scholarly journals Conceptualising sustainability in the surgical work of non-governmental organisations in low and middle-income countries : a scoping review protocol

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. e048046
Author(s):  
Emma Goettke ◽  
Clare Coultas ◽  
Michelle White ◽  
Andrew J M Leather

IntroductionSustainability remains poorly defined in global surgery, yet is, nevertheless, crucial to the work of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) aimed at strengthening access to, and quality of, surgical and anaesthesia care. The objective of this protocol is to outline a scoping review that maps what is known in the literature about sustainability in NGO surgical work in LMICs.MethodsThe application of Arksey and O’Malley’s six-stage methodological framework is described: identifying research questions; identifying relevant publications; selecting publications; charting the data; reporting results; and stakeholder consultation. The review will include all study designs, as well as editorials, commentaries, sources of unpublished studies and grey literature. Three electronic databases will be searched. Two reviewers will use predefined and iteratively refined selection criteria based on the ‘Population–Concept–Context’ framework to independently screen titles and abstracts of citations from the search. Disagreements will be resolved together by the reviewers. Full-text screening will also be carried out independently by two reviewers. Disagreements at this stage will be resolved with a third party. The search strategy for grey literature will include searching in ProQuest Dissertations and Theses and the websites listed in a surgical NGO database. Further relevant citations will be identified by screening the reference lists of the included papers.Ethics and disseminationThis review will undertake a secondary analysis of data already collected and does not require ethical approval. The results will be disseminated through journals and conferences targeting surgical NGO stakeholders and global health academics.

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. e033320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fantu Abebe Eyowas ◽  
Marguerite Schneider ◽  
Biksegn Asrat Yirdaw ◽  
Fentie Ambaw Getahun

IntroductionMultimorbidity is the coexistence of two or more chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in a given individual. Multimorbidity is increasing in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and challenging health systems. Individuals with multimorbidity are facing the risk of premature mortality, lower quality of life and greater use of healthcare services. However, despite the huge challenge multimorbidity brings in LMICs, gaps remain in mapping and synthesising the available knowledge on the issue. The focus of this scoping review will be to synthesise the extent, range and nature of studies on the epidemiology and models of multimorbidity care in LMICs.MethodsPubMed (MEDLINE) will be the main database to be searched. For articles that are not indexed in the PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO and Cochrane databases will be searched. Grey literature databases will also be explored. There will be no restrictions on study setting or year of publication. Articles will be searched using key terms, including comorbidity, co-morbidity, multimorbidity, multiple chronic conditions and model of care. Relevant articles will be screened by two independent reviewers and data will be charted accordingly. The result of this scoping review will be presented using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist and reporting guideline.Ethics and disseminationThis scoping review does not require ethical approval. Findings will be published in peer-reviewed journal and presented at scientific conferences.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mabel Berrueta ◽  
Ariel Bardach ◽  
Agustin Ciaponni ◽  
Xu Xiong ◽  
Andy Stergachis ◽  
...  

Background: Pregnant women and neonates represent one of the most vulnerable groups, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). A recent analysis reported that most vaccine pharmacovigilance systems in LMICs consist of spontaneous (passive) adverse event reporting. Thus, LMICs need effective active surveillance approaches, such as pregnancy registries. We intend to identify currently active maternal and neonatal data collection systems in LMICs, with the potential to inform active safety electronic surveillance for novel vaccines using standardized definitions. Methods: A scoping review will be conducted based on established methodology. Multiple databases of indexed and grey literature will be searched with a specific focus on existing electronic and paper-electronic systems in LMICs that collect continuous, prospective, and individual-level data from antenatal care, delivery, neonatal care (up to 28 days), and postpartum (up to 42 days) at the facility and community level, at the national and district level, and at large hospitals. Also, experts will be contacted to identify unpublished information on relevant data collection systems. General and specific descriptions of Health Information Systems (HIS) extracted from the different sources will be combined and duplicated HIS will be removed, producing a list of unique statements. We will present a final list of Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health systems considered flexible enough to be updated with necessary improvements to detect, assess and respond to safety concerns during the introduction of vaccines and other maternal health interventions. Selected experts will participate in an in-person consultation meeting to select up to three systems to be further explored in situ. Results and knowledge gaps will be synthesized after expert consultation.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. e0253423
Author(s):  
Oghenebrume Wariri ◽  
Uduak Okomo ◽  
Yakubu Kevin Kwarshak ◽  
Kris A. Murray ◽  
Chris Grundy ◽  
...  

The literature on the timeliness of childhood vaccination (i.e. vaccination at the earliest appropriate age) in low-and middle-income countries has important measurement and methodological issues that may limit their usefulness and cross comparison. We aim to conduct a comprehensive scoping review to map the existing literature with a key focus on how the literature on vaccination timeliness has evolved, how it has been defined or measured, and what determinants have been explored in the period spanning the last four decades. This scoping review protocol was developed based on the guidance for scoping reviews from the Joanna Briggs Institute. We will include English and French language peer-reviewed publications and grey literature on the timeliness of routine childhood vaccination in low-and middle-income countries published between January 1978 through to 2021. A three-step search strategy that involves an initial search of two databases to refine the keywords, a full search of all included electronic databases, and screening of references of previous studies for relevant articles missing from our full search will be employed. The search will be conducted in five electronic databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Global Health, CINAHL and Web of Science. Google search will also be conducted to identify relevant grey literature on vaccination timeliness. All retrieved titles from the search will be imported into Endnote X9.3.3 (Clarivate Analytics) and deduplicated. Two reviewers will screen the titles, abstracts and full texts of publications for eligibility using Rayyan–the web based application for screening articles for systematic reviews. Using a tailored data extraction template, we will extract relevant information from eligible studies. The study team will analyse the extracted data using descriptive statistical methods and thematic analysis. The results will be presented using tables, while charts and maps will be used to aid the visualisation of the key findings and themes. The proposed review will generate evidence on key methodological gaps in the literature on timeliness of childhood vaccination. Such evidence would shape the direction of future research, and assist immunisation programme managers and country-level stakeholders to address the needs of their national immunisation system.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. e0250434
Author(s):  
Adovich S. Rivera ◽  
Ralph Hernandez ◽  
Regiel Mag-usara ◽  
Karen Nicole Sy ◽  
Allan R. Ulitin ◽  
...  

Introduction HIV self-testing (HIV-ST) is an effective means of improving HIV testing rates. Low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) are taking steps to include HIV-ST into their national HIV/AIDS programs but very few reviews have focused on implementation in LMIC. We performed a scoping review to describe and synthesize existing literature on implementation outcomes of HIV-ST in LMIC. Methods We conducted a systematic search of Medline, Embase, Global Health, Web of Science, and Scopus, supplemented by searches in HIVST.org and other grey literature databases (done 23 September 2020) and included articles if they reported at least one of the following eight implementation outcomes: acceptability, appropriateness, adoption, feasibility, fidelity, cost, penetration, or sustainability. Both quantitative and qualitative results were extracted and synthesized in a narrative manner. Results and discussion Most (75%) of the 206 included articles focused on implementation in Africa. HIV-ST was found to be acceptable and appropriate, perceived to be convenient and better at maintaining confidentiality than standard testing. The lack of counselling and linkage to care, however, was concerning to stakeholders. Peer and online distribution were found to be effective in improving adoption. The high occurrence of user errors was a common feasibility issue reported by studies, although, diagnostic accuracy remained high. HIV-ST was associated with higher program costs but can still be cost-effective if kit prices remain low and HIV detection improves. Implementation fidelity was not always reported and there were very few studies on, penetration, and sustainability. Conclusions Evidence supports the acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility of HIV-ST in the LMIC context. Costs and user error rates are threats to successful implementation. Future research should address equity through measuring penetration and potential barriers to sustainability including distribution, cost, scale-up, and safety.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. e051908
Author(s):  
Isobel Sharpe ◽  
Colleen M Davison

IntroductionClimate change and climate-related disasters adversely affect mental health. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and climate-related disasters and often lack adequate mental healthcare infrastructure. We used the scoping review methodology to determine how exposure to climate change and climate-related disasters influences the presence of mental disorders among those living in LMICs. We also aimed to recognise existing gaps in this area of literature.MethodsThis review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews checklist. To identify relevant studies, we searched five electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Global Health, APA PsycInfo and Sociological Abstracts) from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2019. We also searched the grey literature. Included studies had an adult-focused LMIC population, a climate change or climate-related disaster exposure and a mental disorder outcome. Relevant study information was extracted and synthesised.ResultsFifty-eight studies were identified, most of which (n=48) employed a cross-sectional design. The most commonly studied exposure–outcome combinations were flood-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (n=28), flood-related depression (n=15) and storm-related PTSD (n=13). The majority of studies identified a positive exposure–outcome association. However, few studies included a baseline or comparator (ie, unexposed) group, thereby limiting our understanding of the magnitude or nature of this association. There was also great heterogeneity in this literature, making studies difficult to pool or compare. Several research gaps were identified including the lack of longitudinal studies and non-uniformity of geographic coverage.ConclusionTo our knowledge, this was the first scoping review to investigate the relationship between climate change and climate-related disaster exposures and mental disorder outcomes in LMICs. Our findings support the need for further research, but also highlight that mental health should be a priority within LMIC climate change policy considerations.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md Zabir Hasan ◽  
Shalini Singh ◽  
Dinesh Arora ◽  
Nishant Jain ◽  
Shivam Gupta

Abstract Background: Integrated care is a people-centered health delivery approach that ensures the comprehensiveness, quality, and continuity of service across the settings and levels of health systems. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends integration across levels and building-blocks of health systems as a prerequisite of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). While health systems of low and middle-income countries (LMICs) are often fragmented and led by siloed service delivery structure, several LMICs – including India – have attempted health system integration. Several systematic reviews of evidence on healthcare integration from developed countries exist, but no synthesis from LMICs was reported to date. This review will overview the existing evidence of Primary-Secondary care Integration (PSI) in the context of LMICs, aiming to support policy decisions for the effective integration of health delivery systems in India. Methods: The review will be conducted following the six steps recommend by Arksey and O'Malley. Scientific and grey literature will be systematically selected from PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, Global Index Medicus, and electronic repositories (such as WHO, World Bank, Health Policy Plus, and OpenGrey). Using a comprehensive search strategy, literature written in English and published between 2000-2020 will be selected, and two independent authors will screen their titles and abstracts. The result will be charted using a data extraction form and reported using tables, figures, and narrative forms. Discussion: No ethical approval is necessary for the review. The final report will be developed with the consultation of other stakeholders and disseminated through workshops, conference papers, and peer review articles. The review will serve as a guiding tool to approach, implement, and test the PSI models in India and other LMICs.Scoping review registration: https://osf.io/kjhzt


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dalton Deprez ◽  
Angela J Busch ◽  
Paola Andrea Ramirez ◽  
Eliany Eliany Pedrozo Araque ◽  
Julia Bidonde

Abstract Background: A recent world health report suggests that there is a growing rehabilitation human resource crisis. This review focuses on capacity-building needed to meet present and future rehabilitation challenges in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Capacity building is the process by which individuals and organizations obtain, improve, and retain the skills, knowledge, tools, equipment, and other resources needed to do their jobs competently. The objectives of this review are; 1) to determine how capacity-building has been defined, implemented, and evaluated in LMICs; and 2) to provide an overview of the effectiveness of capacity-building initiatives.Methods: In the first of seven stages, we will refine and delimit the research. Then, we will identify relevant studies by searching five biomedical databases, two rehabilitation databases, three regional databases, and three databases of grey literature. Two independent reviewers will then select the studies using a priori selection criteria. We will exclude incomplete records, records published prior to 2000 for databases and 2010 for grey literature, and records written in languages other than English or Spanish. We will also exclude records focusing on entry-to-practice programs in academic settings. For Objective 1, using qualitative analysis software we will extract and analyze text from included records which defines or explains capacity building. For Objective 2, using an online file sharing platform, one reviewer will extract data describing the effectiveness of capacity building interventions and a second reviewer will verify accuracy, with disagreements resolved by consensus. The results will be collated using tables and charts. After synthesizing the results, we will discuss the practicality and applicability of findings with partners from Honduras and Colombia. We will use several formats and venues including presentations and publications in English and Spanish to present our results.Discussion: To our knowledge, this will be the first attempt to systematically identify knowledge of capacity-building and rehabilitation in LMICs. This scoping review results will offer unique insights concerning the breadth and depth of literature in the area. It is anticipated that results from this scoping review will guide efforts in future capacity-building efforts in rehabilitation in LMICsReview Registration: Busch AJ, Deprez D, Bidonde J, Ramírez PA, Araque EP. Capacity building and continuing professional development in healthcare and rehabilitation in low and middle income countries - A scoping review. 2021. doi:10.17605/OSF.IO/7VGXU.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 2235042X2096191
Author(s):  
Fantu Abebe ◽  
Marguerite Schneider ◽  
Biksegn Asrat ◽  
Fentie Ambaw

Background: Multimorbidity is rising in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, the evidence on its epidemiology from LMICs settings is limited and the available literature has not been synthesized as yet. Objectives: To review the available evidence on the epidemiology of multimorbidity in LMICs. Methods: PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO and Grey literature databases were searched. We followed the PRISMA-ScR reporting guideline. Results: Of 33, 110 articles retrieved, 76 studies were eligible for the epidemiology of multimorbidity. Of these 76 studies, 66 (86.8%) were individual country studies. Fifty-two (78.8%) of which were confined to only six middle-income countries: Brazil, China, South Africa, India, Mexico and Iran. The majority (n = 68, 89.5%) of the studies were crosssectional in nature. The sample size varied from 103 to 242, 952. The largest proportion (n = 33, 43.4%) of the studies enrolled adults. Marked variations existed in defining and measuring multimorbidity. The prevalence of multimorbidity in LMICs ranged from 3.2% to 90.5%. Conclusion and Recommendations: Studies on the epidemiology of multimorbidity in LMICs are limited and the available ones are concentrated in few countries. Despite variations in measurement and definition, studies consistently reported high prevalence of multimorbidity. Further research is urgently required to better understand the epidemiology of multimorbidity and define the best possible interventions to improve outcomes of patients with multimorbidity in LMICs.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Md Zabir Hasan ◽  
Shalini Singh ◽  
Dinesh Arora ◽  
Nishant Jain ◽  
Shivam Gupta

Abstract Background Integrated care is a people-centered health delivery approach that ensures the comprehensiveness, quality, and continuity of service across the settings and levels of health systems. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends integration across levels and building-blocks of health systems as a prerequisite of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). While health systems of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are often fragmented and led by siloed service delivery structure, several LMICs—including India—have attempted health system integration. Several systematic reviews of evidence on healthcare integration from developed countries exist, but no synthesis from LMICs was reported to date. This review will overview the existing evidence of primary-secondary care integration (PSI) in the context of LMICs, aiming to support policy decisions for the effective integration of health delivery systems in India. Methods The review will be conducted following the six steps recommend by Arksey and O'Malley. Scientific and grey literature will be systematically selected from PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, Global Index Medicus, and electronic repositories (such as WHO, World Bank, Health Policy Plus, and OpenGrey). Using a comprehensive search strategy, literature written in English and published between 2000 and 2020 will be selected, and two independent authors will screen their titles and abstracts. The result will be charted using a data extraction form and reported using tables, figures, and narrative forms. Discussion No ethical approval is necessary for the review. The final report will be developed with the consultation of other stakeholders and disseminated through workshops, conference papers, and peer review articles. The review will serve as a guiding tool to approach, implement, and test the PSI models in India and other LMICs. Scoping review registration https://osf.io/kjhzt.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. e0251633
Author(s):  
Joyce Twahafifwa Shatilwe ◽  
Desmond Kuupiel ◽  
Tivani P. Mashamba-Thompson

Background A majority of women of reproductive age in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are not able to access healthcare information due to different factors. This scoping review aimed to map the literature on access to healthcare information by women of reproductive age in LMICs. Methods The literature search was conducted through the following databases: Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed, EBSCOhost (Academic search complete, CINAHL with full text, MEDLINE with full text, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO), Emerald, Embase, published and peer-reviewed journals, organizational projects, reference lists, and grey literature. Results A total of 377 457 articles were identified from all the databases searched. Of these, four articles met inclusion criteria after full article screening and were included for data extraction. The themes that emerged from our study are as follows: accessibility, financial accessibility/affordability, connectivity, and challenges. This study demonstrated that there are minimal interventions that enable women of reproductive age to access healthcare information in terms of accessibility, financial accessibility, and connectivity. Conclusion The findings of the study revealed poor access and utilization of healthcare information by women of reproductive age. We, therefore, recommend primary studies in other LMICs to determine the accessibility, financial accessibility, connectivity, and challenges faced by women of reproductive age in LMICs.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document