scholarly journals Provider-perceived barriers to diagnosis and treatment of acute coronary syndrome in Tanzania: a qualitative study

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 148-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julian T Hertz ◽  
Godfrey L Kweka ◽  
Preeti Manavalan ◽  
Melissa H Watt ◽  
Francis M Sakita
Keyword(s):  
Acute Coronary Syndrome ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Care Patient ◽  
Cost Of Care ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Coronary Syndrome ◽  
Provider Perspectives ◽  
Northern Tanzania ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Clinical Officers

Abstract Background The incidence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is growing across sub-Saharan Africa and many healthcare systems are ill-equipped for this growing burden. Evidence suggests that healthcare providers may be underdiagnosing and undertreating ACS, leading to poor health outcomes. The goal of this study was to examine provider perspectives on barriers to ACS care in Tanzania in order to identify opportunities for interventions to improve care. Methods Semistructured in-depth interviews were conducted with physicians and clinical officers from emergency departments and outpatient departments in northern Tanzania. Thematic analysis was conducted using an iterative cycle of coding and consensus building. Results The 11 participants included six physicians and five clinical officers from health centers, community hospitals and one referral hospital. Providers identified barriers related to providers, systems and patients. Provider-related barriers included inadequate training regarding ACS and poor application of textbook-based knowledge. System-related barriers included lack of diagnostic equipment, unavailability of treatments, referral system delays, lack of data regarding disease burden, absence of locally relevant guidelines and cost of care. Patient-related barriers included inadequate ACS knowledge, inappropriate healthcare-seeking behavior and non-adherence. Conclusions This study identified actionable barriers to ACS care in northern Tanzania. Multifaceted interventions are urgently needed to improve care.

scholarly journals Connected diagnostics to improve accurate diagnosis, treatment, and conditional payment of malaria services in Kenya

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannen M. C. van Duijn ◽  
Angela K. Siteyi ◽  
Sherzel Smith ◽  
Emmanuel Milimo ◽  
Leon Stijvers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Performance ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Malaria Treatment ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
National Guidelines ◽  
Private Providers ◽  
Provider Perspectives ◽  
Treatment Data ◽  
Sub Saharan

Abstract Background In sub-Saharan Africa, the material and human capacity to diagnose patients reporting with fever to healthcare providers is largely insufficient. Febrile patients are typically treated presumptively with antimalarials and/or antibiotics. Such over-prescription can lead to drug resistance and involves unnecessary costs to the health system. International funding for malaria is currently not sufficient to control malaria. Transition to domestic funding is challenged by UHC efforts and recent COVID-19 outbreak. Herewith we present a digital approach to improve efficiencies in diagnosis and treatment of malaria in endemic Kisumu, Kenya: Connected Diagnostics. The objective of this study is to evaluate the feasibility, user experience and clinical performance of this approach in Kisumu. Methods Our intervention was performed Oct 2017–Dec 2018 across five private providers in Kisumu. Patients were enrolled on M-TIBA platform, diagnostic test results digitized, and only positive patients were digitally entitled to malaria treatment. Data on socio-demographics, healthcare transactions and medical outcomes were analysed using standard descriptive quantitative statistics. Provider perspectives were gathered by 19 semi-structured interviews. Results In total 11,689 febrile patients were digitally tested through five private providers. Malaria positivity ranged from 7.4 to 30.2% between providers, significantly more amongst the poor (p < 0.05). Prescription of antimalarials was substantially aberrant from National Guidelines, with 28% over-prescription (4.6–63.3% per provider) and prescription of branded versus generic antimalarials differing amongst facilities and correlating with the socioeconomic status of clients. Challenges were encountered transitioning from microscopy to RDT. Conclusion We provide full proof-of-concept of innovative Connected Diagnostics to use digitized malaria diagnostics to earmark digital entitlements for correct malaria treatment of patients. This approach has large cost-saving and quality improvement potential.

scholarly journals Acute Coronary Syndromes in Sub‐Saharan Africa: A 10‐Year Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hermann Yao ◽  
Arnaud Ekou ◽  
Thierry Niamkey ◽  
Sandra Hounhoui Gan ◽  
Isabelle Kouamé ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Acute Coronary Syndrome ◽  
Cote D'ivoire ◽  
Côte D’Ivoire ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Cote D’Ivoire ◽  
Coronary Syndrome ◽  
Côte D'ivoire ◽  
Sub Saharan

Background Data in the literature on acute coronary syndrome in sub‐Saharan Africa are scarce. Methods and Results We conducted a systematic review of the MEDLINE (PubMed) database of observational studies of acute coronary syndrome in sub‐Saharan Africa from January 1, 2010 to June 30, 2020. Acute coronary syndrome was defined according to current definitions. Abstracts and then the full texts of the selected articles were independently screened by 2 blinded investigators. This systematic review was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses standards. We identified 784 articles with our research strategy, and 27 were taken into account for the final analysis. Ten studies report a prevalence of acute coronary syndrome among patients admitted for cardiovascular disease ranging from 0.21% to 22.3%. Patients were younger, with a minimum age of 52 years in South Africa and Djibouti. There was a significant male predominance. Hypertension was the main risk factor (50%–55% of cases). Time to admission tended to be long, with the longest times in Tanzania (6.6 days) and Burkina Faso (4.3 days). Very few patients were admitted by medicalized transport, particularly in Côte d'Ivoire (only 34% including 8% by emergency medical service). The clinical presentation is dominated by ST–elevation sudden cardiac arrest. Percutaneous coronary intervention is not widely available but was performed in South Africa, Kenya, Côte d'Ivoire, Sudan, and Mauritania. Fibrinolysis was the most accessible means of revascularization, with streptokinase as the molecule of choice. Hospital mortality was highly variable between 1.2% and 24.5% depending on the study populations and the revascularization procedures performed. Mortality at follow‐up varied from 7.8% to 43.3%. Some studies identified factors predictive of mortality. Conclusions The significant disparities in our results underscore the need for a multicenter registry for acute coronary syndrome in sub‐Saharan Africa in order to develop consensus‐based strategies, propose and evaluate tailored interventions, and identify prognostic factors.

Outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome in a referral hospital in sub-Saharan Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Hasham Varwani ◽  
Mohamed Jeilan ◽  
Mzee Ngunga ◽  
Anders Barasa
Keyword(s):  
Acute Coronary Syndrome ◽  
Referral Hospital ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Coronary Syndrome ◽  
Sub Saharan

scholarly journals Connected Diagnostics to Improve Accurate Diagnosis, Treatment, and Conditional Payment of Malaria Services in Kenya.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannen Van Duijn ◽  
Angela Siteyi ◽  
Sherzel Smith ◽  
Emmanuel Milimo ◽  
Leon Stijvers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Performance ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Malaria Treatment ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Medical Outcomes ◽  
Provider Perspectives ◽  
Treatment Data ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Quantitative Statistics

Abstract Background: In sub-Saharan Africa, the material and human capacity to diagnose patients reporting with fever to healthcare providers is largely insufficient. Febrile patients are typically treated presumptively with antimalarials and/or antibiotics. Such over-prescription can lead to drug resistance and involves unnecessary costs to the health system. International funding for malaria is decreasing and transition to domestic funding is challenged by UHC efforts and recent COVID-19 outbreak. Herewith we present a digital approach to markedly improve efficiencies in diagnosis and treatment of malaria in endemic Kisumu, Kenya. The objective of this study is to evaluate feasibility, user experience, clinical performance and of Connected Diagnostics in Kisumu and to assess over-prescription of antimalarials. Methods: Our intervention was performed Oct 2017 – Dec 2018 across seven providers in Kisumu. Patients were enrolled on M-TIBA platform, diagnostic test results digitized, and only positive patients were digitally entitled for malaria treatment. Data on socio-demographics, healthcare transactions and medical outcomes were analysed using standard descriptive quantitative statistics. Provider perspectives were gathered by 19 semi-structured interviews. Results: In total 11,689 febrile patients were tested. Malaria positivity rates ranged from 7.4% to 30.2% between providers, with significantly more positive cases amongst the poor (p< 0.05). Over-prescription of antimalarials was 28%, fluctuating between 4.6% to 63.3% per provider. Prescription of branded versus generic antimalarials was dichotomous. Challenges were encountered transitioning from microscopy to RDT. Conclusion: We provide full proof-of-concept of innovative Connected Diagnostics to use digitized malaria diagnostics to earmark digital entitlements for correct malaria treatment of patients. This approach has large cost-saving and quality improving potential.

scholarly journals Connected Diagnostics to improve accurate diagnosis, treatment, and conditional payment of malaria services in Kenya.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannen Van Duijn ◽  
Angela Siteyi ◽  
Sherzel Smith ◽  
Emmanuel Milimo ◽  
Leon Stijvers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Performance ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Malaria Treatment ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
National Guidelines ◽  
Private Providers ◽  
Provider Perspectives ◽  
Treatment Data ◽  
Sub Saharan

Abstract Background: In sub-Saharan Africa, the material and human capacity to diagnose patients reporting with fever to healthcare providers is largely insufficient. Febrile patients are typically treated presumptively with antimalarials and/or antibiotics. Such over-prescription can lead to drug resistance and involves unnecessary costs to the health system. International funding for malaria is currently not sufficient to control malaria. Transition to domestic funding is challenged by UHC efforts and recent COVID-19 outbreak. Herewith we present a digital approach to improve efficiencies in diagnosis and treatment of malaria in endemic Kisumu, Kenya: Connected Diagnostics. The objective of this study is to evaluate the feasibility, user experience and clinical performance of this approach in Kisumu.Methods: Our intervention was performed Oct 2017 – Dec 2018 across five private providers in Kisumu. Patients were enrolled on M-TIBA platform, diagnostic test results digitized, and only positive patients were digitally entitled to malaria treatment. Data on socio-demographics, healthcare transactions and medical outcomes were analysed using standard descriptive quantitative statistics. Provider perspectives were gathered by 19 semi-structured interviews.Results: In total 11,689 febrile patients were digitally tested through five private providers. Malaria positivity ranged from 7.4% to 30.2% between providers, significantly more amongst the poor (p< 0.05). Prescription of antimalarials was substantially aberrant from National Guidelines, with 28% over-prescription (4.6%-63.3% per provider) and prescription of branded versus generic antimalarials differing amongst facilities and correlating with the socioeconomic status of clients. Challenges were encountered transitioning from microscopy to RDT.Conclusion: We provide full proof-of-concept of innovative Connected Diagnostics to use digitized malaria diagnostics to earmark digital entitlements for correct malaria treatment of patients. This approach has large cost-saving and quality improvement potential.

scholarly journals Hypertension Care for People With HIV in Tanzania: Provider Perspectives and Opportunities for Improvement

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 232595822110523
Author(s):  
Preeti Manavalan ◽  
Lisa Wanda ◽  
Sophie W. Galson ◽  
Nathan M. Thielman ◽  
Blandina T. Mmbaga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Care Delivery ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
System Level ◽  
Prescribing Practices ◽  
Provider Perspectives ◽  
Northern Tanzania ◽  
Related Stigma ◽  
Hypertension Diagnosis ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Hypertension Knowledge

One in three people with HIV (PWH) has hypertension. However, most hypertensive PWH in sub-Saharan Africa are unaware of their hypertension diagnosis and are not on treatment. To better understand barriers to hypertension care faced by PWH, we interviewed 15 medical providers who care for patients with HIV and hypertension in northern Tanzania. The data revealed barriers at the patient, provider, and system level and included: stress, depression, and HIV-related stigma; lack of hypertension knowledge; insufficient hypertension training; inefficient prescribing practices; challenges with counselling; capacity limitations in hypertension care; high costs of care; and lack of routine hypertension screening and follow-up. Opportunities for improvement focused on prioritizing resources and funding towards hypertension care. System-related challenges were the underlying cause of barriers at individual levels. Strategies that focus on strengthening capacity and utilize existing HIV platforms to promote hypertension care delivery are urgently needed to improve cardiovascular outcomes among PWH.

scholarly journals Effect of a Triage‐Based Screening Protocol on Diagnosis and Treatment of Acute Coronary Syndrome in a Tanzanian Emergency Department: A Prospective Pre‐Post Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (16) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julian T. Hertz ◽  
Francis M. Sakita ◽  
Godfrey L. Kweka ◽  
Gerald S. Bloomfield ◽  
John A. Bartlett ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acute Coronary Syndrome ◽  
Chest Pain ◽  
Troponin I ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Shortness Of Breath ◽  
Coronary Syndrome ◽  
Screening Protocol ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Research Assistants

Background Evidence suggests that acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is underdiagnosed in sub‐Saharan Africa. Triage‐based interventions have improved ACS diagnosis and management in high‐income settings but have not been evaluated in sub‐Saharan African emergency departments (EDs). Our objective was to estimate the effect of a triage‐based screening protocol on ACS diagnosis and care in a Tanzanian ED. Methods and Results All adults presenting to a Tanzanian ED with chest pain or shortness of breath were prospectively enrolled. Treatments and clinician‐documented diagnoses were observed and recorded. In the preintervention phase (August 2018 through January 2019), ACS testing and treatment were dictated by physician discretion, as per usual care. A triage‐based protocol was then introduced, and in the postintervention phase (January 2019 through October 2019), research assistants performed ECG and point‐of‐care troponin I testing on all patients with chest pain or shortness of breath upon ED arrival. Pre‐post analyses compared ACS care between phases. Of 1020 total participants (339 preintervention phase, 681 postintervention phase), mean (SD) age was 58.9 (19.4) years. Six (1.8%) preintervention participants were diagnosed with ACS, versus 83 (12.2%) postintervention participants (odds ratio [OR], 7.51; 95% CI, 3.52–19.7; P <0.001). Among all participants, 3 (0.9%) preintervention participants received aspirin, compared with 50 (7.3%) postintervention participants (OR, 8.45; 95% CI, 3.07–36.13; P <0.001). Conclusions Introduction of a triage‐based ACS screening protocol in a Tanzanian ED was associated with significant increases in ACS diagnoses and aspirin administration. Additional research is needed to determine the effect of ED‐based interventions on ACS care and clinical end points in sub‐Saharan Africa.

scholarly journals Understanding cause of stillbirth: a prospective observational multi-country study from sub-Saharan Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mamuda Aminu ◽  
Sarah Bar-Zeev ◽  
Sarah White ◽  
Matthews Mathai ◽  
Nynke van den Broek
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Cause Of Death ◽  
Expert Panel ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Abstract Background Every year, an estimated 2.6 million stillbirths occur worldwide, with up to 98% occurring in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). There is a paucity of primary data on cause of stillbirth from LMIC, and particularly from sub-Saharan Africa to inform effective interventions. This study aimed to identify the cause of stillbirths in low- and middle-income settings and compare methods of assessment. Methods This was a prospective, observational study in 12 hospitals in Kenya, Malawi, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe. Stillbirths (28 weeks or more) were reviewed to assign the cause of death by healthcare providers, an expert panel and by using computer-based algorithms. Agreement between the three methods was compared using Kappa (κ) analysis. Cause of stillbirth and level of agreement between the methods used to assign cause of death. Results One thousand five hundred sixty-three stillbirths were studied. The stillbirth rate (per 1000 births) was 20.3 in Malawi, 34.7 in Zimbabwe, 38.8 in Kenya and 118.1 in Sierra Leone. Half (50.7%) of all stillbirths occurred during the intrapartum period. Cause of death (range) overall varied by method of assessment and included: asphyxia (18.5–37.4%), placental disorders (8.4–15.1%), maternal hypertensive disorders (5.1–13.6%), infections (4.3–9.0%), cord problems (3.3–6.5%), and ruptured uterus due to obstructed labour (2.6–6.1%). Cause of stillbirth was unknown in 17.9–26.0% of cases. Moderate agreement was observed for cause of stillbirth as assigned by the expert panel and by hospital-based healthcare providers who conducted perinatal death review (κ = 0.69; p < 0.0005). There was only minimal agreement between expert panel review or healthcare provider review and computer-based algorithms (κ = 0.34; 0.31 respectively p < 0.0005). Conclusions For the majority of stillbirths, an underlying likely cause of death could be determined despite limited diagnostic capacity. In these settings, more diagnostic information is, however, needed to establish a more specific cause of death for the majority of stillbirths. Existing computer-based algorithms used to assign cause of death require revision.

scholarly journals Quality of care in the free maternal healthcare era in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review of providers’ and managers’ perceptions

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Ansu-Mensah ◽  
Frederick Inkum Danquah ◽  
Vitalis Bawontuo ◽  
Peter Ansu-Mensah ◽  
Tahiru Mohammed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Care ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Healthcare Financing ◽  
Maternal Healthcare ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Free maternal healthcare financing schemes play an essential role in the quality of services rendered to clients during antenatal care in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, healthcare managers’ and providers’ perceptions of the healthcare financing scheme may influence the quality of care. This scoping review mapped evidence on managers’ and providers’ perspectives of free maternal healthcare and the quality of care in SSA. Methods We used Askey and O’Malley’s framework as a guide to conduct this review. To address the research question, we searched PubMed, CINAHL through EBSCOhost, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Google Scholar with no date limitation to May 2019 using keywords, Boolean terms, and Medical Subject Heading terms to retrieve relevant articles. Both abstract and full articles screening were conducted independently by two reviewers using the inclusion and exclusion criteria as a guide. All significant data were extracted, organized into themes, and a summary of the findings reported narratively. Results In all, 15 out of 390 articles met the inclusion criteria. These 15 studies were conducted in nine countries. That is, Ghana (4), Kenya (3), and Nigeria (2), Burkina Faso (1), Burundi (1), Niger (1), Sierra Leone (1), Tanzania (1), and Uganda (1). Of the 15 included studies, 14 reported poor quality of maternal healthcare from managers’ and providers’ perspectives. Factors contributing to the perception of poor maternal healthcare included: late reimbursement of funds, heavy workload of providers, lack of essential drugs and stock-out of medical supplies, lack of policy definition, out-of-pocket payment, and inequitable distribution of staff. Conclusion This study established evidence of existing literature on the quality of care based on healthcare providers’ and managers’ perspectives though very limited. This study indicates healthcare providers and managers perceive the quality of maternal healthcare under the free financing policy as poor. Nonetheless, the free maternal care policy is very much needed towards achieving universal health, and all efforts to sustain and improve the quality of care under it must be encouraged. Therefore, more research is needed to better understand the impact of their perceived poor quality of care on maternal health outcomes.

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