadeta Dessie
- College of Health and Medical Sciences, Haramaya University, Ethiopia
| | | | - Nega Assefa
- College of Health and Medical Sciences, Haramaya University, Ethiopia
| | | | - Adom Manu
- Department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health, University of Ghana, Ghana
| | - Angela Chukwu
- Department of Statistics, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
| | | | | | - Siyu Zou
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, United States of America
| | - Hanxiyue Zhang
- Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, China
| | - Lina Nurhussien
- Department of Global Health and Population, T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, United States of America
| | | | - Till Bärnighausen
- Department of Global Health and Population, T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, United States of America
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sachin Shinde
- Department of Global Health and Population, T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, United States of America
| | - Wafaie W. Fawzi
- Department of Global Health and Population, T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, United States of America
| | - Kun Tang
- Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, China
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Nellis S, Thu M, Ismail MR, Barteit S, Gouwanda D, Bärnighausen T, Su TT. Heat literacy and adaptation among semi-rural community in Malaysia. Lancet Planet Health 2024; 8 Suppl 1:S8. [PMID: 38632923 DOI: 10.1016/s2542-5196(24)00073-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Heatwaves present health risks globally but there is limited evidence on how temperature perceptions affect activities. This study aimed to examine community perceptions of heat as a potential health hazard and ascertain the current heat protection measures of the residents of the South East Asia Community Observatory (SEACO) in Malaysia. METHODS In this longitudinal study, we randomly selected community members aged between 18 and 70 years who resided in Segamat district of Johor state, Malaysia. Over 21 days, we conducted three home visits to each participant. During each visit, participants completed a questionnaire consisting of Likert scale, multiple choice, and free text questions and we collected quantitative and qualitative data. These inquiries assessed the participants' perception of heat as health threat, whether or not they took heat preventive measures, and the specific protective measures they routinely employed. Descriptive data analyses were conducted and patterns of protective measures were investigated. FINDINGS Between March 29 and July 31, 2023, 120 participants (72 women and 48 men) completed 360 questionnaires over three home visits. Initially, 58% participants recognised heat hazards to daily activities, decreasing to 42% and 35% by visits 2 and 3. Participants took preventive measures throughout the day, which was consistently high between 1200 h and 1400 h, with 77% of participants taking preventive measures on visit 1, 82% on visit 2, and 82% on visit 3. Use of preventive measures was also high between 1400 h and 1730 h, with 77% using preventive measure on visit 1, 81% on visit 2, and 79% on visit 3. The most common protective measures were fans (used by 68-88% of participants), drinking more water (70-78% of participants), and resting (44-72% of participants). The least common were relocating to cooler places, removing clothes, and using wet towels (0-2·5%). Despite high temperatures, perceptions of heat risks decreased over time. Participants took basic protections, especially at midday, but improved literacy and affordable cooling options are needed to protect vulnerable rural populations. INTERPRETATION Our findings underline the need to improve heat literacy and adaptation as only half of the population assessed perceived heat as a potential health hazard and practised limited heat protective measures. Addressing climate change and health necessitates fundamental behavioural changes on the part of individuals and communities, to protect them against the adverse effects of heat. FUNDING Monash University Malaysia and Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University.
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Affiliation(s)
- Syahrul Nellis
- South East Asia Community Observatory, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Min Thu
- South East Asia Community Observatory, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Roshidi Ismail
- South East Asia Community Observatory, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Sandra Barteit
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Darwin Gouwanda
- South East Asia Community Observatory, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University, Selangor, Malaysia
| | | | - Tin Tin Su
- South East Asia Community Observatory, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University, Selangor, Malaysia
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Kurniawan AL, Ranisavljev M, Partap U, Shinde S, Ferrero E, Ostojic S, Mkwanazi N, Alangea DO, Neumann C, Liu S, Bärnighausen T, Fawzi WW. Community-based interventions targeting multiple forms of malnutrition among adolescents in low-income and middle-income countries: protocol for a scoping review. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e078969. [PMID: 38548368 PMCID: PMC10982731 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-078969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adolescent malnutrition is a significant public health challenge in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), with long-term consequences for health and development. Community-based interventions have the potential to address multiple forms of malnutrition and improve the health outcomes of adolescents. However, there is a limited understanding of the content, implementation and effectiveness of these interventions. This scoping review aims to synthesise evidence on community-based interventions targeting multiple forms of malnutrition among adolescents in LMICs and describe their effects on nutrition and health. METHODS AND ANALYSIS A comprehensive search strategy will be implemented in multiple databases including MEDLINE (through PubMed), Embase, CENTRAL (through Cochrane Library) and grey literature, covering the period from 1 January 2000 to 14 July 2023. We will follow the Participants, Concept and Context model to design the search strategy. The inclusion criteria encompass randomised controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies focusing on adolescents aged 10-19 years. Various types of interventions, such as micronutrient supplementation, nutrition education, feeding interventions, physical activity and community environment interventions, will be considered. Two reviewers will perform data extraction independently, and, where relevant, risk of bias assessment will be conducted using standard Cochrane risk-of-bias tools. We will follow the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews checklist while reporting results. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION The scope of this scoping review is restricted to publicly accessible databases that do not require prior ethical approval for access. The findings of this review will be shared through publications in peer-reviewed journals, and presentations at international and regional conferences and stakeholder meetings in LMICs. SCOPING REVIEW REGISTRATION The final protocol was registered prospectively with the Open Science Framework on 19 July 2023 (https://osf.io/t2d78).
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Affiliation(s)
- Adi Lukas Kurniawan
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marijana Ranisavljev
- Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Uttara Partap
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sachin Shinde
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Center for Inquiry into Mental Health, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - Elisabetta Ferrero
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sergej Ostojic
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
- Department of Nutrition and Public Health, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
| | | | - Deda Ogum Alangea
- Department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Christine Neumann
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Shuyan Liu
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Africa Health Research Institute, Durban, South Africa
| | - Wafaie W Fawzi
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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8
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Diallo AO, Marcus ME, Flood D, Theilmann M, Rahim NE, Kinlaw A, Franceschini N, Stürmer T, Tien DV, Abbasi-Kangevari M, Agoudavi K, Andall-Brereton G, Aryal K, Bahendeka S, Bicaba B, Bovet P, Dorobantu M, Farzadfar F, Ghamari SH, Gathecha G, Guwatudde D, Gurung M, Houehanou C, Houinato D, Hwalla N, Jorgensen J, Kagaruki G, Karki K, Martins J, Mayige M, McClure RW, Moghaddam SS, Mwalim O, Mwangi KJ, Norov B, Quesnel-Crooks S, Sibai A, Sturua L, Tsabedze L, Wesseh C, Geldsetzer P, Atun R, Vollmer S, Bärnighausen T, Davies J, Ali MK, Seiglie JA, Gower EW, Manne-Goehler J. Multiple cardiovascular risk factor care in 55 low- and middle-income countries: A cross-sectional analysis of nationally-representative, individual-level data from 280,783 adults. PLOS Glob Public Health 2024; 4:e0003019. [PMID: 38536787 PMCID: PMC10971750 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0003019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The prevalence of multiple age-related cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors is high among individuals living in low- and middle-income countries. We described receipt of healthcare services for and management of hypertension and diabetes among individuals living with these conditions using individual-level data from 55 nationally representative population-based surveys (2009-2019) with measured blood pressure (BP) and diabetes biomarker. We restricted our analysis to non-pregnant individuals aged 40-69 years and defined three mutually exclusive groups (i.e., hypertension only, diabetes only, and both hypertension-diabetes) to compare individuals living with concurrent hypertension and diabetes to individuals with each condition separately. We included 90,086 individuals who lived with hypertension only, 11,975 with diabetes only, and 16,228 with hypertension-diabetes. We estimated the percentage of individuals who were aware of their diagnosis, used pharmacological therapy, or achieved appropriate hypertension and diabetes management. A greater percentage of individuals with hypertension-diabetes were fully diagnosed (64.1% [95% CI: 61.8-66.4]) than those with hypertension only (47.4% [45.3-49.6]) or diabetes only (46.7% [44.1-49.2]). Among the hypertension-diabetes group, pharmacological treatment was higher for individual conditions (38.3% [95% CI: 34.8-41.8] using antihypertensive and 42.3% [95% CI: 39.4-45.2] using glucose-lowering medications) than for both conditions jointly (24.6% [95% CI: 22.1-27.2]).The percentage of individuals achieving appropriate management was highest in the hypertension group (17.6% [16.4-18.8]), followed by diabetes (13.3% [10.7-15.8]) and hypertension-diabetes (6.6% [5.4-7.8]) groups. Although health systems in LMICs are reaching a larger share of individuals living with both hypertension and diabetes than those living with just one of these conditions, only seven percent achieved both BP and blood glucose treatment targets. Implementation of cost-effective population-level interventions that shift clinical care paradigm from disease-specific to comprehensive CVD care are urgently needed for all three groups, especially for those with multiple CVD risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alpha Oumar Diallo
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Maja E. Marcus
- Department of Economics and Centre for Modern Indian Studies, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - David Flood
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Michaela Theilmann
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nicholas E. Rahim
- Medical Practice Evaluation Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Alan Kinlaw
- Division of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina School of Pharmacy at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Nora Franceschini
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Til Stürmer
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Dessie V. Tien
- Medical Practice Evaluation Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Mohsen Abbasi-Kangevari
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | | | - Krishna Aryal
- Nepal Health Sector Programme 3, Monitoring Evaluation and Operational Research Project, Abt Associates, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | | | - Brice Bicaba
- Institut Africain de Santé Publique, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Pascal Bovet
- Ministry of Health, Victoria, Seychelles
- University Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Maria Dorobantu
- Department of Cardiology, Emergency Hospital of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Farshad Farzadfar
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyyed-Hadi Ghamari
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Gladwell Gathecha
- Division of Non-Communicable Diseases, Ministry of Health, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - David Guwatudde
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Mongal Gurung
- Health Research and Epidemiology Unit, Ministry of Health, Thimphu, Bhutan
| | - Corine Houehanou
- Laboratory of Epidemiology of Chronic and Neurological Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin
| | - Dismand Houinato
- Laboratory of Epidemiology of Chronic and Neurological Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin
| | - Nahla Hwalla
- Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Jutta Jorgensen
- Dept of Public Health and Epidemiology, Institute of Global Health, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Gibson Kagaruki
- National Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Khem Karki
- Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Joao Martins
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosa’e, Dili, Timor-Leste
| | - Mary Mayige
- National Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Roy Wong McClure
- Office of Epidemiology and Surveillance, Costa Rican Social Security Fund, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Sahar Saeedi Moghaddam
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | | | - Bolormaa Norov
- Nutrition Department, National Center for Public Health, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | | | - Abla Sibai
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Lela Sturua
- Non-Communicable Disease Department, National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | | | | | - Pascal Geldsetzer
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Primary Care and Population Health, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Rifat Atun
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Sebastian Vollmer
- Department of Economics and Centre for Modern Indian Studies, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Africa Health Research Institute, Somkhele, South Africa
| | - Justine Davies
- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit, School of Public Health, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Centre for Global Surgery, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Mohammed K. Ali
- Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | | | - Emily W. Gower
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Jennifer Manne-Goehler
- Department of Economics and Centre for Modern Indian Studies, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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Kim HY, Inghels M, Mathenjwa T, Shahmanesh M, Seeley J, Matthews P, Wyke S, McGrath N, Adeagbo O, Gareta D, Yapa HM, Zuma T, Dobra A, Blandford A, Bärnighausen T, Tanser F. Effect of a male-targeted digital decision support application aimed at increasing linkage to HIV care among men: Findings from the HITS cluster randomized clinical trial in rural South Africa. medRxiv 2024:2024.03.15.24304373. [PMID: 38562824 PMCID: PMC10984030 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.15.24304373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Introduction Linkage to HIV care remains suboptimal among men. We investigated the effectiveness of a male-targeted HIV-specific decision support app, Empowering People through Informed Choices for HIV (EPIC-HIV), on increasing linkage to HIV care among men in rural South Africa. Methods Home-Based Intervention to Test and Start (HITS) was a multi-component cluster-randomized controlled trial among 45 communities in uMkhanyakude, KwaZulu-Natal. The development of EPIC-HIV was guided by self-determination theory and human-centered intervention design to increase intrinsic motivation to seek HIV testing and care among men. EPIC-HIV was offered in two stages: EPIC-HIV 1 at the time of home-based HIV counseling and testing (HBHCT), and EPIC-HIV 2 at 1 month after positive HIV diagnosis. Sixteen communities were randomly assigned to the arms to receive EPIC-HIV, and 29 communities to the arms without EPIC-HIV. Among all eligible men, we compared linkage to care (initiation or resumption of antiretroviral therapy after >3 months of care interruption) at local clinics within 1 year of a home visit, which was ascertained from individual clinical records. Intention-to-treat analysis was performed using modified Poisson regression with adjustment for receiving another intervention (i.e., financial incentives) and clustering at the community level. We also conducted a satisfaction survey for EPIC-HIV 2. Results Among all 13,894 eligible men (i.e., ≥15 years and resident in the 45 communities), 20.7% received HBHCT, resulting in 122 HIV-positive tests. Among these, 54 men linked to care within 1 year after HBHCT. Additionally, of the 13,765 eligible participants who did not receive HBHCT or received HIV-negative results, 301 men linked to care within 1 year. Overall, only 13 men received EPIC-HIV 2. The proportion of linkage to care did not differ in the arms assigned to EPIC-HIV compared to those without EPIC-HIV (adjusted risk ratio=1.05; 95% CI:0.86-1.29). All 13 men who used EPIC-HIV 2 reported the app was acceptable, user-friendly, and useful for getting information on HIV testing and treatment. Conclusion Reach was low although acceptability and usability of the app was very high among those who engaged with it. Enhanced digital support applications could form part of interventions to increase knowledge of HIV treatment for men. Clinical Trial Number: ClinicalTrials.gov # NCT03757104.
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Kim HY, Inghels M, Mathenjwa T, Shahmanesh M, Seeley J, Matthews P, McGrath N, Adeagbo O, Gareta D, Yapa HM, Zuma T, Dobra A, Bärnighausen T, Tanser F. The impact of a conditional financial incentive on linkage to HIV care: Findings from the HITS cluster randomized clinical trial in rural South Africa. medRxiv 2024:2024.03.15.24304278. [PMID: 38562873 PMCID: PMC10984055 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.15.24304278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Introduction HIV elimination requires innovative approaches to ensure testing and immediate treatment provision. We investigated the effectiveness of conditional financial incentives on increasing linkage to HIV care in a 2×2 factorial cluster randomized controlled trial-Home-Based Intervention to Test and Start (HITS) - in rural South Africa. Methods Of 45 communities in uMkhanyakude, KwaZulu-Natal, 16 communities were randomly assigned to the arms to receive financial incentives for home-based HIV counseling and testing (HBHCT) and linkage to care within 6 weeks (R50 [US$3] food voucher each) and 29 communities to the arms without financial incentives. We examined linkage to care (i.e., initiation or resumption of antiretroviral therapy after >3 months of care interruption) at local clinics within 6 weeks of a home visit, the eligibility period to receive the second financial incentive. Linkage to care was ascertained from individual clinical records. Intention-to-treat analysis (ITT) was performed using modified Poisson regression with adjustment for receiving another intervention (i.e., male-targeted HIV-specific decision support app) and clustering of standard errors at the community level. Results Among 13,894 eligible men (i.e., ≥15 years and resident in the 45 communities), 20.7% received HBHCT, which resulted in 122 HIV-positive tests. Of these, 27 linked to care within 6 weeks of HBHCT. Additionally, of eligible men who did not receive HBHCT, 66 linked to care. In the ITT analysis, the proportion of linkage to care among men did not differ in the arms which received financial incentives and those without financial incentives (adjusted Risk Ratio [aRR]=0.78, 95% CI: 0.51-1.21). Among 19,884 eligible women, 29.1% received HBHCT, which resulted in 375 HIV-positive tests. Of these, 75 linked to care. Among eligible women who did not receive HBHCT, 121 linked to care within 6 weeks. Women in the financial incentive arms had a significantly higher probability of linkage to care, compared to those in the arms without financial incentives (aRR=1.50; 95% CI: 1.03-2.21). Conclusion While a small once-off financial incentive did not increase linkage to care among men during the eligibility period of 6 weeks, it significantly improved linkage to care among women over the same period. Clinical Trial Number: ClinicalTrials.gov # NCT03757104.
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Kurniawan AL, Schretzmann J, Paramastri R, Cho A, Sié A, Fischer MS, Bärnighausen T, Ditzen B. Relationship satisfaction and metabolic health parameters: a cross-sectional study in Burkinabe population of older adults. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:827. [PMID: 38491462 PMCID: PMC10943782 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-17998-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Over- and undernutrition coexist in many African countries and pose a threat to metabolic health. This study assessed the associations between relationship satisfaction and Body Mass Index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), in a rural population of older adults in Burkina Faso. It also explored potential gender differences and the mediating role of depressive symptoms. METHODS Data from the "Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna (CRSN) Heidelberg Aging Study (CHAS)," a cross-sectional population-based study conducted in 2018 in Burkina Faso, were used in our study. Hierarchical linear regression models were applied for each of the three outcome variables. Among 2291 participants aged 40 years or older who provided data on relationship satisfaction, 2221, 2223, and 2145 participants had BMI, waist circumference (WC), and HbA1c values respectively. RESULTS Higher relationship satisfaction (CSI-4 score) was associated with increased BMI (β = 0.05, p = 0.031) and WC (β = 0.12, p = 0.039). However, the association of CSI-4 and BMI became non-significant after controlling for depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 score) and physical inactivity (BMI: β = 0.04, p = 0.073). Depressive symptoms fully mediated the relationship between relationship satisfaction and BMI (β = -0.07, p = 0.005). There was no significant association between relationship satisfaction and HbA1c. These results were consistent across genders and age groups. CONCLUSION Higher relationship satisfaction may lead to increased body weight among Burkinabe adults aged 40 years and older, and depressive symptoms may be a mediator in this association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adi Lukas Kurniawan
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Julius Schretzmann
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rathi Paramastri
- School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, College of Nutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Alyssa Cho
- Epidemiology, Public Health, and Impact, International Vaccine Institute, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ali Sié
- Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna, Nouna, Burkina Faso
| | - Melanie S Fischer
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Psychology, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
- Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), KwaZulu-Natal, Somkhele, South Africa.
| | - Beate Ditzen
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
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12
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Geldsetzer P, Tisdale RL, Stehr L, Michalik F, Lemp J, Aryal KK, Damasceno A, Houehanou C, Jørgensen JMA, Lunet N, Mayige M, Saeedi Moghaddam S, Mwangi KJ, Bommer C, Marcus ME, Theilmann M, Ebert C, Atun R, Davies JI, Flood D, Manne-Goehler J, Seiglie J, Bärnighausen T, Vollmer S. The prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors among adults living in extreme poverty. Nat Hum Behav 2024:10.1038/s41562-024-01840-9. [PMID: 38480824 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-024-01840-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Evidence on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor prevalence among adults living below the World Bank's international line for extreme poverty (those with income <$1.90 per day) globally is sparse. Here we pooled individual-level data from 105 nationally representative household surveys across 78 countries, representing 85% of people living in extreme poverty globally, and sorted individuals by country-specific measures of household income or wealth to identify those in extreme poverty. CVD risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, smoking, obesity and dyslipidaemia) were present among 17.5% (95% confidence interval (CI) 16.7-18.3%), 4.0% (95% CI 3.6-4.5%), 10.6% (95% CI 9.0-12.3%), 3.1% (95% CI 2.8-3.3%) and 1.4% (95% CI 0.9-1.9%) of adults in extreme poverty, respectively. Most were not treated for CVD-related conditions (for example, among those with hypertension earning <$1.90 per day, 15.2% (95% CI 13.3-17.1%) reported taking blood pressure-lowering medication). The main limitation of the study is likely measurement error of poverty level and CVD risk factors that could have led to an overestimation of CVD risk factor prevalence among adults in extreme poverty. Nonetheless, our results could inform equity discussions for resource allocation and design of effective interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Geldsetzer
- Department of Medicine, Division of Primary Care and Population Health, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub - San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Rebecca L Tisdale
- Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Lisa Stehr
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Felix Michalik
- Department of Medicine, Division of Primary Care and Population Health, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Julia Lemp
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Krishna K Aryal
- Department for International Development/Nepal Health Sector Programme 3/Monitoring Evaluation and Operational Research, Abt Associates, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Albertino Damasceno
- Department of Public and Forensic Health Sciences and Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Corine Houehanou
- Laboratory of Epidemiology of Chronic and Neurological Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin
| | - Jutta Mari Adelin Jørgensen
- Institute of Global Health, Dept of Public Health and Epidemiology, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Nuno Lunet
- Department of Public and Forensic Health Sciences and Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Mary Mayige
- National Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Sahar Saeedi Moghaddam
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Christian Bommer
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Centre for Modern Indian Studies, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Maja-Emilia Marcus
- Centre for Modern Indian Studies, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Economics, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Michaela Theilmann
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Cara Ebert
- RWI-Leibniz Institute for Economic Research, Essen (Berlin Office), Berlin, Germany
| | - Rifat Atun
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Justine Ina Davies
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit, School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Centre for Global Surgery, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - David Flood
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jennifer Manne-Goehler
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Medical Practice Evaluation Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jacqueline Seiglie
- Diabetes Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sebastian Vollmer
- Centre for Modern Indian Studies, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Economics, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
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Beleites F, Adam M, Favaretti C, Hachaturyan V, Kühn T, Bärnighausen T, Barteit S. Evaluating the impact of short animated videos on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy: An online randomized controlled trial. Internet Interv 2024; 35:100694. [PMID: 38149090 PMCID: PMC10750063 DOI: 10.1016/j.invent.2023.100694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Addressing the global challenge of vaccine hesitancy, amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic due to misinformation propagated via social media, necessitates innovative health communication strategies. This investigation scrutinizes the efficacy of Short, Animated, Story-based (SAS) videos in fostering knowledge, behavioral intent, and engagement around COVID-19 vaccination. We conducted an online three-arm parallel randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving 792 adult participants (≥18 years, English-speaking) from the United States. The intervention group viewed a SAS video on COVID-19 vaccination, the attention placebo control group watched a SAS video on hope, and the control group received no intervention. Our primary objectives were to assess the influence of SAS videos on knowledge, behavioral intent, and engagement regarding COVID-19 vaccination. Participants in the intervention group displayed significantly higher mean knowledge scores (20.6, 95 % CI: 20.3-20.9) compared to both the attention placebo control (18.8, 95 % CI: 18.5-19.1, P < .001) and control groups (18.7, 95 % CI: 18.4-19.0, P < .001). However, SAS videos did not notably affect behavioral intent. Perception of COVID-19 as a significant health threat emerged as a strong predictor for engaging with the post-trial video without further incentives (OR: 0.44; 95 % CI: 0.2-0.96). The 35-44 age group exhibited the highest post-trial engagement (P = .006), whereas right-wing political inclination negatively associated with engagement (OR: 1.98; 95 % CI: 3.9-1.01). Vaccination status correlated significantly with self-efficacy (P < .001), perceived social norms (P < .001), and perceived response efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine (P < .001), all heightened in the intervention group. These findings suggest that while SAS videos effectively amplify COVID-19 vaccination knowledge, their impact on behavioral intent is not direct. They do, however, affect determinants of vaccination status, thereby indirectly influencing vaccination behavior. The study highlights the appeal of SAS videos among younger audiences, but underscores the need for further examination of factors impeding vaccination engagement. As SAS videos closely mirror conventional social media content, they hold significant potential as a public health communication tool on these platforms. Trial Registration: Trial was registered at drks.de with the identifier DRKS00027938, on 5 January 2022.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferdinand Beleites
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Maya Adam
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Caterina Favaretti
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Behavioral Science for Disease Prevention and Health Care, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Violetta Hachaturyan
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tilman Kühn
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- University of Vienna, Department of Nutritional Sciences, Vienna, Austria
- Medical University of Vienna, Center for Public Health, Vienna, Austria
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), Somkhele, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
- Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Sandra Barteit
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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Mahlalela NB, Manne-Goehler J, Ohene-Kwofie D, B Adams L, Montana L, Kahn K, Rohr JK, Bärnighausen T, Gómez-Olivé FX. The Association Between HIV-Related Stigma and the Uptake of HIV Testing and ART Among Older Adults in Rural South Africa: Findings from the HAALSI Cohort Study. AIDS Behav 2024; 28:1104-1121. [PMID: 38286975 PMCID: PMC10896802 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-023-04222-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
HIV testing and antiretroviral therapy (ART) remain critical for curbing the spread of HIV/AIDS, but stigma can impede access to these services. Using data from the Health and Aging in Africa: A Longitudinal Study of an INDEPTH Community in South Africa (HAALSI), we used a multivariable logistic regression to examine the correlation between HIV-related stigma, HIV testing and ART uptake in older adults. We used four questions to measure stigma, with three assessing social stigma (reflecting social distancing preferences) and one assessing anticipated stigma (disclosure concern). We combined the three social stigma questions to generate a social stigma score ranging from 0 to 3, with higher scores indicating higher stigma. Anticipated stigma was prevalent 85% (95% CI 0.84-0.86), and social stigma was also frequent 25% (95% CI 0.24-0.27). Higher social stigma scores correlated with decreased HIV testing for all participants with social stigma. Compared to those with a score of 0, odds of testing decreased with higher stigma scores (OR = 0.66, 95% CI 0.53-0.81, p = 0.000) for a score of 1 and (OR = 0.56, 95% CI 0.38-0.83, p = 0.004) for a score of 3. ART uptake also decreased with higher social stigma scores among people living with HIV (PLWH), although it was significant for those with a score of 2 (OR = 0.41, 95% CI 0.19-0.87, p = 0.020). These findings emphasize that HIV-related stigma hampers testing and ART uptake among older adults in rural South Africa. Addressing stigma is crucial for improving testing rates, early diagnosis, and treatment initiation among the older population and achieving UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nomsa B Mahlalela
- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
- Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
| | - Jennifer Manne-Goehler
- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Medical Practice Evaluation Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daniel Ohene-Kwofie
- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Leslie B Adams
- Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Livia Montana
- Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- The DHS Program, ICF, Rockville MD, USA
| | - Kathleen Kahn
- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Julia K Rohr
- Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), Mtubatuba, South Africa
| | - Francesc X Gómez-Olivé
- MRC/Wits 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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Seufert J, Krishnan N, Darmstadt GL, Wang G, Bärnighausen T, Geldsetzer P. Subnational estimates of vitamin A supplementation coverage in children: a geospatial analysis of 45 low- and middle-income countries. Public Health 2024; 228:194-199. [PMID: 38394746 DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2024.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Vitamin A supplementation (VAS) can protect children from the adverse health consequences of vitamin A deficiency. Granular data on VAS coverage can guide global and national efforts to achieve universal VAS coverage. To provide geographically precise targeting of VAS programs and to monitor progress in reducing geographic disparities, we aimed to create high-resolution (5 × 5 km2) maps of VAS coverage in children under 5 years across VAS priority countries. STUDY DESIGN We used cross-sectional data from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) program. METHODS We used data from the DHS program for United Nations Children's Fund -designated VAS priority countries between 2000 and 2017 with data available from 2005 or later. The outcome variable was the proportion of children under 5 years who received a vitamin A dose in each sampled cluster. We applied a Bayesian geostatistical approach incorporating geographic, climatic, and nutritional covariates to estimate VAS coverage for each cell. We estimated and mapped absolute VAS coverage, Bayesian uncertainty intervals, and exceedance probabilities. RESULTS Our sample included countries from Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia, and Africa. Most countries had estimated VAS coverage levels <70%, and our exceedance probabilities indicated high certainty that our estimates fell below this threshold in most grid cells. International variations were most notable in the Latin America and the Caribbean region and Africa. Intranational variations were greatest in some South Asian and West and Central African countries. CONCLUSIONS These prevalence and exceedance maps, especially used with data on indicators of VAS need, could help to improve equity.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Seufert
- Department of Economics and Business, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - N Krishnan
- Division of Primary Care and Population Health, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - G L Darmstadt
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - G Wang
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - T Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany; Africa Research Institute, Durban, South Africa; Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - P Geldsetzer
- Division of Primary Care and Population Health, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA, USA
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16
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Berner-Rodoreda A, Cobelens F, Vandamme AM, Froeschl G, Skordis J, Renganathan E, t'Hoen E, Raviglione M, Jahn A, Bärnighausen T. Transferable data exclusivity vouchers are not the solution to the antimicrobial drug development crisis: a commentary on the proposed EU pharma regulation. BMJ Glob Health 2024; 9:e014605. [PMID: 38423550 PMCID: PMC10910522 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2023-014605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Astrid Berner-Rodoreda
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Frank Cobelens
- Amsterdam Institute for Global Health & Development (AIGHD) and Department of Global Health, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anne-Mieke Vandamme
- Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Institute for the Future, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Center for Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Günter Froeschl
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Jolene Skordis
- Institute for Global Health, University College London (UCL), London, UK
| | - Elil Renganathan
- School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
| | - Ellen t'Hoen
- Medicines Law & Policy, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mario Raviglione
- Centre for Multidisciplinary Research in Health Science (MACH), University of Milan, Milano, Italy
| | - Albrecht Jahn
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), Somkhele and Durban, South Africa
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17
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Deckert A, Anders S, Morales I, De Allegri M, Nguyen HT, Souares A, McMahon S, Meurer M, Burk R, Lou D, Brugnara L, Sand M, Koeppel L, Maier-Hein L, Ross T, Adler TJ, Brenner S, Dyer C, Herbst K, Ovchinnikova S, Marx M, Schnitzler P, Knop M, Bärnighausen T, Denkinger CM. Correction: Comparison of Four Active SARS-CoV-2 Surveillance Strategies in Representative Population Sample Points: Two-Factor Factorial Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2024; 10:e57203. [PMID: 38364221 PMCID: PMC10907930 DOI: 10.2196/57203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.2196/44204.].
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Simon Anders
- Center for Molecular Biology HeidelbergHeidelbergGermany
| | - Ivonne Morales
- Division of Infectious Disease and Tropical Medicine, Heidelberg University HospitalHeidelbergGermany
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Robin Burk
- Center for Molecular Biology HeidelbergHeidelbergGermany
| | - Dan Lou
- Center for Molecular Biology HeidelbergHeidelbergGermany
| | - Lucia Brugnara
- evaplan GmbH at the University HospitalHeidelbergGermany
| | - Matthias Sand
- GESIS Leibniz-Institute for the Social SciencesMannheimGermany
| | - Lisa Koeppel
- Division of Infectious Disease and Tropical Medicine, Heidelberg University HospitalHeidelbergGermany
| | - Lena Maier-Hein
- Division of Computer Assisted Medical Interventions, German Cancer Research CentreHeidelbergGermany
| | - Tobias Ross
- Division of Computer Assisted Medical Interventions, German Cancer Research CentreHeidelbergGermany
| | - Tim J Adler
- Division of Computer Assisted Medical Interventions, German Cancer Research CentreHeidelbergGermany
| | | | | | - Konrad Herbst
- Center for Molecular Biology HeidelbergHeidelbergGermany
| | | | - Michael Marx
- evaplan GmbH at the University HospitalHeidelbergGermany
| | - Paul Schnitzler
- Center of Infectious Diseases, Virology, Heidelberg University HospitalHeidelbergGermany
| | - Michael Knop
- Center for Molecular Biology HeidelbergHeidelbergGermany
| | | | - Claudia M Denkinger
- Division of Infectious Disease and Tropical Medicine, Heidelberg University HospitalHeidelbergGermany
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18
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Stein DT, Reitsma MB, Geldsetzer P, Agoudavi K, Aryal KK, Bahendeka S, Brant LCC, Farzadfar F, Gurung MS, Guwatudde D, Houehanou YCN, Malta DC, Martins JS, Saeedi Moghaddam S, Mwangi KJ, Norov B, Sturua L, Zhumadilov Z, Bärnighausen T, Davies JI, Flood D, Marcus ME, Theilmann M, Vollmer S, Manne-Goehler J, Atun R, Sudharsanan N, Verguet S. Hypertension care cascades and reducing inequities in cardiovascular disease in low- and middle-income countries. Nat Med 2024; 30:414-423. [PMID: 38278990 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-023-02769-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Improving hypertension control in low- and middle-income countries has uncertain implications across socioeconomic groups. In this study, we simulated improvements in the hypertension care cascade and evaluated the distributional benefits across wealth quintiles in 44 low- and middle-income countries using individual-level data from nationally representative, cross-sectional surveys. We raised diagnosis (diagnosis scenario) and treatment (treatment scenario) levels for all wealth quintiles to match the best-performing country quintile and estimated the change in 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk of individuals initiated on treatment. We observed greater health benefits among bottom wealth quintiles in middle-income countries and in countries with larger baseline disparities in hypertension management. Lower-middle-income countries would see the greatest absolute benefits among the bottom quintiles under the treatment scenario (29.1 CVD cases averted per 1,000 people living with hypertension in the bottom quintile (Q1) versus 17.2 in the top quintile (Q5)), and the proportion of total CVD cases averted would be largest among the lowest quintiles in upper-middle-income countries under both diagnosis (32.0% of averted cases in Q1 versus 11.9% in Q5) and treatment (29.7% of averted cases in Q1 versus 14.0% in Q5) scenarios. Targeted improvements in hypertension diagnosis and treatment could substantially reduce socioeconomic-based inequalities in CVD burden in low- and middle-income countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorit Talia Stein
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marissa B Reitsma
- Department of Health Policy, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Pascal Geldsetzer
- Division of Primary Care and Population Health, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kokou Agoudavi
- Noncommunicable Disease Program, Ministry of Health, Lomé, Togo
| | - Krishna Kumar Aryal
- Bergen Centre for Ethics and Priority Setting in Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Public Health Promotion and Development Organization, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Silver Bahendeka
- MKPGMS-Uganda Martyrs University, Kampala, Uganda
- St. Francis Hospital, Nsambya, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Luisa C C Brant
- Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Farshad Farzadfar
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - David Guwatudde
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | - Deborah Carvalho Malta
- Department Maternal Child and Public Health, Nursing School, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - João Soares Martins
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosa'e, Díli, Timor-Leste
| | - Sahar Saeedi Moghaddam
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Kiel, Germany
| | - Kibachio Joseph Mwangi
- World Health Organization, Pretoria, South Africa
- Division of Non-Communicable Diseases, Ministry of Health, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Bolormaa Norov
- Nutrition Department, National Center for Public Health, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Lela Sturua
- National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Tbilisi, Georgia
- Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | | | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Africa Health Research Institute, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
| | - Justine I Davies
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- Department of Global Health, Centre for Global Surgery, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - David Flood
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Center for Indigenous Health Research, Wuqu' Kawoq, Tecpán, Guatemala
| | - Maja E Marcus
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michaela Theilmann
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Professorship of Behavioral Science for Disease Prevention and Health Care, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Sebastian Vollmer
- Department of Economics & Centre for Modern Indian Studies, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jennifer Manne-Goehler
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Medical Practice Evaluation Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rifat Atun
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nikkil Sudharsanan
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Professorship of Behavioral Science for Disease Prevention and Health Care, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Stéphane Verguet
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
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19
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Lee KS, Wolke D, Bärnighausen T, Ouermi L, Bountogo M, Harling G. Sexual victimisation, peer victimisation, and mental health outcomes among adolescents in Burkina Faso: a prospective cohort study. Lancet Psychiatry 2024; 11:134-142. [PMID: 38245018 DOI: 10.1016/s2215-0366(23)00399-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sexual victimisation and peer victimisation are pervasive and increase risk for mental illness. Longitudinal studies that compare their unique and cumulative effects are scarce and have been done predominantly in high-income countries. The aims of this study were to examine the prevalence, prospective associations, and gender differences in sexual and peer victimisation and mental health in a low-income, African setting. METHODS In this prospective cohort study, data were obtained from the 2017 ARISE Adolescent Health Study, a population-representative, two-wave, prospective study of adolescents (aged 12-20 years) from Burkina Faso. A random sample of adolescents was drawn from ten villages, selected to capture the five main ethnic groups, and from one of the seven sectors of Nouna town, Burkina Faso, at two timepoints: Nov 12 to Dec 27, 2017, and Nov 15 to Dec 20, 2018. Standardised interviews were conducted in French or a local language by trained researchers. We measured victimisation exposure as sexual victimisation, peer victimisation, and polyvictimisation, using lifetime frequency of exposure, and we measured mental health symptoms and disorders using the Kutcher Adolescent Depression Scale, the Primary Care Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder screen IV and 5, and a question on lifetime self-harm and number of incidents in the past year. We calculated prevalence of victimisation and mental health symptoms and disorders at the two timepoints, and we used lifetime victimisation at the first timepoint to predict mental health at the second timepoint using logistic and negative binomial regressions. Gender differences were examined using interaction terms. FINDINGS Of 2544 eligible adolescents, 1644 participated at time 1 and 1291 participated at time 2. The final sample with data at both timepoints included 1160 adolescents aged 12-20 years (mean 15·1, SE 0·2), of whom 469 (40·4%) were girls and 691 (59·6%) were boys. The majority ethnic group was Dafin (626 [39·1%]), followed by Bwaba (327 [20·5%]), Mossi (289 [16·0%]), Samo (206 [13·0%]), Peulh (166 [9·7%]), and other (30 [1·6%]). After survey weight adjustment, sexual victimisation (weighted percentages, time 1, 256 [13·8%] of 1620; time 2, 93 [7·2%] of 1264) and peer victimisation (weighted percentages, time 1, 453 [29·9%] of 1620; time 2, 272 [21·9%] of 1264) were common, whereas polyvictimisation was more rare (weighted percentages, time 1, 116 [6·6%] of 1620; time 2, 76 [5·7%] of 1264). Longitudinally, sexual victimisation was associated with probable clinical disorder (adjusted odds ratio 2·59, 95% CI 1·15-5·84), depressive symptoms (adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR] 1·39, 95% CI 1·12-1·72), and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (aIRR 2·34, 1·31-4·16). Peer victimisation was associated with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (aIRR 1·89, 1·13-3·17) and polyvictimisation was associated with depressive symptoms (aIRR 1·34, 1·01-1·77). Girls reported more sexual victimisation (weighted percentages, 130 [17·3%] of 681 vs 126 [11·4%] of 939), boys reported more peer victimisation (weighted percentages, 290 [33·1%] of 939 vs 163 [25·2%] of 681), and there was a significant interaction between lifetime victimisation and gender for probable clinical disorder (F [degrees of freedom 7, sample 376] 2·16; p=0·030). INTERPRETATION Sexual and peer victimisation were common in the study setting and increased risk for mental health problems. Adolescent girls who have been sexually victimised are especially at risk of mental health problems. Interventions targeting sexual and peer violence in low-income settings are needed. FUNDING Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, the Wellcome Trust, Fondation Botnar, and Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsty S Lee
- Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Warwick, UK
| | - Dieter Wolke
- Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Warwick, UK; Division of Health Sciences, Warwick Medical School, Warwick, UK
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK; Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), Durban, South Africa; Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lucienne Ouermi
- Département de Santé Publique, University of Ouagadougou, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | | | - Guy Harling
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK; Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), Durban, South Africa; Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa; MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
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20
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Ghalichi L, Goodman-Palmer D, Whitaker J, Abio A, Wilson ML, Wallis L, Norov B, Aryal KK, Malta DC, Bärnighausen T, Geldsetzer P, Flood D, Vollmer S, Theilmann M, Davies J. Individual characteristics associated with road traffic collisions and healthcare seeking in low- and middle-income countries and territories. PLOS Glob Public Health 2024; 4:e0002768. [PMID: 38241424 PMCID: PMC10798533 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Incidence of road traffic collisions (RTCs), types of users involved, and healthcare requirement afterwards are essential information for efficient policy making. We analysed individual-level data from nationally representative surveys conducted in low- or middle-income countries (LMICs) between 2008-2019. We describe the weighted incidence of non-fatal RTC in the past 12 months, type of road user involved, and incidence of traffic injuries requiring medical attention. Multivariable logistic regressions were done to evaluate associated sociodemographic and economic characteristics, and alcohol use. Data were included from 90,790 individuals from 15 countries or territories. The non-fatal RTC incidence in participants aged 24-65 years was 5.2% (95% CI: 4.6-5.9), with significant differences dependent on country income status. Drivers, passengers, pedestrians and cyclists composed 37.2%, 40.3%, 11.3% and 11.2% of RTCs, respectively. The distribution of road user type varied with country income status, with divers increasing and cyclists decreasing with increasing country income status. Type of road users involved in RTCs also varied by the age and sex of the person involved, with a greater proportion of males than females involved as drivers, and a reverse pattern for pedestrians. In multivariable analysis, RTC incidence was associated with younger age, male sex, being single, and having achieved higher levels of education; there was no association with alcohol use. In a sensitivity analysis including respondents aged 18-64 years, results were similar, however, there was an association of RTC incidence with alcohol use. The incidence of injuries requiring medical attention was 1.8% (1.6-2.1). In multivariable analyses, requiring medical attention was associated with younger age, male sex, and higher wealth quintile. We found remarkable heterogeneity in RTC incidence, the type of road users involved, and the requirement for medical attention after injuries depending on country income status and socio-demographic characteristics. Targeted data-informed approaches are needed to prevent and manage RTCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila Ghalichi
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Dina Goodman-Palmer
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - John Whitaker
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- King’s Centre for Global Health and Health Partnerships, School of Life Course and Population Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- Academic Department of Military Surgery and Trauma, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Anne Abio
- Injury Epidemiology and Prevention Research Group, Turku Brain Injury Centre, Division of Clinical Neurosciences, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Research Centre for Child Psychiatry, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- INVEST Research Flagship Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Michael Lowery Wilson
- Injury Epidemiology and Prevention Research Group, Turku Brain Injury Centre, Division of Clinical Neurosciences, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Lee Wallis
- Clinical Services and Systems, Integrated Health Services, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Bolormaa Norov
- Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, National Center for Public Health, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Krishna Kumar Aryal
- Bergen Centre for Ethics and Priority Setting, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Deborah Carvalho Malta
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Departamento de Enfermagem Materno Infantil e Saúde Pública, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University and University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Pascal Geldsetzer
- Division of Primary Care and Population Health, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub–San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - David Flood
- Department of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Sebastian Vollmer
- Department of Economics and Centre for Modern Indian Studies, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Michaela Theilmann
- Professorship of Behavioral Science for Disease Prevention and Health Care, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Justine Davies
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Centre for Global Surgery, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
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Bunker A, Compoaré G, Sewe MO, Laurent JGC, Zabré P, Boudo V, Ouédraogo WA, Ouermi L, Jackson ST, Arisco N, Vijayakumar G, Yildirim FB, Barteit S, Maggioni MA, Woodward A, Buonocore JJ, Regassa MD, Brück T, Sié A, Bärnighausen T. The effects of cool roofs on health, environmental, and economic outcomes in rural Africa: study protocol for a community-based cluster randomized controlled trial. Trials 2024; 25:59. [PMID: 38229177 PMCID: PMC10792891 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-023-07804-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND High ambient air temperatures in Africa pose significant health and behavioral challenges in populations with limited access to cooling adaptations. The built environment can exacerbate heat exposure, making passive home cooling adaptations a potential method for protecting occupants against indoor heat exposure. METHODS We are conducting a 2-year community-based stratified cluster randomized controlled trial (cRCT) implementing sunlight-reflecting roof coatings, known as "cool roofs," as a climate change adaptation intervention for passive indoor home cooling. Our primary research objective is to investigate the effects of cool roofs on health, indoor climate, economic, and behavioral outcomes in rural Burkina Faso. This cRCT is nested in the Nouna Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS), a population-based dynamic cohort study of all people living in a geographically contiguous area covering 59 villages, 14305 households and 28610 individuals. We recruited 1200 participants, one woman and one man, each in 600 households in 25 villages in the Nouna HDSS. We stratified our sample by (i) village and (ii) two prevalent roof types in this area of Burkina Faso: mud brick and tin. We randomized the same number of people (12) and homes (6) in each stratum 1:1 to receiving vs. not receiving the cool roof. We are collecting outcome data on one primary endpoint - heart rate, (a measure of heat stress) and 22 secondary outcomes encompassing indoor climate parameters, blood pressure, body temperature, heat-related outcomes, blood glucose, sleep, cognition, mental health, health facility utilization, economic and productivity outcomes, mosquito count, life satisfaction, gender-based violence, and food consumption. We followed all participants for 2 years, conducting monthly home visits to collect objective and subjective outcomes. Approximately 12% of participants (n = 152) used smartwatches to continuously measure endpoints including heart rate, sleep and activity. DISCUSSION Our study demonstrates the potential of large-scale cRCTs to evaluate novel climate change adaptation interventions and provide evidence supporting investments in heat resilience in sub-Saharan Africa. By conducting this research, we will contribute to better policies and interventions to help climate-vulnerable populations ward off the detrimental effects of extreme indoor heat on health. TRIAL REGISTRATION German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS) DRKS00023207. Registered on April 19, 2021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditi Bunker
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | | | - Maquins Odhiambo Sewe
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Sustainable Health Section, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Jose Guillermo Cedeno Laurent
- Environmental Health and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, School of Public Health, Rutgers University, Rutgers, USA
| | - Pascal Zabré
- Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna (CRSN), Nouna, Burkina Faso
| | - Valentin Boudo
- Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna (CRSN), Nouna, Burkina Faso
| | | | - Lucienne Ouermi
- Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna (CRSN), Nouna, Burkina Faso
| | - Susan T Jackson
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nicholas Arisco
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Govind Vijayakumar
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ferhat Baran Yildirim
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sandra Barteit
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martina Anna Maggioni
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Physiology, Center for Space Medicine and Extreme Environments, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Alistair Woodward
- Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Jonathan J Buonocore
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | | | - Tilman Brück
- Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ), Großbeeren, Germany
- Thaer-Institute, Humboldt-University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- International Security and Development Center (ISDC), Berlin, Germany
| | - Ali Sié
- Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna (CRSN), Nouna, Burkina Faso
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
- Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
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22
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Hao Z, Cheng H, Bärnighausen T, Chen S. The effects of parental retirement on adult children's health: Evidence from China. Health Econ 2024; 33:12-20. [PMID: 37858318 DOI: 10.1002/hec.4767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Using representative data from China, we examine the causal effects of parental retirement on the health of adult children. To do so, we adopt a fuzzy regression discontinuity design and exploit the mandatory retirement ages in China as cut-off points. We find no evidence that parental retirement has significant effects on the mental health, healthcare utilization, or risky health behaviors of adult children. However, paternal retirement and maternal retirement have different effects on adult children's Self-reported health (SRH). Paternal retirement has a significantly negative effect only on the SRH of sons, while maternal retirement does not induce such effects. Potential mechanisms of intergenerational transfer through which parental retirement might affect adult children's health are also explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuang Hao
- School of Economics and Management, Beihang University, Beijing, China
- Laboratory for Low-carbon Intelligent Governance, Beihang University, Beijing, China
| | - Huihui Cheng
- School of Economics and Management, Beihang University, Beijing, China
- Rutgers Business School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Africa Health Research Institute, KwaZulu-Natal, Somkhele, South Africa
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Massachusetts, Boston, USA
| | - Simiao Chen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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23
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Lemp JM, Bommer C, Xie M, Michalik F, Jani A, Davies JI, Bärnighausen T, Vollmer S, Geldsetzer P. Quasi-experimental evaluation of a nationwide diabetes prevention programme. Nature 2023; 624:138-144. [PMID: 37968391 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06756-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Diabetes is a leading cause of morbidity, mortality and cost of illness1,2. Health behaviours, particularly those related to nutrition and physical activity, play a key role in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus3. Whereas behaviour change programmes (also known as lifestyle interventions or similar) have been found efficacious in controlled clinical trials4,5, there remains controversy about whether targeting health behaviours at the individual level is an effective preventive strategy for type 2 diabetes mellitus6 and doubt among clinicians that lifestyle advice and counselling provided in the routine health system can achieve improvements in health7-9. Here we show that being referred to the largest behaviour change programme for prediabetes globally (the English Diabetes Prevention Programme) is effective in improving key cardiovascular risk factors, including glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), excess body weight and serum lipid levels. We do so by using a regression discontinuity design10, which uses the eligibility threshold in HbA1c for referral to the behaviour change programme, in electronic health data from about one-fifth of all primary care practices in England. We confirm our main finding, the improvement of HbA1c, using two other quasi-experimental approaches: difference-in-differences analysis exploiting the phased roll-out of the programme and instrumental variable estimation exploiting regional variation in programme coverage. This analysis provides causal, rather than associational, evidence that lifestyle advice and counselling implemented at scale in a national health system can achieve important health improvements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia M Lemp
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Primary Care and Population Health, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Christian Bommer
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Economics and Centre for Modern Indian Studies, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Min Xie
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Primary Care and Population Health, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Felix Michalik
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Primary Care and Population Health, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Anant Jani
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Justine I Davies
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- Centre for Global Surgery, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
- Medical Research Council/Wits University Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Africa Health Research Institute, Somkhele, South Africa
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sebastian Vollmer
- Department of Economics and Centre for Modern Indian Studies, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Pascal Geldsetzer
- Division of Primary Care and Population Health, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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Berner-Rodoreda A, Baum N, Zangerl K, Wachinger J, Hoegl H, Li LY, Bärnighausen T. "I couldn't see my friends; the internet was bad, and I hardly went out" - insights into children's and adolescents' experiences of COVID-19 in Germany. Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being 2023; 18:2271271. [PMID: 37930944 PMCID: PMC10629426 DOI: 10.1080/17482631.2023.2271271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE We explored children's experiences of COVID-19 in terms of proximity and distance to significant others. METHODS Our qualitative study with children in Germany (6-15 years of age) explored their views and experiences of COVID-19 times via drawings and face-to-face semi-structured interviews (n = 13). We analysed data thematically and used the socio-ecological model as the theoretical underpinning. Case studies contextualized how children dealt with the COVID-19 precautions. RESULTS Salient motives in children's drawings were school scenarios showing distance-keeping and mask-wearing as an expression of interpersonal distance; in the home-schooling context, loneliness was highlighted. Drawings also illustrated the impact of COVID-19 in terms of separation, illness and death. A dynamic perception of proximity and distance emerged from drawings and interviews. COVID-19 barred children from spending "real" time together with close friends. Bridging physical distance virtually was easier for adolescents than for children. CONCLUSION To bolster children's mental and social resilience in future epidemics, participants' plea for maintaining social and physical interactions with significant others and for keeping schools open should be heeded by policy-makers. Our study also highlights the benefits of conducting direct research with children and using non-verbal methods of data collection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nina Baum
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kathrin Zangerl
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jonas Wachinger
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Lydia Yao Li
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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25
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Barteit S, Colmar D, Nellis S, Thu M, Watterson J, Gouwanda D, Bärnighausen T, Su TT. Developing Climate Change and Health Impact Monitoring with eHealth at the South East Asia Community Observatory and Health and Demographic Surveillance Site, Malaysia (CHIMES). Front Public Health 2023; 11:1153149. [PMID: 38125843 PMCID: PMC10732307 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1153149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Malaysia is projected to experience an increase in heat, rainfall, rainfall variability, dry spells, thunderstorms, and high winds due to climate change. This may lead to a rise in heat-related mortality, reduced nutritional security, and potential migration due to uninhabitable land. Currently, there is limited data regarding the health implications of climate change on the Malaysian populace, which hinders informed decision-making and interventions. Objective This study aims to assess the feasibility and reliability of using sensor-based devices to enhance climate change and health research within the SEACO health and demographic surveillance site (HDSS) in Malaysia. We will particularly focus on the effects of climate-sensitive diseases, emphasizing lung conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. Methods In our mixed-methods approach, 120 participants (>18 years) from the SEACO HDSS in Segamat, Malaysia, will be engaged over three cycles, each lasting 3 weeks. Participants will use wearables to monitor heart rate, activity, and sleep. Indoor sensors will measure temperature in indoor living spaces, while 3D-printed weather stations will track indoor temperature and humidity. In each cycle, a minimum of 10 participants at high risk for COPD or asthma will be identified. Through interviews and questionnaires, we will evaluate the devices' reliability, the prevalence of climate-sensitive lung diseases, and their correlation with environmental factors, like heat and humidity. Results We anticipate that the sensor-based measurements will offer a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between climate-sensitive diseases and weather variables. The data is expected to reveal correlations between health impacts and weather exposures like heat. Participant feedback will offer perspectives on the usability and feasibility of these digital tools. Conclusion Our study within the SEACO HDSS in Malaysia will evaluate the potential of sensor-based digital technologies in monitoring the interplay between climate change and health, particularly for climate-sensitive diseases like COPD and asthma. The data generated will likely provide details on health profiles in relation to weather exposures. Feedback will indicate the acceptability of these tools for broader health surveillance. As climate change continues to impact global health, evaluating the potential of such digital technologies is crucial to understand its potential to inform policy and intervention strategies in vulnerable regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Barteit
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - David Colmar
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Syahrul Nellis
- South East Asia Community Observatory (SEACO) and Global Public Health, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
| | - Min Thu
- South East Asia Community Observatory (SEACO) and Global Public Health, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
| | - Jessica Watterson
- Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
| | - Darwin Gouwanda
- School of Engineering (Mechanical), Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, United States
- Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Tin Tin Su
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- South East Asia Community Observatory (SEACO) and Global Public Health, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
- Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
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26
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Jiao L, Wachinger J, Dasch S, Bärnighausen T, McMahon SA, Chen S. Calculation, knowledge, and identity: Dimensions of trust when making COVID-19 vaccination choices in China. SSM Qual Res Health 2023; 4:100288. [PMID: 37334196 PMCID: PMC10232919 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmqr.2023.100288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Vaccine hesitancy threatens the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to other infectious disease outbreaks globally. Fostering trust has been highlighted as a critical factor in addressing vaccine hesitancy and expanding vaccine coverage, but qualitative exploration of trust in the context of vaccination remains limited. We contribute to filling this gap by providing a comprehensive qualitative analysis of trust in the context of COVID-19 vaccination in China. We conducted 40 in-depth interviews with Chinese adults in December 2020. During data collection, trust emerged as a highly salient topic. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, translated into English, and analyzed with a combination of inductive and deductive coding. Following established trust literature, we differentiate between three types of trust - calculation-based trust, knowledge-based trust, and identity-based trust - which we grouped across components of the health system, as informed by the WHO's building blocks. Our results highlight how participants attributed their level of trust in COVID-19 vaccines to their trust in the medical technology itself (based on assessing risks and benefits or previous vaccination experiences), the service delivery and health workforce (informed by past experiences with health providers and their role throughout the pandemic), and leadership and governance (drawing on notions of government performance and patriotism). Reducing negative impact from past vaccine controversies, increasing the credibility of pharmaceutical companies, and fostering clear communication are identified as important channels for facilitating trust. Our findings emphasize a strong need for comprehensive information on COVID-19 vaccines and increased promotion of vaccination by credible figures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lirui Jiao
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, USA
| | - Jonas Wachinger
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Selina Dasch
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard School of Public Health, Massachusetts, USA
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Shannon A McMahon
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- International Health Department, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA
| | - Simiao Chen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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Nguyen HT, Denkinger CM, Brenner S, Koeppel L, Brugnara L, Burk R, Knop M, Bärnighausen T, Deckert A, De Allegri M. Cost and cost-effectiveness of four different SARS-CoV-2 active surveillance strategies: evidence from a randomised control trial in Germany. Eur J Health Econ 2023; 24:1545-1559. [PMID: 36656403 PMCID: PMC9850332 DOI: 10.1007/s10198-022-01561-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The COVID-19 pandemic has entered its third year and continues to affect most countries worldwide. Active surveillance, i.e. testing individuals irrespective of symptoms, presents a promising strategy to accurately measure the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2. We aimed to identify the most cost-effective active surveillance strategy for COVID-19 among the four strategies tested in a randomised control trial between 18th November 2020 and 23rd December 2020 in Germany. The four strategies included: (A1) direct testing of individuals; (A2) direct testing of households; (B1) testing conditioned on upstream COVID-19 symptom pre-screening of individuals; and (B2) testing conditioned on upstream COVID-19 symptom pre-screening of households. METHODS We adopted a health system perspective and followed an activity-based approach to costing. Resource consumption data were collected prospectively from a digital individual database, daily time records, key informant interviews and direct observations. Our cost-effectiveness analysis compared each strategy with the status quo and calculated the average cost-effective ratios (ACERs) for one primary outcome (sample tested) and three secondary outcomes (responder recruited, case detected and asymptomatic case detected). RESULTS Our results showed that A2, with cost per sample tested at 52,89 EURO, had the lowest ACER for the primary outcome, closely followed by A1 (63,33 EURO). This estimate was much higher for both B1 (243,84 EURO) and B2 (181,06 EURO). CONCLUSION A2 (direct testing at household level) proved to be the most cost-effective of the four evaluated strategies and should be considered as an option to strengthen the routine surveillance system in Germany and similar settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoa Thi Nguyen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University Hospital and Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Claudia M Denkinger
- Division of Infectious Disease and Tropical Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Im Neuenheimer Feld 344, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stephan Brenner
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University Hospital and Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lisa Koeppel
- Division of Infectious Disease and Tropical Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lucia Brugnara
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University Hospital and Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- evaplan GmbH at the University Hospital Heidelberg, Ringstr.19B, 69115, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Robin Burk
- Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH), Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Knop
- Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH), Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), ZMBH Alliance, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University Hospital and Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andreas Deckert
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University Hospital and Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Manuela De Allegri
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University Hospital and Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
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Schwab J, Wachinger J, Munana R, Nabiryo M, Sekitoleko I, Cazier J, Ingenhoff R, Favaretti C, Subramonia Pillai V, Weswa I, Wafula J, Emmrich JV, Bärnighausen T, Knauf F, Knauss S, Nalwadda CK, Sudharsanan N, Kalyesubula R, McMahon SA. Design Research to Embed mHealth into a Community-Led Blood Pressure Management System in Uganda: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study. JMIR Res Protoc 2023; 12:e46614. [PMID: 38032702 PMCID: PMC10722357 DOI: 10.2196/46614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Uncontrolled hypertension is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. In Uganda, such diseases account for approximately 10% of all deaths, with 1 in 5 adults having hypertension (>90% of the hypertensive cases are uncontrolled). Although basic health care in the country is available free of cost at government facilities, regularly accessing medication to control hypertension is difficult because supply chain challenges impede availability. Clients therefore frequently suspend treatment or buy medication individually at private facilities or pharmacies (incurring significant costs). In recent years, mobile health (mHealth) interventions have shown increasing potential in addressing health system challenges in sub-Saharan Africa, but the acceptability, feasibility, and uptake conditions of mobile money approaches to chronic disease management remain understudied. OBJECTIVE This study aims to design and pilot-test a mobile money-based intervention to increase the availability of antihypertensive medication and lower clients' out-of-pocket payments. We will build on existing local approaches and assess the acceptability, feasibility, and uptake of the designed intervention. Furthermore, rather than entering the study setting with a ready-made intervention, this research will place emphasis on gathering applied ethnographic insights early, which can then inform the parameters of the intervention prototype and concurrent trial. METHODS We will conduct a mixed methods study following a human-centered design approach. We will begin by conducting extensive qualitative research with a range of stakeholders (clients; health care providers; religious, cultural, and community leaders; academics; and policy makers at district and national levels) on their perceptions of hypertension management, money-saving systems, and mobile money in the context of health care. Our results will inform the design, iterative adaptation, and implementation of an mHealth-facilitated pooled financing intervention prototype. At study conclusion, the finalized prototype will be evaluated quantitatively via a randomized controlled trial. RESULTS As of August 2023, qualitative data collection, which started in November 2022, is ongoing, with data analysis of the first qualitative interviews underway to inform platform and implementation design. Recruitment for the quantitative part of this study began in August 2023. CONCLUSIONS Our results aim to inform the ongoing discourse on novel and sustainable pathways to facilitate access to medication for the management of hypertension in resource-constrained settings. TRIAL REGISTRATION German registry of clinical trials DRKS00030922; https://drks.de/search/en/trial/DRKS00030922. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/46614.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josephine Schwab
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jonas Wachinger
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Richard Munana
- African Community Center for Social Sustainability, Nakaseke District, Uganda
| | - Maxencia Nabiryo
- Department of Community Health and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Isaac Sekitoleko
- African Community Center for Social Sustainability, Nakaseke District, Uganda
| | | | - Rebecca Ingenhoff
- Department of Nephrology and Medical Intensive Care, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Caterina Favaretti
- Professorship of Behavioral Science for Disease Prevention and Health Care, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Vasanthi Subramonia Pillai
- Professorship of Behavioral Science for Disease Prevention and Health Care, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ivan Weswa
- African Community Center for Social Sustainability, Nakaseke District, Uganda
| | - John Wafula
- African Community Center for Social Sustainability, Nakaseke District, Uganda
| | - Julius Valentin Emmrich
- mTOMADY gGmbh, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Neurology with Experimental Neurology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Felix Knauf
- Department of Nephrology and Medical Intensive Care, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Samuel Knauss
- mTOMADY gGmbh, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Neurology with Experimental Neurology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christine K Nalwadda
- Department of Community Health and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Nikkil Sudharsanan
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Professorship of Behavioral Science for Disease Prevention and Health Care, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Robert Kalyesubula
- African Community Center for Social Sustainability, Nakaseke District, Uganda
- Department of Physiology, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Shannon A McMahon
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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Al-Aghbari AA, Naanyu V, Luchters S, Irungu E, Baalawy K, Bärnighausen T, Mauti J. Reducing Barriers to COVID-19 Vaccination Uptake: Community Ideas from Urban and Rural Kenya. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2023; 20:7093. [PMID: 38063523 PMCID: PMC10705992 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20237093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Following the rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines, addressing vaccine hesitancy and optimizing uptake have emerged as critical challenges, emphasizing the importance of reducing barriers toward COVID-19 vaccination. This study investigates ideas on ways to reduce barriers to COVID-19 vaccination uptake. It explores methods that can overcome COVID-19 vaccination barriers through qualitative research: interviews and group discussions involving healthcare providers, administration personnel, teachers, and individuals with chronic conditions across urban (Mombasa) and rural (Kilifi) Kenya. Audio-recorded discussions were transcribed and thematically analyzed across locations. Five themes emerged in our results regarding the reduction in barriers to COVID-19 vaccination in the context of Kenya, including awareness campaigns, engaging diverse stakeholders, using various communication techniques, capacity building to increase vaccination centers and trained staff, and lastly, revising relevant government health policies and guidelines. These results indicate the importance of adopting multiple approaches, as no single strategy can boost vaccine acceptance. Moreover, this study provides recommendations for conceiving actionable interventions to potentially boost vaccine demand and maintain routine immunization in Kenya.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Asa’ad Al-Aghbari
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (T.B.); (J.M.)
| | - Violet Naanyu
- School of Arts and Social Sciences, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya;
| | - Stanley Luchters
- Centre for Sexual Health and HIV AIDS Research (CeSHHAR), Harare 0002, Zimbabwe;
- Department of International Public Health, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), Liverpool L3 5QA, UK
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Eunice Irungu
- The Aga Khan Hospital Mombasa, Mumbasa, Kenya; (E.I.); (K.B.)
| | - Kawthar Baalawy
- The Aga Khan Hospital Mombasa, Mumbasa, Kenya; (E.I.); (K.B.)
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (T.B.); (J.M.)
| | - Joy Mauti
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (T.B.); (J.M.)
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Terhoeven V, Nikendei C, Bountogo M, Friederich HC, Ouermi L, Sié A, Harling G, Bärnighausen T. Exploring risk factors of drive for muscularity and muscle dysmorphia in male adolescents from a resource-limited setting in Burkina Faso. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20140. [PMID: 37978210 PMCID: PMC10656447 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46863-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
In low-income countries, Muscle Dysmorphia (MD) has only been investigated in adult south African amateur-bodybuilders. To date, there is no epidemic study about MD or its cardinal symptom "drive for muscularity" (DFM) and its impact on young men's lives in African low-income settings. We analyzed a population-representative cross-sectional study of 838 adolescent males aged 12-20 in the rural northwestern Burkina Faso. Participants were assessed for MD with the research criteria of Pope and its cardinal symptom DFM based on the DFM scale (DMS). Since DFM has not been studied in a comparable sample so far, all possible influencing variables were examined exploratively in a linear regression model. Many respondents were underweight (41.5%) and few overweight (1.3%). No-one met standard clinical MD criteria. While 60.1% of 837 wished to be more muscular, only 8.7% of 824 desired a lower body-fat percentage. Regression analysis revealed that higher DMS scores were associated with greater internalization of the muscular body ideal, going to school, living in a rural area, older age, and a history of having faced sexual harassment or assault, but not with media exposure. Our results show that levels of DMS in Burkinabe adolescents were elevated. Risk factors for DFM in environmental circumstances where undernutrition and poverty are common are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentin Terhoeven
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Thibautstrasse 4, 69115, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christoph Nikendei
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Thibautstrasse 4, 69115, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | | | - Hans-Christoph Friederich
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Thibautstrasse 4, 69115, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Ali Sié
- Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna, Nouna, Burkina Faso
| | - Guy Harling
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
- Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
- Department of Epidemiology & Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health & Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
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Marcus ME, Mahlalela N, Drame ND, Rohr JK, Vollmer S, Tollman S, Berkman L, Kahn K, Gómez-Olivé FX, Manne-Goehler J, Bärnighausen T. Home-based HIV testing strategies for middle-aged and older adults in rural South Africa. AIDS 2023; 37:2213-2221. [PMID: 37696252 PMCID: PMC10615729 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000003698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE More than one in four adults over 40 years with HIV in South Africa are unaware of their status and not receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). HIV self-testing may offer a powerful approach to closing this gap for aging adults. Here, we report the results of a randomized comparative effectiveness trial of three different home-based HIV testing strategies for middle-aged and older adults in rural South Africa. DESIGN Two thousand nine hundred and sixty-three individuals in the 'Health and Ageing in Africa: a Longitudinal Study of an INDEPTH Community in South Africa (HAALSI)' cohort study were randomized 1 : 1 : 1 to one of three types of home-based and home-delivered HIV testing modalities: rapid testing with counseling; self-testing, and both rapid testing with counselling and self-testing. METHOD In OLS regression analyses, we estimated the treatment effects on HIV testing and HIV testing frequency at about 1 year after delivery. Finally, we assessed the potential adverse effects of these strategies on the secondary outcomes of depressive symptom as assessed by the CESD-20, linkage to care, and risky sexual behavior. RESULTS There were no significant differences in HIV testing uptake or testing frequency across groups. However, respondents in the self-testing treatment arms were more likely to shift from testing at home and a facility [self-testing (HIVST), -8 percentage points (pp); 95% confidence interval (CI) -14 to -2 pp; self-testing plus rapid testing and counselling (ST+RT+C); -9 pp, 95% CI -15 to -3 pp] to testing only at home (HIVST 5 pp; 95% CI 2 to 9 pp; ST+RT+C: 5 pp, 95% CI 1 to 9 pp) - suggesting a revealed preference for self-testing in this population. We also found no adverse effects of this strategy on linkage to care for HIV and common comorbidities, recent sexual partners, or condom use. Finally, those in the self-testing only arm had significantly decreased depressive symptom scores by 0.58 points (95% CI -1.16 to -0.01). CONCLUSION We find HIV self-testing to be a well tolerated and seemingly preferred home-based testing option for middle-aged and older adults in rural South Africa. This approach should be expanded to achieve the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maja E. Marcus
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nomsa Mahlalela
- Medical Research Council/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Ndeye D. Drame
- Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Julia K Rohr
- Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sebastian Vollmer
- Department of Economics and Centre for Modern Indian Studies, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Stephen Tollman
- Medical Research Council/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Center for Global Health Research, Umea University, Umea, Sweden
| | - Lisa Berkman
- Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kathleen Kahn
- Medical Research Council/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Center for Global Health Research, Umea University, Umea, Sweden
| | - Francesc Xavier Gómez-Olivé
- Medical Research Council/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Jennifer Manne-Goehler
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Medical Research Council/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Africa Health Research Institute, Mtubatuba, South Africa
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Koch M, Matzke I, Huhn S, Sié A, Boudo V, Compaoré G, Maggioni MA, Bunker A, Bärnighausen T, Dambach P, Barteit S. Assessing the Effect of Extreme Weather on Population Health Using Consumer-Grade Wearables in Rural Burkina Faso: Observational Panel Study. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2023; 11:e46980. [PMID: 37938879 PMCID: PMC10666008 DOI: 10.2196/46980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Extreme weather, including heat and extreme rainfall, is projected to increase owing to climate change, which can have adverse impacts on human health. In particular, rural populations in sub-Saharan Africa are at risk because of a high burden of climate-sensitive diseases and low adaptive capacities. However, there is a lack of data on the regions that are anticipated to be most exposed to climate change. Improved public health surveillance is essential for better decision-making and health prioritization and to identify risk groups and suitable adaptation measures. Digital technologies such as consumer-grade wearable devices (wearables) may generate objective measurements to guide data-driven decision-making. OBJECTIVE The main objective of this observational study was to examine the impact of weather exposure on population health in rural Burkina Faso using wearables. Specifically, this study aimed to assess the relationship between individual daily activity (steps), sleep duration, and heart rate (HR), as estimated by wearables, and exposure to heat and heavy rainfall. METHODS Overall, 143 participants from the Nouna health and demographic surveillance system in Burkina Faso wore the Withings Pulse HR wearable 24/7 for 11 months. We collected continuous weather data using 5 weather stations throughout the study region. The heat index and wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) were calculated as measures of heat. We used linear mixed-effects models to quantify the relationship between exposure to heat and rainfall and the wearable parameters. Participants kept activity journals and completed a questionnaire on their perception of and adaptation to heat and other weather exposure. RESULTS Sleep duration decreased significantly (P<.001) with higher heat exposure, with approximately 15 minutes shorter sleep duration during heat stress nights with a heat index value of ≥25 °C. Many participants (55/137, 40.1%) reported that heat affected them the most at night. During the day, most participants (133/137, 97.1%) engaged in outdoor physical work such as farming, housework, or fetching water. During the rainy season, when WBGT was highest, daily activity was highest and increased when the daily maximum WBGT surpassed 30 °C during the rainiest month. In the hottest month, daily activity decreased per degree increase in WBGT for values >30 °C. Nighttime HR showed no significant correlation with heat exposure. Daytime HR data were insufficient for analysis. We found no negative health impact associated with heavy rainfall. With increasing rainfall, sleep duration increased, average nightly HR decreased, and activity decreased. CONCLUSIONS During the study period, participants were frequently exposed to heat and heavy rainfall. Heat was particularly associated with impaired sleep and daily activity. Essential tasks such as harvesting, fetching water, and caring for livestock expose this population to weather that likely has an adverse impact on their health. Further research is essential to guide interventions safeguarding vulnerable communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mara Koch
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ina Matzke
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sophie Huhn
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ali Sié
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Centre de Recherche en Santé, Nouna, Burkina Faso
| | | | | | - Martina Anna Maggioni
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Physiology, Center for Space Medicine and Extreme Environments Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Aditi Bunker
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
- Africa Health Research Institute, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
| | - Peter Dambach
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sandra Barteit
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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Beidelman ET, Bärnighausen T, Wing C, Tollman S, Phillips ML, Rosenberg M. Disease awareness and healthcare utilization in rural South Africa: a comparative analysis of HIV and diabetes in the HAALSI cohort. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:2202. [PMID: 37940928 PMCID: PMC10634006 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17043-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies from rural South Africa indicate that people living with HIV (PLHIV) may have better health outcomes than those without, potentially due to the frequent healthcare visits necessitated by infection. Here, we examined the association between HIV status and healthcare utilization, using diabetes as an illustrative comparator of another high-burden, healthcare-intensive disease. METHODS Our exposure of interest was awareness of positive disease status for both HIV and diabetes. We identified 742 individuals who were HIV-positive and aware of their status and 305 who had diabetes and were aware of their status. HIV-positive status was further grouped by viral suppression. For each disease, we estimated the association with (1) other comorbid, chronic conditions, (2) health facility visits, (3) household-level healthcare expenditure, and (4) per-visit healthcare expenditure. We used log-binomial regression models to estimate prevalence ratios for co-morbid chronic conditions. Linear regression models were used for all other outcomes. RESULTS Virally suppressed PLHIV had decreased prevalence of chronic conditions, increased public clinic visits [β = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.5, 0.7], and reduced per-visit private clinic spending [β = -60, 95% CI: -83, -6] compared to those without HIV. No differences were observed in hospitalizations and per-visit spending at hospitals and public clinics between virally suppressed PLHIV and non-PLHIV. Conversely, diabetic individuals had increased prevalence of chronic conditions, increased visits across facility types, increased household-level expenditures (β = 88 R, 95% CI: 29, 154), per-visit hospital spending (β = 54 R, 95% CI: 7, 155), and per-visit public clinic spending (β = 31 R, 95% CI: 2, 74) compared to those without diabetes. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that older adult PLHIV may visit public clinics more often than their HIV-negative counterparts but spend similarly on a per-visit basis. This provides preliminary evidence that the positive health outcomes observed among PLHIV in rural South Africa may be explained by different healthcare engagement patterns. Through our illustrative comparison between PLHIV and diabetics, we show that shifting disease burdens towards chronic and historically underfunded diseases, like diabetes, may be changing the landscape of health expenditure inequities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika T Beidelman
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Indiana University School of Public Health - Bloomington, 1025 E. 7th St, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA.
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt School of Public Health), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Coady Wing
- O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University-Bloomington, Bloomington, USA
| | - Stephen Tollman
- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt School of Public Health), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana
| | - Meredith L Phillips
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Indiana University School of Public Health - Bloomington, 1025 E. 7th St, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
| | - Molly Rosenberg
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Indiana University School of Public Health - Bloomington, 1025 E. 7th St, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt School of Public Health), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Boutros P, Kassem N, Nieder J, Jaramillo C, von Petersdorff J, Walsh FJ, Bärnighausen T, Barteit S. Education and Training Adaptations for Health Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review of Lessons Learned and Innovations. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:2902. [PMID: 37958046 PMCID: PMC10649637 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11212902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has considerably impacted the clinical education and training of health workers globally, causing severe disruptions to learning environments in healthcare facilities and limiting the acquisition of new clinical skills. Consequently, urgent adaptation measures, including simulation training and e-learning, have been implemented to mitigate the adverse effects of clinical education. This scoping review aims to assess the impact of COVID-19 on medical education and training, examine the implemented adaptation measures, and evaluate their effectiveness in improving health workers' education and training during the pandemic. Methods: Employing the PRISMA-ScR framework and Arksey and O'Malley's methodological guidance, we conducted a scoping review, systematically searching PubMed, medRxiv, Google, and DuckDuckGo databases to account for the grey literature. The search included studies published between 1 December 2019 and 13 October 2021, yielding 10,323 results. Of these, 88 studies focused on health worker education and training during the pandemic. Results: Our review incorporated 31,268 participants, including physicians, medical trainees, nurses, paramedics, students, and health educators. Most studies (71/88, 81%) were conducted in high-income and lower-middle-income countries. The pandemic's effects on health workers' clinical skills and abilities have necessitated training period extensions in some cases. We identified several positive outcomes from the implementation of simulation training and e-learning as adaptation strategies, such as enhanced technical and clinical performance, increased confidence and comfort, and an expanded global educational outreach. Conclusions: Despite challenges like insufficient practical experience, limited interpersonal interaction opportunities, and internet connectivity issues, simulation training, e-learning, and virtual training have proven effective in improving clinical education and training during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further research is required to bolster preparedness for future pandemics or similar situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Perla Boutros
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nour Kassem
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jessica Nieder
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Catalina Jaramillo
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jakob von Petersdorff
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Fiona J Walsh
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), Somkhele, Mtubatuba 3935, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Sandra Barteit
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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Ebalu TI, Kearns JC, Ouermi L, Bountogo M, Sié A, Bärnighausen T, Harling G. Prevalence and correlates of adolescent self-injurious thoughts and behaviors: A population-based study in Burkina Faso. Int J Soc Psychiatry 2023; 69:1626-1635. [PMID: 37329143 PMCID: PMC10657509 DOI: 10.1177/00207640231175778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITBs) are a growing concern among youth in sub-Saharan Africa, but their prevalence and correlates in this region are poorly understood. We therefore examined self-reported SITBs in a population-representative sample of youth in rural Burkina Faso. We used interviews from 1,538 adolescents aged 12 to 20 years living in 10 villages and 1 town in northwestern Burkina Faso. Adolescents were asked about their experiences with suicidal and nonsuicidal SITBs, adverse environmental factors, psychiatric symptoms, and interpersonal-social experiences. SITBs included lifetime prevalence of life is not worth living, passive suicide ideation, active suicide ideation, and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). After describing SITB prevalence, we ran logistic and negative binomial regression models to predict SITBs. Weighted lifetime SITB prevalence estimates were: 15.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 13.7-18.0) for NSSI; 15.1% (95% CI: [13.2, 17.0]) for life is not worth living; 5.0% (95% CI [3.9, 6.0]) for passive suicide ideation; and 2.3% (95% CI [1.6, 3.0]) for active suicide ideation. Prevalence of life is not worth living increased with age. All four SITBs were significantly positively associated with mental health symptoms (depression symptoms, probable posttraumatic stress disorder) and interpersonal-social experiences (peer and social connectedness, physical assault, sexual assault and unwanted sexual experiences). Females were significantly more likely to report that their life was not worth living compared to males (aOR = 0.68; 95% CI [0.48, 0.96]). There is a high prevalence of SITBs among youth in rural Burkina Faso, most notably NSSI and life is not worth living, with interpersonal-social factors being the strongest predictors. Our results highlight the need for longitudinal SITB assessment to understand how risk for SITBs operates in resource-constrained settings, and to design interventions to mitigate risk. Given low school enrollment in rural Burkina Faso, it will be important to consider youth suicide prevention and mental health initiatives that are not school-based.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracie I Ebalu
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Ali Sié
- Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna, Burkina Faso
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Institute of Global Health, University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Germany
- Africa Health Research Institute, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Guy Harling
- Africa Health Research Institute, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, UK
- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- School of Nursing and Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
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36
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Shinde S, Harling G, Assefa N, Bärnighausen T, Bukenya J, Chukwu A, Darling AM, Manu A, Millogo O, Mwanyika-Sando M, Ncayiyana J, Nurhussien L, Patil R, Tang K, Fawzi W. Corrigendum to "Counting adolescents in: the development of an adolescent health indicator framework for population-based settings". EClinicalMedicine 2023; 65:102287. [PMID: 38106554 PMCID: PMC10725052 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.102287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.102067.].
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Affiliation(s)
- Sachin Shinde
- Department of Global Health and Population, T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, USA
| | - Guy Harling
- Institute of Global Health, University College of London, United Kingdom
- Africa Health Research Institute, South Africa
- Department of Epidemiology, T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, USA
- School of Nursing & Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health & Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
| | - Nega Assefa
- College of Health and Medical Sciences, Harmaya University, Ethiopia
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Department of Global Health and Population, T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, USA
- Africa Health Research Institute, South Africa
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University, Germany
| | | | - Angela Chukwu
- Department of Statistics, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Anne Marie Darling
- Department of Global Health and Population, T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, USA
| | - Adom Manu
- Department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health, University of Ghana, Ghana
| | | | | | - Jabulani Ncayiyana
- School of Nursing & Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
| | - Lina Nurhussien
- Department of Global Health and Population, T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, USA
| | | | - Kun Tang
- Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, China
| | - Wafaie Fawzi
- Department of Global Health and Population, T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, USA
- Department of Nutrition, T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, USA
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Kuunibe N, Bountogo M, Ouermi L, Sié A, Bärnighausen T, Harling G. Effects of education and age on the experience of youth violence in a very low-resource setting: a fixed-effects analysis in rural Burkina Faso. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e071104. [PMID: 37852761 PMCID: PMC10603425 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-071104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The study aimed to investigate the effects of education and age on the experience of youth violence in low-income and middle-income country settings. DESIGN Using a standardised questionnaire, our study collected two waves of longitudinal data on sociodemographics, health practices, health outcomes and risk factors. The panel fixed-effects ordinary least squares regression models were used for the analysis. SETTINGS The study was conducted in 59 villages and the town of Nouna with a population of about 100 000 individuals, 1 hospital and 13 primary health centres in Burkina Faso. PARTICIPANTS We interviewed 1644 adolescents in 2017 and 1291 respondents in 2018 who participated in both rounds. OUTCOME AND EXPOSURE MEASURES We examined the experience of physical attacks in the past 12 months and bullying in the past 30 days. Our exposures were completed years of age and educational attainment. RESULTS A substantial minority of respondents experienced violence in both waves (24.1% bullying and 12.2% physical attack), with males experiencing more violence. Bullying was positively associated with more education (β=0.12; 95% CI 0.02 to 0.22) and non-significantly with older age. Both effects were stronger in males than females, although the gender differences were not significant. Physical attacks fell with increasing age (β=-0.18; 95% CI -0.31 to -0.05) and this association was again stronger in males than females; education and physical attacks were not substantively associated. CONCLUSIONS Bullying and physical attacks are common for rural adolescent Burkinabe. The age patterns found suggest that, particularly for males, there is a need to target violence prevention at younger ages and bullying prevention at slightly older ones, particularly for those remaining in school. Nevertheless, a fuller understanding of the mechanisms behind our findings is needed to design effective interventions to protect youth in low-income settings from violence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naasegnibe Kuunibe
- Department of Economics, Faculty of Social Science and Arts, Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies, Wa, Ghana
| | - Mamadou Bountogo
- Centre de Recherche en Sante de Nouna, Nouna, Burkina Faso
- Université de Ouagadougou, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | | | - Ali Sié
- Centre de Recherche en Sante de Nouna, Nouna, Burkina Faso
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
- Africa Health Research Institute, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Guy Harling
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
- Africa Health Research Institute, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
- School of Nursing & Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health & Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Adam M, Kwinda Z, Dronavalli M, Leonard E, Nguyễn VK, Tshivhase V, Bärnighausen T, Pillay Y. Effect of Short, Animated Video Storytelling on Maternal Knowledge and Satisfaction in the Perinatal Period in South Africa: Randomized Controlled Trial. J Med Internet Res 2023; 25:e47266. [PMID: 37831505 PMCID: PMC10612008 DOI: 10.2196/47266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Innovative mobile health (mHealth) interventions can improve maternal knowledge, thereby supporting national efforts to reduce preventable maternal and child mortality in South Africa. Studies have documented a potential role for mobile video content to support perinatal health messaging, enhance maternal satisfaction, and overcome literacy barriers. Short, animated storytelling (SAS) is an innovative, emerging approach to mHealth messaging. OBJECTIVE We aimed to measure the effect of SAS videos on maternal knowledge and user satisfaction for mothers enrolled in antenatal care programs at 2 public health facilities in the Tshwane District of South Africa. METHODS We used a randomized controlled trial with a nested evaluation of user satisfaction. Participants were randomized 1:1 into Standard-of-Care (SOC) Control, and SAS Intervention groups. The intervention videos were delivered through WhatsApp, and 1 month later, participants responded to telephone surveys assessing their knowledge. The intervention group then participated in a nested evaluation of user satisfaction. RESULTS We surveyed 204 participants. Of them, 49.5% (101/204) were aged between 25 and 34 years. Almost all participants self-identified as Black, with the majority (190/204, 93.2%) having completed secondary school. The mean overall knowledge score was 21.92/28. We observed a slight increase of 0.28 (95% uncertainty interval [UI] -0.58 to 1.16) in the overall knowledge score in the intervention arm. We found that those with secondary education or above scored higher than those with only primary education by 2.24 (95% UI 0.76-4.01). Participants aged 35 years or older also scored higher than the youngest age group (18-24 years) by 1.83 (95% CI 0.39-3.33). Finally, the nested user satisfaction evaluation revealed high maternal satisfaction (4.71/5) with the SAS video series. CONCLUSIONS While the SAS videos resulted in high user satisfaction, measured knowledge gains were small within a participant population that was already receiving perinatal health messages through antenatal clinics. The higher knowledge scores observed in older participants with higher education levels suggest that boosting maternal knowledge in younger mothers with lower education levels should continue to be a public health priority in South Africa. Given the high maternal satisfaction among the SAS video-users in this study, policy makers should consider integrating similar approaches into existing, broad-reaching perinatal health programs, such as MomConnect, to boost satisfaction and potentially enhance maternal engagement. While previous studies have shown the promise of animated video health education, most of this research has been conducted in high-income countries. More research in underresourced settings is urgently needed, especially as access to mobile technology increases in the Global South. Future studies should explore the effect of SAS videos on maternal knowledge in hard-to-reach populations with limited access to antenatal care, although real-world logistical challenges persist when implementing studies in underresourced South African populations. TRIAL REGISTRATION Pan African Clinical Trials Registry PACTR202203673222680; https://tinyurl.com/362cpuny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Adam
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
- Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Center for Digital Health, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Zwannda Kwinda
- Clinton Health Access Initiative South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Mithilesh Dronavalli
- Translational Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Elizabeth Leonard
- Clinton Health Access Initiative South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Vān Kính Nguyễn
- Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Vusani Tshivhase
- Clinton Health Access Initiative South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Africa Health Research Institute, Somkhele, South Africa
| | - Yogan Pillay
- Clinton Health Access Initiative South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
- Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
- Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Pretoria, South Africa
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Rahim NE, Flood D, Marcus ME, Theilmann M, Aung TN, Agoudavi K, Aryal KK, Bahendeka S, Bicaba B, Bovet P, Diallo AO, Farzadfar F, Guwatudde D, Houehanou C, Houinato D, Hwalla N, Jorgensen J, Kagaruki GB, Mayige M, Wong-McClure R, Larijani B, Saeedi Moghaddam S, Mwalim O, Mwangi KJ, Sarkar S, Sibai AM, Sturua L, Wesseh C, Geldsetzer P, Atun R, Vollmer S, Bärnighausen T, Davies J, Ali MK, Seiglie JA, Manne-Goehler J. Diabetes risk and provision of diabetes prevention activities in 44 low-income and middle-income countries: a cross-sectional analysis of nationally representative, individual-level survey data. Lancet Glob Health 2023; 11:e1576-e1586. [PMID: 37734801 PMCID: PMC10560068 DOI: 10.1016/s2214-109x(23)00348-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The global burden of diabetes is rising rapidly, yet there is little evidence on individual-level diabetes prevention activities undertaken by health systems in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Here we describe the population at high risk of developing diabetes, estimate diabetes prevention activities, and explore sociodemographic variation in these activities across LMICs. METHODS We performed a pooled, cross-sectional analysis of individual-level data from nationally representative, population-based surveys conducted in 44 LMICs between October, 2009, and May, 2019. Our sample included all participants older than 25 years who did not have diabetes and were not pregnant. We defined the population at high risk of diabetes on the basis of either the presence of impaired fasting glucose (or prediabetes in countries with a haemoglobin A1c available) or overweight or obesity, consistent with the WHO Package of Essential Noncommunicable Disease Guidelines for type 2 diabetes management. We estimated the proportion of survey participants that were at high risk of developing diabetes based on this definition. We also estimated the proportion of the population at high risk that reported each of four fundamental diabetes prevention activities: physical activity counselling, weight loss counselling, dietary counselling, and blood glucose screening, overall and stratified by World Bank income group. Finally, we used multivariable Poisson regression models to evaluate associations between sociodemographic characteristics and these activities. FINDINGS The final pooled sample included 145 739 adults (86 269 [59·2%] of whom were female and 59 468 [40·4%] of whom were male) across 44 LMICs, of whom 59 308 (40·6% [95% CI 38·5-42·8]) were considered at high risk of diabetes (20·6% [19·8-21·5] in low-income countries, 38·0% [37·2-38·9] in lower-middle-income countries, and 57·5% [54·3-60·6] in upper-middle-income countries). Overall, the reach of diabetes prevention activities was low at 40·0% (38·6-41·4) for physical activity counselling, 37·1% (35·9-38·4) for weight loss counselling, 42·7% (41·6-43·7) for dietary counselling, and 37·1% (34·7-39·6) for blood glucose screening. Diabetes prevention varied widely by national-level wealth: 68·1% (64·6-71·4) of people at high risk of diabetes in low-income countries reported none of these activities, whereas 49·0% (47·4-50·7) at high risk in upper-middle-income countries reported at least three activities. Educational attainment was associated with diabetes prevention, with estimated increases in the predicted probability of receipt ranging between 6·5 (3·6-9·4) percentage points for dietary fruit and vegetable counselling and 21·3 (19·5-23·2) percentage points for blood glucose screening, among people with some secondary schooling compared with people with no formal education. INTERPRETATION A large proportion of individuals across LMICs are at high risk of diabetes but less than half reported receiving fundamental prevention activities overall, with the lowest receipt of these activities among people in low-income countries and with no formal education. These findings offer foundational evidence to inform future global targets for diabetes prevention and to strengthen policies and programmes to prevent continued increases in diabetes worldwide. FUNDING Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health McLennan Fund: Dean's Challenge Grant Program and the EU's Research and Innovation programme Horizon 2020.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Errol Rahim
- Medical Practice Evaluation Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David Flood
- Department of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Maja E Marcus
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michaela Theilmann
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany; Behavioral Science for Disease Prevention and Health Care, Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Taing N Aung
- Medical Practice Evaluation Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Krishna Kumar Aryal
- Bergen Centre for Ethics and Priority Setting, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Silver Bahendeka
- Diabetes and Endocrinology, Saint Francis Hospital Nsambya, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Brice Bicaba
- National Institute of Public Health, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Pascal Bovet
- University Center for General Medicine and Public Health (Unisanté), Lausanne, Switzerland; Ministry of Health, Victoria, Seychelles
| | - Alpha Oumar Diallo
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Farshad Farzadfar
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - David Guwatudde
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Corine Houehanou
- Laboratory of Epidemiology of Chronic and Neurological Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin
| | - Dismand Houinato
- Laboratory of Epidemiology of Chronic and Neurological Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin
| | - Nahla Hwalla
- Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Jutta Jorgensen
- Institute of Global Health, Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Mary Mayige
- National Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | | | - Bagher Larijani
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sahar Saeedi Moghaddam
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Kiel, Germany
| | | | - Kibachio Joseph Mwangi
- Division of Non-Communicable Diseases, Ministry of Health, Nairobi, Kenya; World Health Organization Country Office, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Sudipa Sarkar
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Abla M Sibai
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Lela Sturua
- Non-Communicable Disease Department, National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | | | - Pascal Geldsetzer
- Division of Primary Care and Population Health, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Rifat Atun
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sebastian Vollmer
- Department of Economics and Centre for Modern Indian Studies, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA; Africa Health Research Institute, Somkhele, South Africa
| | - Justine Davies
- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit, School of Public Health, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; Centre for Global Surgery, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Mohammed K Ali
- Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Family and Prevention Medicine, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jacqueline A Seiglie
- Diabetes Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jennifer Manne-Goehler
- Medical Practice Evaluation Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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40
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Theilmann M, Geldsetzer P, Bärnighausen T, Sudharsanan N. Does Early Childhood BCG Vaccination Improve Survival to Midlife in a Population With a Low Tuberculosis Prevalence? Quasi-experimental Evidence on Nonspecific Effects From 32 Swedish Birth Cohorts. Demography 2023; 60:1607-1630. [PMID: 37732832 DOI: 10.1215/00703370-10970757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine for tuberculosis (TB) is widely used globally. Many high-income countries discontinued nationwide vaccination policies starting in the 1980s as the TB prevalence decreased. However, there is continued scientific interest in whether the general childhood immunity boost conferred by the BCG vaccination impacts adult health and mortality in low-TB contexts (known as nonspecific effects). While recent studies have found evidence of an association between BCG vaccination and survival to ages 34-45, it is unclear whether these associations are causal or driven by the unobserved characteristics of those who chose to voluntarily vaccinate. We use the abrupt discontinuation of mandatory BCG vaccination in Sweden in 1975 as a natural experiment to estimate the causal nonspecific effect of the BCG vaccine on cohort survival to midlife. Applying two complementary study designs, we find no evidence that survival to age 40 was affected by the discontinuation of childhood BCG vaccination. The results are consistent among both males and females and are robust to several sensitivity tests. Overall, despite prior correlational studies suggesting large nonspecific effects, we do not find any population-level evidence for a nonspecific effect of the BCG vaccine discontinuation on survival to age 40 in Sweden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaela Theilmann
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Professorship of Behavioral Science for Disease Prevention and Health Care and Institute for Advanced Study, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Pascal Geldsetzer
- Division of Primary Care and Population Health, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Africa Health Research Institute, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
| | - Nikkil Sudharsanan
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Professorship of Behavioral Science for Disease Prevention and Health Care and Institute for Advanced Study, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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Reñosa MDC, Wachinger J, Guevarra JR, Landicho-Guevarra J, Aligato MF, Endoma V, Landicho J, Bravo TA, Malacad C, Demonteverde MP, Silvestre C, Bärnighausen K, Bärnighausen T, Chase RP, McMahon SA. Human-centred design bolsters vaccine confidence in the Philippines: results of a randomised controlled trial. BMJ Glob Health 2023; 8:e012613. [PMID: 37865401 PMCID: PMC10603469 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2023-012613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The public's confidence in vaccinations has eroded, and anti-vaccination movements have gained traction around the world, including in the Philippines. 'Salubong', a Filipino term, refers to welcoming someone back into one's life and elicits ideas about friendship and family relationships. We extended this concept to vaccines in efforts to design an intervention that would re-welcome vaccines into homes. METHODS Using human-centred design, we developed and refined a story-based intervention that engages Filipino families, community leaders and community health workers. We conducted a randomised controlled trial among 719 caregivers of small children to test the developed intervention against a control video. We assessed the binary improvement (improvement vs no improvement) and the amount of improvement in vaccine attitudes and intentions after intervention exposure. RESULTS Although the intervention group began with marginally higher baseline vaccine attitude scores, we found that 62% of the intervention group improved their vaccine attitude scores versus 37% of the control group (Fisher's exact, p<0.001). Among individuals whose scores improved after watching the assigned video, the intervention group saw higher mean attitude score improvements on the 5-point scale (Cohen's d=0.32 with 95% CI 0.10 to 0.54, two-sided t-test, p<0.01). We observed similar patterns among participants who stated that they had previously delayed or refused a vaccine for their child: 67% of 74 in the intervention group improved their vaccine attitude scores versus 42% of 54 in the control group (Fisher's exact, p<0.001). Among the subset of these individuals whose scores improved after watching the assigned video, the intervention group saw higher mean attitude score improvements on the 5-point scale that were marginally significant (Cohen's d=0.35 with 95% CI -0.01 to 0.70, two-sided t-test, p=0.06). CONCLUSIONS Our results provide solid evidence for the potential of co-designed vaccine confidence campaigns and regulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Donald C Reñosa
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine - Department of Health, Muntinlupa City, Philippines
| | - Jonas Wachinger
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jerric Rhazel Guevarra
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine - Department of Health, Muntinlupa City, Philippines
| | - Jhoys Landicho-Guevarra
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine - Department of Health, Muntinlupa City, Philippines
| | - Mila F Aligato
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine - Department of Health, Muntinlupa City, Philippines
| | - Vivienne Endoma
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine - Department of Health, Muntinlupa City, Philippines
| | - Jeniffer Landicho
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine - Department of Health, Muntinlupa City, Philippines
| | - Thea Andrea Bravo
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine - Department of Health, Muntinlupa City, Philippines
| | - Carol Malacad
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine - Department of Health, Muntinlupa City, Philippines
| | - Maria Paz Demonteverde
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine - Department of Health, Muntinlupa City, Philippines
| | - Catherine Silvestre
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine - Department of Health, Muntinlupa City, Philippines
| | - Kate Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg-Braamfontein, South Africa
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Africa Health Research Institute, Durban, South Africa
| | - Rachel P Chase
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Shannon A McMahon
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- International Health Department, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Chebet JJ, McMahon SA, Chase RP, Tarumbiswa T, Maponga C, Mandara E, Bärnighausen T, Geldsetzer P. Stakeholder perspectives on interventions to improve HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis uptake and continuation in Lesotho: A participant-ranked preferences study. PLOS Glob Public Health 2023; 3:e0001423. [PMID: 37756319 PMCID: PMC10529554 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0001423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Low uptake and high discontinuation remain major obstacles to realizing the potential of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in changing the trajectory of the HIV epidemic. We conducted a card sorting and ranking exercise with 155 local stakeholders to determine their views on the most important barriers and most promising interventions to achieving high PrEP coverage. Stakeholders were a purposive sample of PrEP policymakers and implementing partners (n = 7), healthcare providers (n = 51), and end-users (n = 97). End-users included adults who were currently using PrEP (n = 55), formerly using PrEP (n = 36), and those who were offered PrEP but declined (n = 6). Participants sorted pre-selected interventions and barriers to PrEP coverage into three piles-most, somewhat, and least important. Participants then ranked interventions and barriers in the "most important" piles in ascending order of significance. Ranked preferences were analyzed as voting data to identify the smallest set of candidates for which each candidate in the set would win in a two-candidate election against any candidate outside the set. Participants viewed a lack of PrEP awareness as the most important barrier to PrEP uptake for women, and a fear of HIV testing for men. Community-based HIV testing was ranked as the most promising intervention to improve PrEP uptake for both men and women. Perceived or experienced stigma was seen as an important barrier for PrEP continuation for both men and women, with an additional important barrier for men being daily activities that compete with the time needed to take a daily pill. Adherence counseling and multi-month PrEP prescriptions were seen as the most promising interventions to improve PrEP continuation. Our findings suggest community-based activities that generate PrEP demand (community-based HIV testing and mass media campaigns), reinforced with facility-based follow-up (counseling and multi-month prescription) could be promising interventions for PrEP programs that are aimed at the general adult population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joy J. Chebet
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States of America
| | - Shannon A. McMahon
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University, Germany
- Social and Behavioral Interventions, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Rachel P. Chase
- Wexner Medical Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States of America
| | - Tapiwa Tarumbiswa
- Disease Control Department, Ministry of Health Lesotho, Maseru, Lesotho
| | - Chivimbiso Maponga
- Clinton Health Access Initiative–Lesotho Country Office, Maseru, Lesotho
| | - Esther Mandara
- Clinton Health Access Initiative–Lesotho Country Office, Maseru, Lesotho
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University, Germany
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), Durban, South Africa
| | - Pascal Geldsetzer
- Division of Primary Care and Population Health, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, CA, United States of America
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub–San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States of America
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Cockburn N, Flood D, Seiglie JA, Manne-Goehler J, Aryal K, Karki K, Damasceno A, Atun R, Vollmer S, Bärnighausen T, Geldsetzer P, Mayige M, Hirschhorn L, Davies J. Health service readiness to provide care for HIV and cardiovascular disease risk factors in low- and middle-income countries. PLOS Glob Public Health 2023; 3:e0002373. [PMID: 37738224 PMCID: PMC10516419 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease risk factors (CVDRF), in particular diabetes and hypertension, are chronic conditions which carry a substantial disease burden in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Unlike HIV, they were neglected in the Millenium Development Goals along with the health services required to manage them. To inform the level of health service readiness that could be achieved with increased attention, we compared readiness for CVDRF with that for HIV. Using data from national Service Provision Assessments, we describe facility-reported readiness to provide services for CVDRF and HIV, and derive a facility readiness score of observed essential components to manage them. We compared HIV vs CVDRF coverage scores by country, rural or urban location, and facility type, and by whether or not facilities reported readiness to provide care. We assessed the factors associated with coverage scores for CVDRF and HIV in a multivariable analysis. In our results, we include 7522 facilities in 8 countries; 86% of all facilities reported readiness to provide services for CVDRF, ranging from 77-98% in individual countries. For HIV, 30% reported of facilities readiness to provide services, ranging from 3-63%. Median derived facility readiness score for CVDRF was 0.28 (IQR 0.16-0.50), and for HIV was 0.43 (0.32-0.60). Among facilities which reported readiness, this rose to 0.34 (IQR 0.18-0.52) for CVD and 0.68 (0.56-0.76) for HIV. Derived readiness scores were generally significantly lower for CVDRF than for HIV, except in private facilities. In multivariable analysis, odds of a higher readiness score in both CVDRF or HIV care were higher in urban vs rural and secondary vs primary care; facilities with higher CVDRF scores were significantly associated with higher HIV scores. Derived readiness scores for HIV are higher than for CVDRF, and coverage for CVDRF is significantly higher in facilities with higher HIV readiness scores. This suggests possible benefits from leveraging HIV services to provide care for CVDRF, but poor coverage in rural and primary care facilities threatens Sustainable Development Goal 3.8 to provide high quality universal healthcare for all.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil Cockburn
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - David Flood
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hospital Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Jacqueline A. Seiglie
- Department of Medicine, Diabetes Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, 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
| | - Krishna Aryal
- Public Health Development Organization, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Khem Karki
- Department of Community Medicine, Maharajganj Medical College, Institute of Medicine, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | | | - Rifat Atun
- Department of Global Health & Population, Department of Health Policy & Management, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Sebastian Vollmer
- Center for Modern Indian Studies, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Pascal Geldsetzer
- Department of Medicine, Division of Primary Care and Population Health, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Mary Mayige
- National Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Lisa Hirschhorn
- Ryan Family Center on Global Primary Care, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Ilinois, United States of America
| | - Justine Davies
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
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44
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Ochmann S, von Polenz I, Marcus ME, Theilmann M, Flood D, Agoudavi K, Aryal KK, Bahendeka S, Bicaba B, Bovet P, Campos Caldeira Brant L, Carvalho Malta D, Damasceno A, Farzadfar F, Gathecha G, Ghanbari A, Gurung M, Guwatudde D, Houehanou C, Houinato D, Hwalla N, Jorgensen JA, Karki KB, Lunet N, Martins J, Mayige M, Moghaddam SS, Mwalim O, Mwangi KJ, Norov B, Quesnel-Crooks S, Rezaei N, Sibai AM, Sturua L, Tsabedze L, Wong-McClure R, Davies J, Geldsetzer P, Bärnighausen T, Atun R, Manne-Goehler J, Vollmer S. Diagnostic testing for hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolaemia in low-income and middle-income countries: a cross-sectional study of data for 994 185 individuals from 57 nationally representative surveys. Lancet Glob Health 2023; 11:e1363-e1371. [PMID: 37591584 PMCID: PMC10480389 DOI: 10.1016/s2214-109x(23)00280-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Testing for the risk factors of cardiovascular disease, which include hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolaemia, is important for timely and effective risk management. Yet few studies have quantified and analysed testing of cardiovascular risk factors in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) with respect to sociodemographic inequalities. We aimed to address this knowledge gap. METHODS In this cross-sectional analysis, we pooled individual-level data for non-pregnant adults aged 18 years or older from nationally representative surveys done between Jan 1, 2010, and Dec 31, 2019 in LMICs that included a question about whether respondents had ever had their blood pressure, glucose, or cholesterol measured. We analysed diagnostic testing performance by quantifying the overall proportion of people who had ever been tested for these cardiovascular risk factors and the proportion of individuals who met the diagnostic testing criteria in the WHO package of essential noncommunicable disease interventions for primary care (PEN) guidelines (ie, a BMI >30 kg/m2 or a BMI >25 kg/m2 among people aged 40 years or older). We disaggregated and compared diagnostic testing performance by sex, wealth quintile, and education using two-sided t tests and multivariable logistic regression models. FINDINGS Our sample included data for 994 185 people from 57 surveys. 19·1% (95% CI 18·5-19·8) of the 943 259 people in the hypertension sample met the WHO PEN criteria for diagnostic testing, of whom 78·6% (77·8-79·2) were tested. 23·8% (23·4-24·3) of the 225 707 people in the diabetes sample met the WHO PEN criteria for diagnostic testing, of whom 44·9% (43·7-46·2) were tested. Finally, 27·4% (26·3-28·6) of the 250 573 people in the hypercholesterolaemia sample met the WHO PEN criteria for diagnostic testing, of whom 39·7% (37·1-2·4) were tested. Women were more likely than men to be tested for hypertension and diabetes, and people in higher wealth quintiles compared with those in the lowest wealth quintile were more likely to be tested for all three risk factors, as were people with at least secondary education compared with those with less than primary education. INTERPRETATION Our study shows opportunities for health systems in LMICs to improve the targeting of diagnostic testing for cardiovascular risk factors and adherence to diagnostic testing guidelines. Risk-factor-based testing recommendations rather than sociodemographic characteristics should determine which individuals are tested. FUNDING Harvard McLennan Family Fund, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the US National Institutes of Health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Ochmann
- Department of Economics and Centre for Modern Indian Studies, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | | | - Maja-Emilia Marcus
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michaela Theilmann
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | | | - Krishna Kumar Aryal
- Bergen Center for Ethics and Priority Setting, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Silver Bahendeka
- Saint Francis Hospital Nsambya, Uganda Martyrs University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Brice Bicaba
- Institut National de Santé Publique, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Pascal Bovet
- Ministry of Health, Victoria, Seychelles; University Center for General Medicine and Public Health (Unisanté), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Luisa Campos Caldeira Brant
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Deborah Carvalho Malta
- Postgraduate Program in Public Health, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | - Farshad Farzadfar
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Gladwell Gathecha
- Division of Non-Communicable Diseases, Ministry of Health, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Ali Ghanbari
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mongal Gurung
- Health Research and Epidemiology Unit, Ministry of Health, Thimphu, Bhutan
| | - David Guwatudde
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Corine Houehanou
- Laboratory of Epidemiology of Chronic and Neurological Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin
| | - Dismand Houinato
- Laboratory of Epidemiology of Chronic and Neurological Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin
| | - Nahla Hwalla
- Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Jutta Adelin Jorgensen
- Global Health Section, Dept of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Cophenhagen, Denmark
| | - Khem B Karki
- Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Nuno Lunet
- Departamento de Ciências da Saúde Pública e Forenses e Educação Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal; EPIUnit, Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal; Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional, Porto, Portugal
| | - Joao Martins
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosa'e, Dili, Timor-Leste
| | - Mary Mayige
- National Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Sahar Saeedi Moghaddam
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Kiel, Germany
| | - Omar Mwalim
- Bergen Center for Ethics and Priority Setting, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Ministry of Health, Zanzibar City, Tanzania
| | - Kibachio Joseph Mwangi
- Division of Non-Communicable Diseases, Ministry of Health, Nairobi, Kenya; Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Bolormaa Norov
- Nutrition Division, National Center for Public Health, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | | | - Negar Rezaei
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abla M Sibai
- Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Lela Sturua
- Non-Communicable Disease Department, National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | | | - Roy Wong-McClure
- Office of Epidemiology and Surveillance, Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Justine Davies
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit, School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Centre for Global Surgery, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Pascal Geldsetzer
- Division of Primary Care and Population Health, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany; Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Cambridge, MA, USA; Africa Health Research Institute, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
| | - Rifat Atun
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jennifer Manne-Goehler
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Medical Practice Evaluation Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sebastian Vollmer
- Department of Economics and Centre for Modern Indian Studies, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.
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45
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Rocklöv J, Semenza JC, Dasgupta S, Robinson EJ, Abd El Wahed A, Alcayna T, Arnés-Sanz C, Bailey M, Bärnighausen T, Bartumeus F, Borrell C, Bouwer LM, Bretonnière PA, Bunker A, Chavardes C, van Daalen KR, Encarnação J, González-Reviriego N, Guo J, Johnson K, Koopmans MP, Máñez Costa M, Michaelakis A, Montalvo T, Omazic A, Palmer JR, Preet R, Romanello M, Shafiul Alam M, Sikkema RS, Terrado M, Treskova M, Urquiza D, Lowe R. Decision-support tools to build climate resilience against emerging infectious diseases in Europe and beyond. Lancet Reg Health Eur 2023; 32:100701. [PMID: 37583927 PMCID: PMC10424206 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2023.100701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is one of several drivers of recurrent outbreaks and geographical range expansion of infectious diseases in Europe. We propose a framework for the co-production of policy-relevant indicators and decision-support tools that track past, present, and future climate-induced disease risks across hazard, exposure, and vulnerability domains at the animal, human, and environmental interface. This entails the co-development of early warning and response systems and tools to assess the costs and benefits of climate change adaptation and mitigation measures across sectors, to increase health system resilience at regional and local levels and reveal novel policy entry points and opportunities. Our approach involves multi-level engagement, innovative methodologies, and novel data streams. We take advantage of intelligence generated locally and empirically to quantify effects in areas experiencing rapid urban transformation and heterogeneous climate-induced disease threats. Our goal is to reduce the knowledge-to-action gap by developing an integrated One Health-Climate Risk framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joacim Rocklöv
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH) & Interdisciplinary Centre for Scientific Computing (IWR), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Jan C. Semenza
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH) & Interdisciplinary Centre for Scientific Computing (IWR), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Shouro Dasgupta
- Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici (CMCC), Venice, Italy
- Graham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), London, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth J.Z. Robinson
- Graham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), London, United Kingdom
| | - Ahmed Abd El Wahed
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tilly Alcayna
- Red Cross Red Crescent Centre on Climate Change and Disaster Preparedness, The Hague, the Netherlands
- Centre on Climate Change & Planetary Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, United Kingdom
- Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, United Kingdom
- Health in Humanitarian Crises Centre, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, United Kingdom
| | - Cristina Arnés-Sanz
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH) & Interdisciplinary Centre for Scientific Computing (IWR), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Meghan Bailey
- Red Cross Red Crescent Centre on Climate Change and Disaster Preparedness, The Hague, the Netherlands
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Frederic Bartumeus
- Theoretical and Computational Ecology Group, Centre d’Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Blanes, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
- Centre de Recerca Ecològica i Aplicacions Forestals (CREAF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carme Borrell
- Pest Surveillance and Control, Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), Barcelona, Spain
- Biomedical Research Center Network for Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laurens M. Bouwer
- Climate Service Center Germany (GERICS), Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Aditi Bunker
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Center for Climate, Health and the Global Environment, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Kim R. van Daalen
- Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
- British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Heart and Lung Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Junwen Guo
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Katie Johnson
- Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici (CMCC), Venice, Italy
| | - Marion P.G. Koopmans
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - María Máñez Costa
- Climate Service Center Germany (GERICS), Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Antonios Michaelakis
- Laboratory of Insects & Parasites of Medical Importance, Benaki Phytopathological Institute (BPI), Attica, Greece
| | - Tomás Montalvo
- Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Omazic
- Department of Chemistry, Environment, and Feed Hygiene, National Veterinary Institute (SVA), Uppsala, Sweden
| | - John R.B. Palmer
- Department of Political and Social Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Raman Preet
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Marina Romanello
- Institute for Global Health, University College London (UCL), London, United Kingdom
| | - Mohammad Shafiul Alam
- Infectious Disease Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Reina S. Sikkema
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marta Terrado
- Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marina Treskova
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH) & Interdisciplinary Centre for Scientific Computing (IWR), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Diana Urquiza
- Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rachel Lowe
- Centre on Climate Change & Planetary Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, United Kingdom
- Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, United Kingdom
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
- Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
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46
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Hufstedler H, Mauer N, Yeboah E, Carr S, Rahman S, Danzer AM, Debray TPA, Jong VMT, Campbell H, Gustafson P, Maxwell L, Jaenisch T, Matthay EC, Bärnighausen T. Application of Causal Inference Methods to Pooled Longitudinal Non- Randomized Studies: A Methodological Systematic Review. Res Sq 2023:rs.3.rs-3282208. [PMID: 37693428 PMCID: PMC10491342 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3282208/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Observational data provide invaluable real-world information in medicine, but certain methodological considerations are required to derive causal estimates. In this systematic review, we evaluated the methodology and reporting quality of individual-level patient data meta-analyses (IPD-MAs) published in 2009, 2014, and 2019 that sought to estimate a causal relationship in medicine. We screened over 16,000 titles and abstracts, reviewed 45 full-text articles out of the 167 deemed potentially eligible, and included 29 into the analysis. Unfortunately, we found that causal methodologies were rarely implemented, and reporting was generally poor across studies. Specifically, only three of the 29 articles used quasi-experimental methods, and no study used G-methods to adjust for time-varying confounding. To address these issues, we propose stronger collaborations between physicians and methodologists to ensure that causal methodologies are properly implemented in IPD-MAs. In addition, we put forward a suggested checklist of reporting guidelines for IPD-MAs that utilize causal methods. This checklist could improve reporting thereby potentially enhancing the quality and trustworthiness of IPD-MAs, which can be considered one of the most valuable sources of evidence for health policy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Sabahat Rahman
- University of Massachusetts Medical School, University of Massachusetts
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47
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Prado AM, Sánchez-Gómez JI, Casamitjana N, Espriu M, Kumar P, Ngoye B, Bärnighausen T, Rosenmoller M. Building management and innovation capabilities for global health: a senior executive program. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1053745. [PMID: 37705721 PMCID: PMC10497100 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1053745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Accurately approaching the major challenges associated with global health management has become a mandatory key point in the training of medical leaders around the world. The Senior Executive Program in Global Health Innovation Management (SEPGHIM) seeks to provide an answer to the need for innovation and managerial capacity building in Global Health and to address the current detachment between Public Health Organizations and Business Schools. In 2019, SEPGHIM's first edition was led by five prestigious academic institutions on three continents. The first cohort included a total of 27 high-level health professionals and executives from 16 countries with 7-10 years of working experience who participated during the 11 months of the course. The program sought to fill an often-found knowledge gap among health professionals in terms of health innovation, leadership, and management. SEPGHIM relied on multiple pedagogical methods conveyed through a robust theoretical and applied syllabus that included case studies, simulations, guest speakers, debates, site visits, and an executive challenge. The program achieved various results. First, it recruited high-level health professionals that ensured diversity of backgrounds, allowing an exchange of experiences and different ways of addressing global health challenges. Second, it created a network of health professionals for possible future collaborations that can anticipate new trends and opportunities in global health and work together with stakeholders from other sectors. This networking was one of the most highly rated benefits by the students. Finally, the participants expressed great eagerness to recommend the program (4.9 out of 5) to other decision-makers and leaders in the global health field. These results provide positive insights regarding the value of such a training program for senior health professionals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea M. Prado
- Management and Organizations Department, INCAE Business School, Alajuela, Costa Rica
| | | | - Núria Casamitjana
- Instituto de Investigación de la Universidad de Barcelona, Instituto Salud Global Barcelona (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marina Espriu
- Instituto de Investigación de la Universidad de Barcelona, Instituto Salud Global Barcelona (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pratap Kumar
- Strathmore Business School, Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Ben Ngoye
- Strathmore Business School, Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
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48
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Yoo SGK, Chung GS, Bahendeka SK, Sibai AM, Damasceno A, Farzadfar F, Rohloff P, Houehanou C, Norov B, Karki KB, Azangou-Khyavy M, Marcus ME, Aryal KK, Brant LCC, Theilmann M, Cífková R, Lunet N, Gurung MS, Mwangi JK, Martins J, Haghshenas R, Sturua L, Vollmer S, Bärnighausen T, Atun R, Sussman JB, Singh K, Saeedi Moghaddam S, Guwatudde D, Geldsetzer P, Manne-Goehler J, Huffman MD, Davies JI, Flood D. Aspirin for Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in 51 Low-, Middle-, and High-Income Countries. JAMA 2023; 330:715-724. [PMID: 37606674 PMCID: PMC10445202 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2023.12905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
Importance Aspirin is an effective and low-cost option for reducing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and improving mortality rates among individuals with established CVD. To guide efforts to mitigate the global CVD burden, there is a need to understand current levels of aspirin use for secondary prevention of CVD. Objective To report and evaluate aspirin use for secondary prevention of CVD across low-, middle-, and high-income countries. Design, Setting, and Participants Cross-sectional analysis using pooled, individual participant data from nationally representative health surveys conducted between 2013 and 2020 in 51 low-, middle-, and high-income countries. Included surveys contained data on self-reported history of CVD and aspirin use. The sample of participants included nonpregnant adults aged 40 to 69 years. Exposures Countries' per capita income levels and world region; individuals' socioeconomic demographics. Main Outcomes and Measures Self-reported use of aspirin for secondary prevention of CVD. Results The overall pooled sample included 124 505 individuals. The median age was 52 (IQR, 45-59) years, and 50.5% (95% CI, 49.9%-51.1%) were women. A total of 10 589 individuals had a self-reported history of CVD (8.1% [95% CI, 7.6%-8.6%]). Among individuals with a history of CVD, aspirin use for secondary prevention in the overall pooled sample was 40.3% (95% CI, 37.6%-43.0%). By income group, estimates were 16.6% (95% CI, 12.4%-21.9%) in low-income countries, 24.5% (95% CI, 20.8%-28.6%) in lower-middle-income countries, 51.1% (95% CI, 48.2%-54.0%) in upper-middle-income countries, and 65.0% (95% CI, 59.1%-70.4%) in high-income countries. Conclusion and Relevance Worldwide, aspirin is underused in secondary prevention, particularly in low-income countries. National health policies and health systems must develop, implement, and evaluate strategies to promote aspirin therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang Gune K. Yoo
- Cardiovascular Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Grace S. Chung
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| | - Silver K. Bahendeka
- Department of Internal Medicine, MKPGMS Uganda Martyrs University, Kampala, Uganda
- St Francis Hospital, Nsambya, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Abla M. Sibai
- Epidemiology and Population Health Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Albertino Damasceno
- Faculty of Medicine, Eduardo Mondlane University, Maputo, Mozambique
- Nucleo de Investigaçao, Departamento de Medicina, Hospital Central do Maputo, Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Farshad Farzadfar
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Peter Rohloff
- Center for Indigenous Health Research, Wuqu’ Kawoq, Tecpán, Guatemala
- Division of Global Health Equity, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Corine Houehanou
- Laboratory of Epidemiology of Chronic and Neurological Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin
| | - Bolormaa Norov
- Nutrition Department, National Center for Public Health, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Khem B. Karki
- Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Mohammadreza Azangou-Khyavy
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maja E. Marcus
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Krishna K. Aryal
- Bergen Centre for Ethics and Priority Setting in Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Public Health Promotion and Development Organization, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Luisa C. C. Brant
- Serviço de Cardiologia e Cirurgia Cardiovascular, Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- Departamento de Clínica Médica, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Michaela Theilmann
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Renata Cífková
- Center for Cardiovascular Prevention, First Faculty of Medicine, and Thomayer University Hospital, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czechia
- Department of Medicine II, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czechia
| | - Nuno Lunet
- Department of Public Health and Forensic Sciences and Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- EPIUnit, Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health, Porto, Portugal
| | - Mongal S. Gurung
- Health Research and Epidemiology Unit, Ministry of Health, Thimphu, Bhutan
| | - Joseph Kibachio Mwangi
- Division of Non-Communicable Diseases, Ministry of Health, Nairobi, Kenya
- Faculty of Medicine, The Institute of Global Health, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Joao Martins
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, National University of East Timor, Dili, Timor-Leste
| | - Rosa Haghshenas
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Lela Sturua
- Non-Communicable Disease Department, National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Tbilisi, Georgia
- Public Health Department, Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Sebastian Vollmer
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Africa Health Research Institute, Somkhele and Durban, South Africa
| | - Rifat Atun
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jeremy B. Sussman
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
- Center for Clinical Management Research, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Kavita Singh
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Centre for Chronic Disease Control, New Delhi, India
| | - Sahar Saeedi Moghaddam
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Kiel, Germany
| | - David Guwatudde
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Pascal Geldsetzer
- Division of Primary Care and Population Health, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Jennifer Manne-Goehler
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Medical Practice Evaluation Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Mark D. Huffman
- Department of Medicine and Global Health Center, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Justine I. Davies
- Institute for Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, England
- Centre for Global Surgery, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
- 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
| | - David Flood
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
- Center for Indigenous Health Research, Wuqu’ Kawoq, Tecpán, Guatemala
- INCAP Research Center for Prevention of Chronic Diseases, Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama, Guatemala City, Guatemala
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49
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Deckert A, Anders S, Morales I, De Allegri M, Nguyen HT, Souares A, McMahon S, Meurer M, Burk R, Lou D, Brugnara L, Sand M, Koeppel L, Maier-Hein L, Ross T, Adler TJ, Brenner S, Dyer C, Herbst K, Ovchinnikova S, Marx M, Schnitzler P, Knop M, Bärnighausen T, Denkinger CM. Comparison of Four Active SARS-CoV-2 Surveillance Strategies in Representative Population Sample Points: Two-Factor Factorial Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2023; 9:e44204. [PMID: 37235704 PMCID: PMC10437130 DOI: 10.2196/44204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic is characterized by rapid increases in infection burden owing to the emergence of new variants with higher transmissibility and immune escape. To date, monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic has mainly relied on passive surveillance, yielding biased epidemiological measures owing to the disproportionate number of undetected asymptomatic cases. Active surveillance could provide accurate estimates of the true prevalence to forecast the evolution of the pandemic, enabling evidence-based decision-making. OBJECTIVE This study compared 4 different approaches of active SARS-CoV-2 surveillance focusing on feasibility and epidemiological outcomes. METHODS A 2-factor factorial randomized controlled trial was conducted in 2020 in a German district with 700,000 inhabitants. The epidemiological outcome comprised SARS-CoV-2 prevalence and its precision. The 4 study arms combined 2 factors: individuals versus households and direct testing versus testing conditioned on symptom prescreening. Individuals aged ≥7 years were eligible. Altogether, 27,908 addresses from 51 municipalities were randomly allocated to the arms and 15 consecutive recruitment weekdays. Data collection and logistics were highly digitized, and a website in 5 languages enabled low-barrier registration and tracking of results. Gargle sample collection kits were sent by post. Participants collected a gargle sample at home and mailed it to the laboratory. Samples were analyzed with reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP); positive and weak results were confirmed with real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS Recruitment was conducted between November 18 and December 11, 2020. The response rates in the 4 arms varied between 34.31% (2340/6821) and 41.17% (2043/4962). The prescreening classified 16.61% (1207/7266) of the patients as COVID-19 symptomatic. Altogether, 4232 persons without prescreening and 7623 participating in the prescreening provided 5351 gargle samples, of which 5319 (99.4%) could be analyzed. This yielded 17 confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections and a combined prevalence of 0.36% (95% CI 0.14%-0.59%) in the arms without prescreening and 0.05% (95% CI 0.00%-0.108%) in the arms with prescreening (initial contacts only). Specifically, we found a prevalence of 0.31% (95% CI 0.06%-0.58%) for individuals and 0.35% (95% CI 0.09%-0.61%) for households, and lower estimates with prescreening (0.07%, 95% CI 0.0%-0.15% for individuals and 0.02%, 95% CI 0.0%-0.06% for households). Asymptomatic infections occurred in 27% (3/11) of the positive cases with symptom data. The 2 arms without prescreening performed the best regarding effectiveness and accuracy. CONCLUSIONS This study showed that postal mailing of gargle sample kits and returning home-based self-collected liquid gargle samples followed by high-sensitivity RT-LAMP analysis is a feasible way to conduct active SARS-CoV-2 population surveillance without burdening routine diagnostic testing. Efforts to improve participation rates and integration into the public health system may increase the potential to monitor the course of the pandemic. TRIAL REGISTRATION Deutsches Register Klinischer Studien (DRKS) DRKS00023271; https://tinyurl.com/3xenz68a. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) RR2-10.1186/s13063-021-05619-5.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Simon Anders
- Center for Molecular Biology Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ivonne Morales
- Division of Infectious Disease and Tropical Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Hoa Thi Nguyen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | | | - Matthias Meurer
- Center for Molecular Biology Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Robin Burk
- Center for Molecular Biology Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dan Lou
- Center for Molecular Biology Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lucia Brugnara
- evaplan GmbH at the University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Matthias Sand
- GESIS Leibniz-Institute for the Social Sciences, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Lisa Koeppel
- Division of Infectious Disease and Tropical Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lena Maier-Hein
- Division of Computer Assisted Medical Interventions, German Cancer Research Centre, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tobias Ross
- Division of Computer Assisted Medical Interventions, German Cancer Research Centre, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tim J Adler
- Division of Computer Assisted Medical Interventions, German Cancer Research Centre, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | | | - Konrad Herbst
- Center for Molecular Biology Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Michael Marx
- evaplan GmbH at the University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Paul Schnitzler
- Center of Infectious Diseases, Virology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Knop
- Center for Molecular Biology Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Claudia M Denkinger
- Division of Infectious Disease and Tropical Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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50
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Goymann H, Mavuso M, McMahon SA, Hettema A, Hughey AB, Matse S, Dlamini P, Kahn K, Bärnighausen T, Jahn A, Bärnighausen K. 'We Should Not Be Quiet but We Should Talk': Qualitative Accounts of Community-Based Communication of HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis. Qual Health Res 2023; 33:842-856. [PMID: 37403738 PMCID: PMC10426252 DOI: 10.1177/10497323231181207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/06/2023]
Abstract
Community leaders play an important role in the acceptance of public health services, but little is known about their willingness to facilitate HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) roll-out in Eswatini. We conducted in-depth interviews (n = 25) with purposefully selected male and female community leaders in Eswatini. We analysed our data inductively using a thematic analysis approach. Community leaders feel they are important communicators of culturally appropriate PrEP messaging. Our participants described a complex social space within their communities influenced by religion, tradition, values, and HIV stigma. Community leaders use their position to provide leverage for unique, effective, and easily accessible messages and platforms to reach the community in a manner that ensures trust, relatability, familiarity, and shared faith. Community leaders feel that they are trusted and see trust manifesting in the conversations they are able to engage in, and have a reach that extends beyond formal health services. Existing PrEP programming should embed community leader participation in PrEP programming and engage the trust, knowledge, and potential of community leaders to support PrEP uptake and acceptance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Goymann
- Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Kathleen Kahn
- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit, School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Africa Health Research Institute, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa
| | - Albrecht Jahn
- Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kate Bärnighausen
- Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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