scholarly journals Triage and resuscitation tools for low and middle income countries: how to catch the killer?

2021 ◽  
pp. edpract-2021-321981
Author(s):  
Indumathy Santhanam ◽  
Prinetha Moodley ◽  
Balaji Jayaraman ◽  
Adriana Yock-Corrales ◽  
Baljit Cheema ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Care ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Primary Survey ◽  
Multiorgan Dysfunction ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Risk Of Death ◽  
Resource Limited ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Key Steps ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Under-5 mortality rates in low and middle-income countries (LMIC) remain high. One major contributing factor is the failure to recognise critically unwell children when they first present to hospital. This leads to delayed or inadequate resuscitation and an increased risk of death.Triage is a key skill in this setting to sort the queue and prioritise patients, even when staff and equipment are scarce. In LMIC, children generally present late in their illness and often have progressed to some degree of multiorgan dysfunction.Following triage, a structured systematic primary survey is critical to ensure the detection of subtle signs of multiorgan dysfunction. Repeated physiological assessments of the child guide subsequent resuscitation management decisions, which depend somewhat on the resources available.It is possible to achieve significant improvements in survival of critically unwell children presenting for emergency care in the resource-limited setting. The three key steps in the patient’s journey that we can influence in emergency care are triage, primary survey and initial stabilisation. Resources that address these steps have been developed for all settings. However, these resources were developed in a specific clinical context, and must therefore be adapted to local structures and processes. A systematic approach to triage and resuscitation saves lives.

scholarly journals Maternal mortality in six low and lower-middle income countries from 2010 to 2018: risk factors and trends

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (S3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Bauserman ◽  
Vanessa R. Thorsten ◽  
Tracy L. Nolen ◽  
Jackie Patterson ◽  
Adrien Lokangaka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Maternal Mortality ◽  
Maternal Deaths ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Maternal Risk ◽  
Live Births ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Risk Of Death ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Background Maternal mortality is a public health problem that disproportionately affects low and lower-middle income countries (LMICs). Appropriate data sources are lacking to effectively track maternal mortality and monitor changes in this health indicator over time. Methods We analyzed data from women enrolled in the NICHD Global Network for Women’s and Children’s Health Research Maternal Newborn Health Registry (MNHR) from 2010 through 2018. Women delivering within research sites in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guatemala, India (Nagpur and Belagavi), Kenya, Pakistan, and Zambia are included. We evaluated maternal and delivery characteristics using log-binomial models and multivariable models to obtain relative risk estimates for mortality. We used running averages to track maternal mortality ratio (MMR, maternal deaths per 100,000 live births) over time. Results We evaluated 571,321 pregnancies and 842 maternal deaths. We observed an MMR of 157 / 100,000 live births (95% CI 147, 167) across all sites, with a range of MMRs from 97 (76, 118) in the Guatemala site to 327 (293, 361) in the Pakistan site. When adjusted for maternal risk factors, risks of maternal mortality were higher with maternal age > 35 (RR 1.43 (1.06, 1.92)), no maternal education (RR 3.40 (2.08, 5.55)), lower education (RR 2.46 (1.54, 3.94)), nulliparity (RR 1.24 (1.01, 1.52)) and parity > 2 (RR 1.48 (1.15, 1.89)). Increased risk of maternal mortality was also associated with occurrence of obstructed labor (RR 1.58 (1.14, 2.19)), severe antepartum hemorrhage (RR 2.59 (1.83, 3.66)) and hypertensive disorders (RR 6.87 (5.05, 9.34)). Before and after adjusting for other characteristics, physician attendance at delivery, delivery in hospital and Caesarean delivery were associated with increased risk. We observed variable changes over time in the MMR within sites. Conclusions The MNHR is a useful tool for tracking MMRs in these LMICs. We identified maternal and delivery characteristics associated with increased risk of death, some might be confounded by indication. Despite declines in MMR in some sites, all sites had an MMR higher than the Sustainable Development Goals target of below 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030. Trial registration The MNHR is registered at NCT01073475.

scholarly journals Prevalence and Risk of Mild Cognitive Impairment in Low and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Andrea M. McGrattan ◽  
Yueping Zhu ◽  
Connor D. Richardson ◽  
Devi Mohan ◽  
Yee Chang Soh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Resource Planning ◽  
Cognitive State ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Total N ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a cognitive state associated with increased risk of dementia. Little research on MCI exists from low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), despite high prevalence of dementia in these settings. Objective: This systematic review aimed to review epidemiological reports to determine the prevalence of MCI and its associated risk factors in LMICs. Methods: Medline, Embase, and PsycINFO were searched from inception until November 2019. Eligible articles reported on MCI in population or community-based studies from LMICs. No restrictions on the definition of MCI used as long as it was clearly defined. Results: 4,621 articles were screened, and 78 retained. In total, n = 23 different LMICs were represented; mostly from China (n = 55 studies). Few studies from countries defined as lower-middle income (n = 14), low income (n = 4), or from population representative samples (n = 4). There was large heterogeneity in how MCI was diagnosed; with Petersen criteria the most commonly applied (n = 26). Prevalence of aMCI (Petersen criteria) ranged from 0.6%to 22.3%. Similar variability existed across studies using the International Working Group Criteria for aMCI (range 4.5%to 18.3%) and all-MCI (range 6.1%to 30.4%). Risk of MCI was associated with demographic (e.g., age), health (e.g., cardio-metabolic disease), and lifestyle (e.g., social isolation, smoking, diet and physical activity) factors. Conclusion: Outside of China, few MCI studies have been conducted in LMIC settings. There is an urgent need for population representative epidemiological studies to determine MCI prevalence in LMICs. MCI diagnostic methodology also needs to be standardized. This will allow for cross-study comparison and future resource planning.

scholarly journals Development of immunohistochemistry services for cancer care in western Kenya: Implications for low- and middle-income countries

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirtika Patel ◽  
R. Matthew Strother ◽  
Francis Ndiangui ◽  
David Chumba ◽  
William Jacobson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Care ◽  
Cost Model ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Western Kenya ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Resource Limited ◽  
Limited Setting ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Background: Cancer is becoming a major cause of mortality in low- and middle-income countries. Unlike infectious disease, malignancy and other chronic conditions require significant supportive infrastructure for diagnostics, staging and treatment. In addition to morphologic diagnosis, diagnostic pathways in oncology frequently require immunohistochemistry (IHC) for confirmation. We present the experience of a tertiary-care hospital serving rural western Kenya, which developed and validated an IHC laboratory in support of a growing cancer care service.Objectives, methods and outcomes: Over the past decade, in an academic North-South collaboration, cancer services were developed for the catchment area of Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in western Kenya. A major hurdle to treatment of cancer in a resource-limited setting has been the lack of adequate diagnostic services. Building upon the foundations of a histology laboratory, strategic investment and training were used to develop IHC services. Key elements of success in this endeavour included: translation of resource-rich practices to are source-limited setting, such as using manual, small-batch IHC instead of disposable- and maintenance-intensive automated machinery, engagement of outside expertise to develop reagent-efficient protocols and supporting all levels of staff to meet the requirements of an external quality assurance programme.Conclusion: Development of low- and middle-income country models of services, such as the IHC laboratory presented in this paper, is critical for the infrastructure in resource-limited settings to address the growing cancer burden. We provide a low-cost model that effectively develops these necessary services in a challenging laboratory environment.

scholarly journals Characteristics of a Nationwide Voluntary Antibiotic Resistance Awareness Campaign in India; Future Paths and Pointers for Resource Limited Settings/Low and Middle Income Countries

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (24) ◽  
pp. 5141
Author(s):  
Ashok J. Tamhankar ◽  
Ramesh Nachimuthu ◽  
Ravikant Singh ◽  
Jyoti Harindran ◽  
Gautam Kumar Meghwanshi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
World Health ◽  
Awareness Campaign ◽  
Resource Limited Settings ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Awareness Campaigns ◽  
Resource Limited ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Antibiotic resistance has reached alarming proportions globally, prompting the World Health Organization to advise nations to take up antibiotic awareness campaigns. Several campaigns have been taken up worldwide, mostly by governments. The government of India asked manufacturers to append a ‘redline’ to packages of antibiotics as identification marks and conducted a campaign to inform the general public about it and appropriate antibiotic use. We investigated whether an antibiotic resistance awareness campaign could be organized voluntarily in India and determined the characteristics of the voluntarily organized campaign by administering a questionnaire to the coordinators, who participated in organizing the voluntary campaign India. The campaign characteristics were: multiple electro–physical pedagogical and participatory techniques were used, 49 physical events were organized in various parts of India that included lectures, posters, booklet/pamphlet distribution, audio and video messages, competitions, and mass contact rallies along with broadcast of messages in 11 local languages using community radio stations (CRS) spread all over India. The median values for campaign events were: expenditure—3000 Indian Rupees/day (US$~47), time for planning—1 day, program spread—4 days, program time—4 h, direct and indirect reach of the message—respectively 250 and 500 persons/event. A 2 min play entitled ‘Take antibiotics as prescribed by the doctor’ was broadcast 10 times/day for 5 days on CRS with listener reach of ~5 million persons. More than 85%ofcoordinators thought that the campaign created adequate awareness about appropriate antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance. The voluntary campaign has implications for resource limited settings/low and middle income countries.

scholarly journals Developing metrics for emergency care research in low- and middle-income countries

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 116-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samer Abujaber ◽  
Cindy Y. Chang ◽  
Teri A. Reynolds ◽  
Hani Mowafi ◽  
Ziad Obermeyer
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Care ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Care Research ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Low And Middle Income

scholarly journals Identification of factors associated with stillbirth in Zimbabwe – a cross sectional study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kushupika Dube ◽  
Tina Lavender ◽  
Kieran Blaikie ◽  
Christopher J. Sutton ◽  
Alexander E. P. Heazell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Antenatal Care ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Model Specification ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Abstract Introduction 98% of the 2.6 million stillbirths per annum occur in low and middle income countries. However, understanding of risk factors for stillbirth in these settings is incomplete, hampering efforts to develop effective strategies to prevent deaths. Methods A cross-sectional study of eligible women on the postnatal ward at Mpilo Hospital, Zimbabwe was undertaken between 01/08/2018 and 31/03/2019 (n = 1779). Data were collected from birth records for maternal characteristics, obstetric and past medical history, antenatal care and pregnancy outcome. A directed acyclic graph was constructed with multivariable logistic regression performed to fit the corresponding model specification to data comprising singleton pregnancies, excluding neonatal deaths (n = 1734), using multiple imputation for missing data. Where possible, findings were validated against all women with births recorded in the hospital birth register (n = 1847). Results Risk factors for stillbirth included: previous stillbirth (29/1691 (2%) of livebirths and 39/43 (91%) of stillbirths, adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) 2628.9, 95% CI 342.8 to 20,163.0), antenatal care (aOR 44.49 no antenatal care vs. > 4 antenatal care visits, 95% CI 6.80 to 291.19), maternal medical complications (aOR 7.33, 95% CI 1.99 to 26.92) and season of birth (Cold season vs. Mild aOR 14.29, 95% CI 3.09 to 66.08; Hot season vs. Mild aOR 3.39, 95% CI 0.86 to 13.27). Women who had recurrent stillbirth had a lower educational and health status (18.2% had no education vs. 10.0%) and were less likely to receive antenatal care (20.5% had no antenatal care vs. 6.6%) than women without recurrent stillbirth. Conclusion The increased risk in women who have a history of stillbirth is a novel finding in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs) and is in agreement with findings from High Income Countries (HICs), although the estimated effect size is much greater (OR in HICs ~ 5). Developing antenatal care for this group of women offers an important opportunity for stillbirth prevention.

scholarly journals Policy Recommendations to Address Financial Toxicity Following Cancer in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: One Size Does Not Fit All

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement 2) ◽  
pp. 71s-71s
Author(s):  
N. Bhoo Pathy ◽  
C.W. Ng ◽  
C.-H. Yip ◽  
N.S. Ibrahim Tamin ◽  
G. Lim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Public Hospitals ◽  
Economic Outcomes ◽  
Financing System ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
The Public ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Catastrophic Expenditures ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Background: Evidence to guide cancer policy-making is scarce in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Furthermore, most economic studies in cancer have been conducted from the provider's or payer's perspective. Aim: The ASEAN Costs in Oncology Study (ACTION) was conducted to provide the essential intelligence for national policymakers and official development assistance donors to construct economically sound national cancer control plans. Methods: In the ACTION study, 9513 newly diagnosed cancer patients from eight LMIC in southeast Asia were prospectively followed-up for adverse economic outcomes up to one year after diagnosis, through serial interviews and use of cost diaries. Results: Country-specific analysis of the ACTION Study data had revealed that just within a year of diagnosis, 1 in 2 Malaysian cancer survivors had reported spending more than 30% of their annual household income for cancer related expenditures (FC: financial catastrophe). Strikingly, Malaysia, albeit being a higher income nation, appeared to have fared worse than Thailand, where only 1 in 3 cancer survivors reported FC. Nonetheless, in contrast to finding of the regional study that medical payments (drugs, hospitalization, consultation), largely explained the incidence of FC following cancer, only half of the reported catastrophic expenditures in Malaysia were attributed to medical expenditures suggesting that nonmedical payments related to cancer (e.g., travel, accommodation, childcare) was an important contributor to adverse financial outcomes. Furthermore, marked institutional variations in levels of catastrophic expenditures were observed in Malaysia, even within the public healthcare system. Proportion of patients experiencing FC in the general government hospitals was only 33% compared with 65% in the public academic hospitals. Although late stage at cancer diagnosis largely explained the increased risk of adverse economic outcomes and death, patients from low-income households remained vulnerable even when diagnosed with earlier stages. Conclusion: The findings of the ACTION Study importantly highlight the need for LMIC to undertake their own studies examining the financial impact of cancer in the population, to take affirmative actions to reduce financial loss and premature deaths associated with cancer. From the Malaysian perspective, there appears to be an urgent need to improve social support for cancer in the country, be it through government-led programs such as disability insurance and short term credit or multisectoral collaboration with civil societies, private industries, and philanthropic organizations. Key policy changes should also include prioritization of programs which would allow early detection of cancer, re-examination of the national health financing system to ensure that public funds are channeled to those who need them the most, and addressing disparities in funding between public hospitals.

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