scholarly journals No time for change? Impact of contextual factors on the effect of training primary care healthcare workers in Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam on how to manage asthma in children - A FRESH AIR implementation study

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesper Kjærgaard ◽  
◽  
Thomas Nørrelykke Nissen ◽  
Elvira Isaeva ◽  
Nguyen Nhat Quynh ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Training is a common and cost-effective way of trying to improve quality of care in low- and middle-income countries but studies of contextual factors for the successful translation of increased knowledge into clinical change are lacking, especially in primary care. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of contextual factors on the effect of training rural healthcare workers in Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam on their knowledge and clinical performance in managing pediatric patients with respiratory symptoms. Methods Primary care health workers in Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam underwent a one-day training session on asthma in children under five. The effect of training was measured on knowledge and clinical performance using a validated questionnaire, and by direct clinical observations. Results Eighty-one healthcare workers participated in the training. Their knowledge increased by 1.1 Cohen’s d (CI: 0.7 to 1.4) in Kyrgyzstan where baseline performance was lower and 1.5 Cohen’s d (CI: 0.5 to 2.5) in Vietnam. Consultations were performed by different types of health care workers in Kyrgyzstan and there was a 79.1% (CI 73.9 to 84.3%) increase in consultations where at least one core symptom of respiratory illness was asked. Only medical doctors participated in Vietnam, where the increase was 25.0% (CI 15.1 to 34.9%). Clinical examination improved significantly after training in Kyrgyzstan. In Vietnam, the number of actions performed generally declined. The most pronounced difference in contextual factors was consultation time, which was median 15 min in Kyrgyzstan and 2 min in Vietnam. Discussion and conclusion The effects on knowledge of training primary care health workers in lower middle-income countries in diagnosis and management of asthma in children under five only translated into changes in clinical performance where consultation time allowed for changes to clinical practice, emphasizing the importance of considering contextual factors in order to succeed in behavioral change after training.

Autism ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (8) ◽  
pp. 1005-1017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessy Guler ◽  
Petrus J de Vries ◽  
Noleen Seris ◽  
Nokuthula Shabalala ◽  
Lauren Franz

The majority of individuals with autism spectrum disorder live in low- and middle-income countries and receive little or no services from health or social care systems. The development and validation of autism spectrum disorder interventions has almost exclusively occurred in high-income countries, leaving many unanswered questions regarding what contextual factors would need to be considered to ensure the effectiveness of interventions in low- and middle-income countries. This study qualitatively explored contextual factors relevant to the adaptation of a caregiver-mediated early autism spectrum disorder intervention in a low-resource South African setting. We conducted four focus groups and four in-depth interviews with 28 caregivers of young children with autism spectrum disorder and used thematic analysis to identify key themes. Eight contextual factors including culture, language, location of treatment, cost of treatment, type of service provider, support, parenting practices, and stigma emerged as important. Caregivers reported a preference for an affordable, in-home, individualized early autism spectrum disorder intervention, where they have an active voice in shaping treatment goals. Distrust of community-based health workers and challenges associated with autism spectrum disorder-related stigma were identified. Recommendations that integrate caregiver preferences with the development of a low-cost and scalable caregiver-mediated early autism spectrum disorder intervention are included.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. e002094 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Smith ◽  
Michelle Helena van Velthoven ◽  
Nguyen Duc Truong ◽  
Nguyen Hai Nam ◽  
Vũ Phan Anh ◽  
...  

BackgroundWe systematically reviewed the evidence on how primary healthcare workers obtain information during consultations to support decision-making for prescribing in low and lower middle-income countries.MethodsWe searched electronic databases, consulted the Healthcare Information For All network, hand searched reference lists, ran citation searches of included studies and emailed authors of identified papers. Two reviewers extracted data and appraised quality with relevant tools.ResultsOf 60 497 records found, 23 studies met our inclusion criteria. Fourteen studies were observational and nine were interventional. Frequently mentioned sources of information were books, leaflets, guidelines, aids and the internet. These sources were sometimes out of date and health workers reported being confused which to use. Internet access varied and even when it was available, use was limited by technical issues. Of the five electronic tools that were assessed, four had positive outcomes. Tools assisted prescribers with medicine selection and dosage calculations, which increased prescribing accuracy. The quality of reporting varied but was overall low.DiscussionStudies indicated a lack of up-to-date and relevant medicine information in low and lower middle-income settings. Internet-based sources appeared to be useful when it is possible to download content for offline use and to update when there is internet access. Electronic tools showed promise, but their accuracy needs to be validated and they should focus on giving actionable advice to guide prescribers.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42018091088.


2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 1475
Author(s):  
Paulo Roberto Taborda de Souza Filho ◽  
Filipe Campani ◽  
Sheila Gonçalves Câmara

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (2_suppl) ◽  
pp. 18s-18s
Author(s):  
Vanessa J. Eaton ◽  
Megan K. Kremzier ◽  
Doug Pyle

Abstract 28 Background: The global burden of cancer is growing in low- and middle-income countries where availability of specialists to treat cancer is acutely low. To detect cancer earlier, patients must be educated about their risk for cancer and be screened when appropriate. In response to a growing need for cancer education in primary health care, ASCO International created the Cancer Control in Primary Care course, which was piloted in 2015. The purpose of the program is to increase the knowledge of primary health workers so as to recognize signs and symptoms of cancer, increase their ability to talk with patients about their risk, and to know how and when to refer patients for additional screening or diagnostic testing. Methods: ASCO collects data from participants in two stages: an on-site evaluation and a follow-up survey 12 months after the workshop. The survey instruments include questions about practice changes, learning objectives, and demographic information. Results: Follow-up surveys have been conducted for four courses. Ninety-three percent of respondents have reported that they made practice changes after the course. In addition, 90% reported that communication with patients about their risk for cancer had increased, 76% reported that they are screening patients for cancer more than before, and 74% reported that they have worked with specialists to plan treatment for their patients with cancer. Conclusion: Results of the Cancer Control in Primary Care course are positive, and ASCO will continue to collaborate with society and institutional partners to train primary health workers around the world to raise awareness of cancer. AUTHORS' DISCLOSURES OF POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST No COIs from the authors.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 117863292199965
Author(s):  
Temitope Ojo ◽  
Laetitia Kabasele ◽  
Bethanny Boyd ◽  
Scholastica Enechukwu ◽  
Nessa Ryan ◽  
...  

Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) bear the brunt of communicable and non-communicable diseases and experience higher mortality and poor health outcomes compared to resource-rich countries. Chronic resource deficits in LMICs impede their ability to successfully address vexing health issues. Implementation science provides researchers with an approach to develop specific interventions that can generate and/or maximize resources to facilitate the implementation of other public health interventions, in resource-constrained LMIC settings. Resources generated from these interventions could be in the form of increased health workers’ skills, task shifting to free up higher-skilled health workers, increasing laboratory capacity, and using supply chain innovations to make medications available. Pivotal to the success of such interventions is ensuring feasibility in the LMIC context. We selected and appraised three case studies of evidence-based resource-generating health interventions based in LMICs (Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Madagascar), which generated or maximized resources to facilitate ongoing health services. We used a determinant implementation framework—Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to identify and map contextual factors that are reported to influence implementation feasibility in an LMIC setting. Contextual factors influencing the feasibility of these interventions included leadership engagement, local capacity building and readiness for research and implementing evidence-based practices (EBPs), infrastructural support for multilevel scale-up, and cultural and contextual adaptations. These factors highlight the importance of utilizing implementation science frameworks to evaluate, guide, and execute feasible public health interventions and projects in resource-limited settings. Within LMICs, we recommend EBPs incorporate feasible resource-generating components in health interventions to ensure improved and sustained optimal health outcomes.


Medwave ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. e5464-e5464
Author(s):  
Juan Manuel Sánchez Soto ◽  
Magally Martínez Reyes ◽  
María Luisa Quintero Soto ◽  
Silvia Padilla Loredo

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. e049708
Author(s):  
Laura Elizabeth Ellington ◽  
Irene Najjingo ◽  
Margaret Rosenfeld ◽  
James W Stout ◽  
Stephanie A Farquhar ◽  
...  

ObjectivesMobile health tools have potential to improve the diagnosis and management of acute lower respiratory illnesses (ALRI), a leading cause of paediatric mortality worldwide. The objectives were to evaluate health workers’ perceptions of acceptability, usability and feasibility of Acute Lower Respiratory Illness Treatment and Evaluation (ALRITE), a novel mobile health tool to help frontline health workers diagnose, treat and provide education about ALRI in children <5 years.DesignA qualitative study including semistructured interviews with health facility administrators and focus groups with primary care health workers.SettingTwo federally funded Ugandan primary care health facilities, one peri-urban and one rural.ParticipantsWe enrolled 3 health administrators and 28 health workers (clinical officers and nurses).InterventionThe ALRITE smartphone application was developed to help frontline health workers adhere to ALRI guidelines and differentiate wheezing illnesses from pneumonia in children under 5 years of age. ALRITE contains a simple decision tree, a partially automated respiratory rate counter, educational videos and an adapted respiratory assessment score to determine bronchodilator responsiveness. We performed a demonstration of ALRITE for participants at the beginning of interviews and focus groups. No participant had used ALRITE prior.ResultsThemes impacting the potential implementation of ALRITE were organised using individual-level, clinic-level and health-system level determinants. Individual-level determinants were acceptability and perceived benefit, usability, provider needs and provider–patient relationship. Clinic-level determinants were limited resources and integration within the health centre. Systems-level determinants included medication shortages and stakeholder engagement.ConclusionsIncorporation of these themes will ready ALRITE for field testing. Early engagement of end users provides insights critical to the development of tailored mHealth decision support tools.


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