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.

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 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 Risk factors for mortality in pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raigam J. Martinez-Portilla ◽  
Alexandros Sotiriadis ◽  
Johnatan Torres-Torres ◽  
Chatzakis Christos ◽  
Ameth Hawkins-Villarreal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factor ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Maternal Age ◽  
Adverse Outcome ◽  
Advanced Maternal Age ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Obesity And Diabetes ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Since the first case of pneumonia was described, SARS-CoV-2 infection (coronavirus disease [COVID]-19) rapidly spread worldwide With 94,288 infections and more than 10,000 deaths, Mexico is the third Latin-American country in number of confirmed cases and second in mortality1. A major risk factor for adverse outcome in COVID-19 infection is the presence of advance age, co-morbidities including diabetes, hypertension and obesity among other non-communicable diseases2. Epidemiological data from high-prevalence countries reveal that compared to men, women are less likely to die or to require hospital admission to intensive care. This may suggest that pregnant women are not more susceptible to infection or to experience serious complications. However, whether the presence of co-morbidities or advanced maternal age confers a higher risk of adverse outcome in pregnant women with COVID-19 is unknown3.In this research letter, we aimed at evaluating the risk factor associated with maternal mortality secondary to COVID-19 infection in a middle-income country.Advanced maternal age is linked to an increased risk of mortality, while diabetes is the most important risk factor for maternal death. This is partly explained by an increasing incidence of non-communicable diseases in women of advanced age which is a common feature in most countries4. In the last decades, low- and middle-income countries have experienced accelerated socio-cultural changes associated with its incorporation into the international economic community, which have increased the number of obese and diabetic population, including pregnant women5. This has caused an increased risk for complications and fatality among COVID-19 positive population2,3. Thus, policies for reducing obesity and diabetes in low- and middle-income countries are most needed to reduce the mortality of COVID-19 in pregnant women.

scholarly journals Materno-fetal and neonatal outcomes associated with caesarean section delivery in private and public hospitals in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Idrissa Beogo ◽  
Amadou Darboue ◽  
Tiara Marthias ◽  
Sia Drissa ◽  
Tchouaket Nguemeleu Eric ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Caesarean Section ◽  
Vaginal Delivery ◽  
Public Hospitals ◽  
Neonatal Outcomes ◽  
Healthcare Sector ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Caesarean Section Delivery ◽  
Private And Public ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Abstract Background: Advancement in medicine has improved birth assistance. As a result, caesarean section delivery (CSD) has become the most commonly performed surgical procedure. The exponential growth has now skewed toward low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) despite the well-established morbimortality risk and extra costs associated to this procedure. The expansion of private healthcare sector may be playing a significant role. The objective of this review synthesizes knowledge and investigates the difference in materno-fetal and neonatal outcomes of CSD in the perinatal period, between private and public hospitals. Methods: Medline, Embase, Cinhal, Cochrane Database, LILACS, and HINARI were screened for peer-reviewed published studies in English and French, from 1990 to 2019, in human subjects and supplemented by manual searches. The studies included were prospective and retrospective cohort studies, cross-sectional and Delphi studies comparing perinatal outcomes of women whose neonates were delivered by caesarean section and by vaginal delivery in public and private hospitals. In total, the searches yielded 7,762 studies, assessed independently by two assessors. Of these, 26 quantitative studies were included which risk of bias was considered fairly low.Results: Elective or not, CSD is associated with a variety of outcomes, including death for both the mother and the neonate. Low quality of life, postpartum depression, infections, and scars were burdens attributable to CSD in both sectors. CSD is associated with less urinary incontinence compared to vaginal delivery but no difference exists in early skin-to-skin contact or in early breastfeeding introduction. Finally, across continents, Africa leads in terms of adverse consequences.Discussion/Conclusion: Private facilities surpassed public ones in CSD rate but were associated with the least severe materno-neonatal outcomes. Countries like China are succeeding through robust policies interventions formulation to contain the CSD epidemic and the health issues associated thereto.

scholarly journals Impact of Essential Medicine Stock Outs on Cancer Therapy Delivery in a Resource-Limited Setting

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yehoda M. Martei ◽  
Surbhi Grover ◽  
Warren B. Bilker ◽  
Barati Monare ◽  
Dipho I. Setlhako ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Cancer Therapy ◽  
Mixed Effects ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Cancer Medicine ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Therapy Delivery ◽  
Low And Middle Income

PURPOSE Essential cancer medicine stock outs are occurring at an increasing frequency worldwide and represent a potential barrier to delivery of standard therapy in patients with cancer in low- and middle-income countries. The objective of this study was to measure the impact of cancer medicine stock outs on delivery of optimal therapy in Botswana. METHODS We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with common solid tumor malignancies who received systemic cancer therapy in 2016 at Princess Marina Hospital, Gaborone, Botswana. Primary exposure was the duration of cancer medicine stock out during a treatment cycle interval, when the cancer therapy was intended to be administered. Mixed-effects univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to calculate the association of the primary exposure, with the primary outcome, suboptimal therapy delivery, defined as any dose reduction, dose delay, missed cycle, or switch in intended therapy. RESULTS A total of 378 patients met diagnostic criteria and received systemic chemotherapy in 2016. Of these, 76% received standard regimens consisting of 1,452 cycle intervals and were included in this analysis. Paclitaxel stock out affected the highest proportion of patients. In multivariable mixed-effects logistic regression, each week of any medicine stock out (odds ratio, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.7 to 2.13; P < .001) was independently associated with an increased risk of a suboptimal therapy delivery event. CONCLUSION Each week of cancer therapy stock out poses a substantial barrier to receipt of high-quality cancer therapy in low- and middle-income countries. A concerted effort between policymakers and cancer specialists is needed to design implementation strategies to build sustainable systems promoting a reliable supply of cancer medicines.

scholarly journals Risk of childhood mortality associated with death of a mother in low-and-middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Diep Thi Ngoc Nguyen ◽  
Suzanne Hughes ◽  
Sam Egger ◽  
D. Scott LaMontagne ◽  
Kate Simms ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Child Death ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Childhood Mortality ◽  
Child Rearing ◽  
Case Control Studies ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Abstract Background Death of a mother at an early age of the child may result in an increased risk of childhood mortality, especially in low-and-middle-income countries. This study aims to synthesize estimates of the association between a mother’s death and the risk of childhood mortality at different age ranges from birth to 18 years in these settings. Methods Various MEDLINE databases, EMBASE, and Global Health databases were searched for population-based cohort and case-control studies published from 1980 to 2017. Studies were included if they reported the risk of childhood mortality for children whose mother had died relative to those whose mothers were alive. Random-effects meta-analyses were used to pool effect estimates, stratified by various exposures (child’s age when mother died, time since mother’s death) and outcomes (child’s age at risk of child death). Results A total of 62 stratified risk estimates were extracted from 12 original studies. Childhood mortality was associated with child’s age at time of death of a mother and time since a mother’s death. For children whose mother died when they were ≤ 42 days, the relative risk (RR) of dying within the first 1–6 months of the child’s life was 35.5(95%CI:9.7–130.5, p [het] = 0.05) compared to children whose mother did not die; by 6–12 months this risk dropped to 2.8(95%CI:0.7–10.7). For children whose mother died when they were ≤ 1 year, the subsequent RR of dying in that year was 15.9(95%CI:2.2–116.1,p [het] = 0.02), compared to children whose mother lived. For children whose mother died when they were ≤ 5 years of age, the RR of dying before aged 12 was 4.1(95%CI:3.0–5.7),p [het] = 0.83. Mortality was also elevated in specific analysis  among children whose mother died when child was older than 42 days. Overall, for children whose mother died < 6 and 6+ months ago, RRs of dying before reaching adulthood (≤18 years) were 4.7(95%CI:2.6–8.7,p [het] = 0.2) and 2.1(95%CI:1.3–3.4,p [het] = 0.7), respectively, compared to children whose mother lived. Conclusions There is evidence of an association between the death of a mother and childhood mortality in lower resource settings. These findings emphasize the critical importance of women in family outcomes and the importance of health care for women during the intrapartum and postpartum periods and throughout their child rearing years.

scholarly journals Availability, prices, and affordability of selected essential cancer medicines in a middle-income country – the case of Mexico

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Moye-Holz ◽  
Margaret Ewen ◽  
Anahi Dreser ◽  
Sergio Bautista-Arredondo ◽  
Rene Soria-Saucedo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Insurance ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
Public Hospitals ◽  
World Health ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
The Public ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Public And Private Sector

Abstract Background: More alternatives have become available for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer in low- and middle-income countries. Because of increasing demands, governments are now facing a problem of limited affordability and availability of essential cancer medicines. Yet, precise information about the access to these medicines is limited, and the methodology is not very well developed. Objective: To assess the availability and affordability of essential cancer medicines in Mexico, and compare their prices against those in other countries of the region. Methods: We surveyed 21 public hospitals and 19 private pharmacies in 8 states of Mexico. Data were collected on the availability and prices of 49 essential cancer medicines. Prices were compared against those in Chile, Peru, Brazil, Colombia and PAHO’s Strategic Fund. Results: Of the various medicines, mean availability in public and private sector outlets was 61.2% and 67.5%, respectively. In the public sector, medicines covered by the public health insurance “People’s Health Insurance” were more available. Only seven (public sector) and five (private sector) out of the 49 medicines were considered affordable. Public sector procurement prices were 41% lower than in other countries of the region. Conclusions: The availability of essential cancer medicines, in the public and private sector, falls below World Health Organization’s 80% target. The affordability remains suboptimal as well. A national health insurance scheme could serve as a mechanism to improve access to cancer medicines in the public sector. Comprehensive pricing policies are warranted to improve the affordability of cancer medicines in the private sector.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document