scholarly journals Health care seeking patterns of rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis patients in Harare, Zimbabwe: A prospective cohort study

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. e0254204
Author(s):  
Rebecca Tadokera ◽  
Stella Huo ◽  
Grant Theron ◽  
Collins Timire ◽  
Salome Manyau-Makumbirofa ◽  
...  

Background Delays in seeking and accessing treatment for rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (RR-TB) and multi-drug resistant (MDR-TB) are major impediments to TB control in high-burden, resource-limited settings. Method We prospectively determined health-seeking behavioural patterns and associations with treatment outcomes and costs among 68 RR-TB patients attending conveniently selected facilities in a decentralised system in Harare, Zimbabwe. Results From initial symptoms to initiation of effective treatment, patients made a median number of three health care visits (IQR 2–4 visits) at a median cost of 13% (IQR 6–31%) of their total annual household income (mean cost, US$410). Cumulatively, RR-TB patients most frequently first visited private facilities, i.e., private pharmacies (30%) and other private health care providers (24%) combined. Median patient delay was 26 days (IQR 14–42 days); median health system delay was 97 days (IQR 30–215 days) and median total delay from symptom onset to initiation of effective treatment was 132 days (IQR 51–287 days). The majority of patients (88%) attributed initial delay in seeking care to “not feeling sick enough.” Total delay, total cost and number of health care visits were not associated with treatment or clinical outcomes, though our study was not adequately powered for these determinations. Conclusions Despite the public availability of rapid molecular TB tests, patients experienced significant delays and high costs in accessing RR-TB treatment. Active case finding, integration of private health care providers and enhanced service delivery may reduce treatment delay and TB associated costs.

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ariful Basher ◽  
Proggananda Nath ◽  
Shah Golam Nabi ◽  
Shahjada Selim ◽  
Md Fashiur Rahman ◽  
...  

Post-Kala-Azar Dermal Leishmaniasis (PKDL) remains a major public health threat in Bangladesh. A cross-sectional study was carried out in Surya Kanta Kala azar Research Centre (SKKRC), Mymensingh, from January 2012 to July 2013 to evaluate the health seeking behaviour and the length of delay of PKDL management. The consecutive 200 diagnosed PKDL cases that got treatment in SKKRC hospital were subjected to evaluation. Most (98%) of the patients were not aware and had no knowledge about PKDL, though 87.5% had a history of history of Kala-azar treatment. Many patients reported first to village doctor (15.5%), the pharmacy shop (10%), or traditional health provider (7.5%) upon recognition of symptom. The time between the initial symptom recognition and first medical consultation (patient delay) ranged from 10 days to 4745 days (13 years) with a median of 373 days (mean: 696; IQR: 138 to 900 days). The time between first medical consultations to definite treatment (system delay) ranged from 0 days to 1971 days (5.4 years), with a median delay of 14 days (mean: 46.48; IQR: 7 to 44 days) that was reported in this study. Age, education, occupation, and residential status had significant association with patient delay (P<0.05). Educational status, occupation, number of treatment providers, and first health care provider had a significant association with system delay (P<0.05). Success in PKDL diagnosis and treatment requires specific behavior from patients and health care providers which facilitate those practices.


2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 344-350
Author(s):  
Arunraj Kamaraj ◽  
Manish Kumar Goel ◽  
Jyoti Khandekar ◽  
Khalid Umer Khayyam ◽  
Sanjeev Kumar Rasania

Background: Knowing delays in treatment seeking and subsequent treatment initiation among the TB patients is important and its detailed understanding is crucial in modifying the treatment seeking behaviour which can help in reducing the TB burden and the transmission in the community. Aim & Objective: To study the treatment seeking behaviour including the delays in initiation of treatment along with its determinants; among tuberculosis patients aged > 15 years in Mehrauli area of Delhi. Settings and Design: A longitudinal follow up study conducted in two randomly selected DMC cum DOTS centres in Mehrauli area of Delhi from January 2018 to April 2018. Methods and Material: Patients of both sexes of age > 15 years, registered under RNTCP from January to April 2018 in the randomly selected DOTS centres i.e. Mehrauli DMC cum DOTS and Chattarpur DMC cum DOTS centre were included in the study. Self-designed, pretested interview schedule and records of DMC were used to collect the relevant information. Statistical analysis used: Information collected in the Performa was coded and entered in Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 12. Results: The mean patients delay, diagnostic delay, treatment delay, health care system delay and total delay was 48.91 ± 130.38 days, 91.09 ± 155.97 days, 6.25 ± 6.29 days, 62.72 ± 119.48 days and 97.33 ± 155.06 days respectively. The median patients delay, diagnostic delay, treatment delay, health care system delay and total delay was 15 days, 45 days, 5 days, 35 days and 54 days respectively. Conclusions: The major reasons for patient’s delay were lack of awareness regarding the symptoms of TB and self-medication and for health care system delay it was treatment from private health care providers.


1998 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 636-643 ◽  
Author(s):  
Glenn Robert ◽  
John Gabbay ◽  
Andrew Stevens

AbstractThe purpose of this survey was to assess potential information sources for identifying new health care technologies. A three-round Delphi study was conducted, involving 38 selected experts who suggested and assessed potential sources by applying agreed criteria. Twenty-six potential information sources were considered. Timeliness, time efficiency, and sensitivity were important criteria in determining which were the most important sources. The eight recommended sources were: pharmaceutical journals, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, specialist medical journals, key medical journals, medical engineering companies, private health care providers, newsletters and bulletins from other health technology assessment agencies, and groups of expert health professionals. There is a need to use a combination of sources because the most useful sources will vary according to the type of technology under consideration.


2011 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Norah L. Katende-Kyenda ◽  
Martie Lubbe ◽  
Juan H.P. Serfontein ◽  
Ilse Truter

Current antiretroviral treatment (ART) guidelines recommend different combinations that have led to major improvements in the management of HIV and AIDS in the developed and developing world. With the rapid approval of many agents, health care providers may not be able to familiarise themselves with them all. This lack of knowledge leads to increased risk of dose- prescribing errors, especially by non-HIV and AIDS specialists. The purpose of this retrospective non-experimental, quantitative drug utilisation study was to evaluate if antiretrovirals (ARVs) are prescribed according to the recommended prescribed daily doses (PDDs) in a section of the private health care sector in South Africa (SA). Analysed ARV prescriptions (49995, 81096 and 88988) for HIV and AIDS patients were claimed from a national medicine claims database for the period 1 January 2005 through to 31 December 2007. ARV prescriptions prescribed by general practitioners (GPs) with PDDs not according to the recommended ARV dosing increased dramatically, from 12.33% in 2005 to 24.26% in 2007. Those prescribed by specialists (SPs) increased from 15.46% in 2005 to 35.20% in 2006 and decreased to 33.16% in 2007. The highest percentage of ARV prescriptions with PDDs not according to recommended ARV dosing guidelines was identified in ARV regimens with lopinavir−ritonavir at a PDD of 1066.4/264 mg and efavirenz at a PDD of 600 mg prescribed to patients in the age group of Group 3 (19 years > age ≤ 45 years). These regimens were mostly prescribed by GPs rather than SPs. There is a need for more education for all health care professionals and/or providers in the private health care sector in SA on recommended ARV doses, to avoid treatment failures, development of resistance, drug-related adverse effects and drug interactions.OpsommingHuidige riglyne vir behandeling met antiretrovirale middels beveel verskillende kombinasies aan wat tot groot verbetering in die beheer van MIV en VIGS in die ontwikkelde en ontwikkelende wêreld gelei het. Met die vinnige goedkeuring van talle nuwe middels kan dit gebeur dat verskaffers van gesondheidsorg nie kan bybly om hulle hiermee op hoogte te hou nie. Hierdie gebrek aan kennis lei tot ‘n hoër risiko vir foute in die voorgeskrewe dosis en veral deur persone wat nie spesialiste in MIV en VIGS is nie. Die doel van hierdie nie-eksperimentele, retrospektiewe, kwantitatiewe studie van die gebruik van geneesmiddels was om te bepaal of antiretrovirale middels in ‘n deel van die privaat gesondheidsorgsektor in Suid-Afrika (SA) volgens die aanbevole voorgeskrewe daaglikse dosisse (VDD) voorgeskryf word. Voorskrifte van antiretrovirale middels (49995, 81096 en 88988) aan pasiënte met MIV en VIGS wat in die periode van 1 Januarie 2005 tot 31 Desember 2007 van ‘n nasionale medisyne databasis geëis is, is ontleed. Voorskrifte van antiretrovirale middels deur algemene praktisyns (APs) met VDDs wat nie volgens die aanbevole dosisse vir antiretrovirale middels was nie, het dramaties van 12.33% in 2005 tot 24.26% in 2007 toegeneem. Die wat deur spesialiste (SPs) voorgeskryf is, het van 15.46% in 2005 tot 35.20% in 2006 toegeneem en in 2007 tot 33.16% gedaal. Die hoogste persentasie van voorskrifte vir antiretrovirale middels met VDDs wat nie volgens die riglyne was nie, was in die regimens met lopinavir−ritonavir met ‘n VDD van 1066.4/264 mg en efavirens met ‘n VDD van 600 mg wat aan pasiënte in die ouderdomsgroep van ouer as 19 tot en met 45 jaar voorgeskryf is. Hierdie regimens is meer deur APs as deur SPs voorgeskryf. Daar is ‘n behoefte aan nog opleiding van alle gesondheidsprofessies en/of voersieners in die privaat gesondheidsorgsektor in SA oor die aanbevole antiretrovirale middel-dosisse om mislukking van behandeling, ontwikkeling van weerstand, nadelige effekte vanweë geneesmiddels en geneesmiddel interaksies te voorkom.


Author(s):  
Luka Mangveep Ibrahim ◽  
Obinna O Oleribe ◽  
Patrick Nguku ◽  
Gabriel Chukwak Tongwong ◽  
Lakda Gonen Mato ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aya Noubani ◽  
Karin Diaconu ◽  
Giulia Loffreda ◽  
Shadi Saleh

Abstract Background: Evidence suggests wide variability in the provision of mental healthcare across countries. Countries experiencing fragility related risks suffer from a high burden of mental-ill health and additionally have limited capacity to scale up mental health services given financial and human resource shortages. Integration of mental health services into routine primary care is one potential strategy for enhancing service availability, however little is known about the experiences of currently active health care providers involved in mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) service provision at primary care level. This study aims to determine how healthcare providers offering MHPSS services at primary care levels in Lebanon perceive mental health and the health system’s ability to address the rising mental ill-health burden with a view to identify opportunities for strengthening MHPSS service implementation geared towards integrated person focused care model.Methods: A qualitative study design was adopted including 15 semi-structured interviews and 2 participatory group model-building workshops with health care providers (HCPs) involved in mental healthcare delivery at primary care level. Participants were recruited from two contrasting fragility contexts (Beirut and Beqaa). During workshops, causal loop diagrams depicting shared understandings of factors leading to stress and mental ill health, associated health seeking behaviors, and challenges and barriers within the health system were elicited. This research is part of a larger study focused on understanding the dynamics shaping mental health perceptions and health seeking behaviours among community members residing in Lebanon. Results: Findings are organized around a causal loop diagram depicting three central dynamics as described by workshop participants. First, participants linked financial constraints at household levels and the inability to secure one’s livelihood with contextual socio-political stressors, principally referring to integration challenges between host communities and Syrian refugees. In a second dynamic, participants linked exposure to war, conflict and displacement to the occurrence of traumatic events and high levels of distress as well as tense family and community relations. Finally, participants described a third dynamic linking cultural norms and patriarchal systems to exposure to violence and intergenerational trauma among Lebanon’s populations. When describing help-seeking pathways, participants noted the strong influence of social stigma within both the community and among health professionals; the latter was noted to negatively affect patient-provider relationships. Participants additionally spoke of difficulties in the delivery of mental health services and linked this to the design of the health system itself, noting the current system being geared towards patient centered care, which focuses on the patient’s experiences with a disease only, rather than person focused care where providers and patients acknowledge broader structural and social influences on health and work together to reach appropriate decisions for tackling health and other social needs. Barriers to delivery of person focused care include the lack of coherent mental health information systems, limited human capacity to deliver MHPSS services among primary health care staff and inadequate service integration and coordination among the many providers of mental health services in our study contexts. Critically however, provider accounts demonstrate readiness and willingness of health professionals to engage with integrated person focused care models of care.Conclusion: Mental ill health is a major public health problem with implications for individual health and wellbeing; in a fragile context such as Lebanon, the burden of mental ill health is expected to rise and this presents substantive challenges for the existing health system. Concrete multi-sectoral efforts and investments are required to 1) reduce stigma and improve public perceptions surrounding mental ill health and associated needs for care seeking and 2) promote the implementation of integrated person focused care for addressing mental health.


2018 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 587-598 ◽  
Author(s):  
Indira Chakravarthi

In the current context of more expansive role for private sector in health systems, especially in universal health coverage (UHC), its regulation has gained importance in health policy discourse. This article provides an overview of the existing regulatory mechanisms and their implementation in India, the enormity of the regulatory challenges raised by the nature of the private health care sector here and the available alternatives.


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