Investigating the resurgence of malaria prevalence in South Africa between 2015 and 2018: A scoping review

Abstract Background Malaria remains a serious concern in most African countries, causing nearly one million deaths globally every year. The review aims to examine the extent and nature of the resurgence of malaria prevalence in South Africa.Method Using the Arksey and O'Malley framework, this scoping review included articles published between the year 2015 and 2018 on the resurgence of malaria prevalence in South Africa. Articles were searched from October 2018 to January 2019 using these electronic databases: CINAHL, Pubmed, Science Direct and SCOPUS. Grey literature from Google Scholar was also hand searched. Key search terms and subject headings such as climate variables; climate changes; climatic factors; malaria resurgence; malaria reoccurrence, and malaria increase over epidemic regions in South Africa were used to identify relevant articles. Articles for selection and characterization were performed by three independent reviewers. Data collected were synthesized qualitatively.Results A total number of 748 studies were identified. Among these, 24 studies met the inclusion criteria. The results were grouped by factors (four main themes) that influenced the malaria resurgence: Climatic, Epidemiological, Socio-economic, and Environmental factors. Climatic factors were found to be the major factor responsible for the resurgence of malaria, as more than 55% of the selected articles were climate focused. This was followed by epidemiological, socio-economic and environmental factors, in that order. Grey literature from Google Scholar yielded no results.Conclusion This study shows that malaria transmission in South Africa is more associated with climate. Climate-based malaria models could be used as early warning systems of malaria over the epidemic regions in South Africa. Since epidemiological factors also play significant roles in the transmission, regular and unrelaxed use of indoor residual spraying (IRS) should be encouraged in these regions. While some studies have indicated that vectors have developed resistance to insecticides, continuous research on developing new insecticides that could alter the resistance are ongoing. Individuals should also be educated on the importance and the usefulness of these deliveries. Furthermore, all efforts to eradicate malaria in South Africa must also target the epidemic neighbouring countries.

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Investigating the Resurgence of Malaria Prevalence in South Africa Between 2015 and 2018: A Scoping Review

The Open Public Health Journal ◽

10.2174/1874944502013010119 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 119-125

Author(s):

Gbenga J. Abiodun ◽

Babatope. O. Adebiyi ◽

Rita O. Abiodun ◽

Olanrewaju Oladimeji ◽

Kelechi E. Oladimeji ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Environmental Factors ◽

Malaria Transmission ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Climatic Factors ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Indoor Residual Spraying ◽

Early Warning Systems ◽

Google Scholar ◽

African Countries

Background: Malaria remains a serious concern in most African countries, causing nearly one million deaths globally every year. This review aims to examine the extent and nature of the resurgence of malaria transmission in South Africa. Methods: Using the Arksey and O'Malley framework, this scoping review includes articles published between the years 2015 and 2018 on the resurgence of malaria occurrence in South Africa. Articles were searched between October 2018 to January 2019 using the following electronic databases: CINAHL, Pubmed, Science Direct and SCOPUS. Grey literature from Google Scholar was also hand searched. Key search terms and subject headings such as climate variables, climate changes, climatic factors, malaria resurgence, malaria reoccurrence and malaria increase over epidemic regions in South Africa were used to identify relevant articles. Three independent reviewers performed the selection and characterization of articles, and the data collected were synthesized qualitatively. Results: A total number of 534 studies were identified. Among these, 24 studies met the inclusion criteria. The results were grouped by factors (four main themes) that influenced the malaria resurgence: Climatic, Epidemiological, Socio-economic, and Environmental factors. Climatic factors were found to be the major factor responsible for the resurgence of malaria, as more than 55% of the selected articles were climate-focused. This was followed by epidemiological, socio-economic and environmental factors, in that order. Grey literature from Google Scholar yielded no results. Conclusion: This study shows that malaria transmission in South Africa is more associated with climate. Climate-based malaria models could be used as early warning systems for malaria over the epidemic regions in South Africa. Since epidemiological factors also play significant roles in malaria transmission, regular and unrelaxed use of Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) should be encouraged in these regions. Individuals should also be educated on the importance and the usefulness of these deliveries. While some studies have indicated that the vectors have developed resistance to insecticides, continuous research on developing new insecticides that could alter the resistance are encouraged. Furthermore, all efforts to eradicate malaria in South Africa must also target malaria-endemic neighbouring countries.

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Urban health nexus with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) preparedness and response in Africa: Rapid scoping review of the early evidence

SAGE Open Medicine ◽

10.1177/2050312121994360 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

pp. 205031212199436

Author(s):

Robert Kaba Alhassan ◽

Jerry John Nutor ◽

Aaron Asibi Abuosi ◽

Agani Afaya ◽

Solomon Salia Mohammed ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Urban Health ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Empirical Studies ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Spillover Effects ◽

Health Systems Strengthening ◽

World Health ◽

African Countries ◽

Response Strategies ◽

Early Evidence

Introduction: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 also called coronavirus disease 2019 was first reported in the African continent on 14 February 2020 in Egypt. As at 18 December 2020, the continent reported 2,449,754 confirmed cases, 57,817 deaths and 2,073,214 recoveries. Urban cities in Africa have particularly suffered the brunt of coronavirus disease 2019 coupled with criticisms that the response strategies have largely been a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. This article reviewed early evidence on urban health nexus with coronavirus disease 2019 preparedness and response in Africa. Methods: A rapid scoping review of empirical and grey literature was done using data sources such as ScienceDirect, GoogleScholar, PubMed, HINARI and official websites of World Health Organization and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. A total of 26 full articles (empirical studies, reviews and commentaries) were synthesised and analysed qualitatively based on predefined inclusion criteria on publication relevance and quality. Results: Over 70% of the 26 articles reported on coronavirus disease 2019 response strategies across Africa; 27% of the articles reported on preparedness towards coronavirus disease 2019, while 38% reported on urbanisation nexus with coronavirus disease 2019; 40% of the publications were full-text empirical studies, while the remaining 60% were either commentaries, reviews or editorials. It was found that urban cities remain epicentres of coronavirus disease 2019 in Africa. Even though some successes have been recorded in Africa regarding coronavirus disease 2019 fight, the continent’s response strategies were largely found to be a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. Consequently, adoption of ‘Western elitist’ mitigating measures for coronavirus disease 2019 containment resulted in excesses and spillover effects on individuals, families and economies in Africa. Conclusion: Africa needs to increase commitment to health systems strengthening through context-specific interventions and prioritisation of pandemic preparedness over response. Likewise, improved economic resilience and proper urban planning will help African countries to respond better to future public health emergencies, as coronavirus disease 2019 cases continue to surge on the continent.

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Trapped Between Two Pandemics: Domestic Violence Cases Under COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown: A Scoping Review

International Quarterly of Community Health Education ◽

10.1177/0272684x211022121 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 0272684X2110221

Author(s):

Endurance Uzobo ◽

Aboluwaji D Ayinmoro

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Domestic Violence ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Literature Search ◽

Web Of Science ◽

Biomed Central ◽

Inclusion Criteria ◽

African Countries ◽

The World ◽

The Government

Background As it is common with the most devastating events in the world, women always seem to be at the most disadvantage position. This situation manifested during the period of COVID-19 lockdown throughout the world and Africa in particular. The purpose of this study is to explore Domestic Violence (DV) cases in African during the COVID-19 lockdown. Methods Data for this study were gleaned from an electronic literature search using various databases PubMed and BioMed Central, Web of Science, etc. Key search words were gender DV during and after COVID-19. A total of 68 records were identified during the search. However, only 46 of these sources met the inclusion criteria. Results From the review done in selected African countries which include Egypt, South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana and Zimbabwe; it was discovered that COVID-19 lockdown across these countries worsens the already existing cases of DV. The study also noted that generally, the response of the government has been very poor in terms of dealing with DV cases in the period of COVID-19 lockdown. Conclusion The study concluded that despite the failures of government in tackling the DV pandemics, NGOs have been very active in championing the cause of those violated while also trying to provide succour to victims. Thus, the study recommended that countries in Africa need to join international initiatives in prioritising DV cases while trying to deal with the virus itself. Thus, one disease should not be traded for another.

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Complicações renais decorrentes da infecção por SARS-CoV-2 em pessoas com COVID-19 hospitalizadas: scoping review

Research Society and Development ◽

10.33448/rsd-v11i1.25217 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. e40811125217

Author(s):

Anyele Albuquerque Lima ◽

Alda Graciele Claudio dos Santo Almeida ◽

Izabelly Carollynny Maciel Nunes ◽

Patrícia de Albuquerque Sarmento ◽

Wanda Tenório Barros Passos Alves

Keyword(s):

Acute Kidney Injury ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Web Of Science ◽

Kidney Diseases ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Kidney Injury ◽

Glomerular Disease ◽

Google Scholar ◽

Cochrane Library

Objetivos: Identificar complicações/sequelas renais decorrentes da infecção por SARS-CoV-2 em pessoas com COVID-19; e descrever a característica de idade da população estudada. Metodologia: Scoping Review realizada nas bases de dados Web of Science, BVS, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE/PubMed, CINAHL, SCOPUS, Embase, LILACS. E nos sites online: ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, Grey Literature e Google Scholar. Os descritores utilizados foram (comorbidity OR sequel OR complications), (kidney diseases OR glomerular disease OR acute kidney injury OR nephropathy) AND (coronavirus OR SARS-CoV-2 OR COVID-19). Critérios de inclusão: artigos em português, inglês e espanhol, com abordagens metodológicas diversas, disponíveis na íntegra, online, publicados no período de 01 de janeiro de 2020 a 29 de setembro de 2021. E de exclusão: pessoas com diagnósticos prévios de patologias renais agudas e/ou crônicas; cartas ao editor; artigos de opinião; editoriais; e notas. Resultados: Selecionaram-se 10 artigos, que evidenciaram que o processo infeccioso causado pelo SARS-CoV-2 pode iniciar com uma leve proteinúria e hematúria, e evoluir para uma injúria renal aguda causada pela diminuição da capacidade de filtração glomerular, que favorece a retenção de algumas escórias nitrogenadas, causando o aumento dos níveis de creatinina e de ureia. Ademais, informaram que indivíduos entre 52-69 anos foram os mais acometidos. Considerações finais: As complicações/sequelas renais decorrentes da infecção por SARS-CoV-2 são: deposição de imunocomplexos nas células renais, proteinúria, hematúria, aumento da creatinina sérica, aumento da ureia nitrogenada no sangue, diminuição da TFG, e IRA estágio 1, 2 e 3. Tais complicações ocorreram principalmente em pessoas com idade ≥ 52 anos.

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Knowledge, attitude, perception, and preventative practices towards COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0249853 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. e0249853

Author(s):

Ugochinyere Ijeoma Nwagbara ◽

Emmanuella Chinonso Osual ◽

Rumbidzai Chireshe ◽

Obasanjo Afolabi Bolarinwa ◽

Balsam Qubais Saeed ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Scoping Review ◽

Positive Attitude ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Further Education ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

World Health ◽

African Countries ◽

Preventive Practices ◽

Adequate Knowledge ◽

Sub Saharan

Background Knowledge, attitudes, perception, and preventative practices regarding coronavirus- 2019 (COVID-19) are crucial in its prevention and control. Several studies have noted that the majority of people in sub-Saharan African are noncompliant with proposed health and safety measures recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and respective country health departments. In most sub-Saharan African countries, noncompliance is attributable to ignorance and misinformation, thereby raising questions about people’s knowledge, attitudes, perception, and practices towards COVID-19 in these settings. This situation is particularly of concern for governments and public health experts. Thus, this scoping review is aimed at mapping evidence on the knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, and preventive practices (KAP) towards COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Methods Systematic searches of relevant articles were performed using databases such as the EBSCOhost, PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, the WHO library and grey literature. Arksey and O’Malley’s framework guided the study. The risk of bias for included primary studies was assessed using the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT). NVIVO version 10 was used to analyse the data and a thematic content analysis was used to present the review’s narrative account. Results A total of 3037 eligible studies were identified after the database search. Only 28 studies met the inclusion criteria after full article screening and were included for data extraction. Studies included populations from the following SSA countries: Ethiopia, Nigeria, Cameroon, Uganda, Rwanda, Ghana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, and Sierra Leone. All the included studies showed evidence of knowledge related to COVID-19. Eleven studies showed that participants had a positive attitude towards COVID-19, and fifteen studies showed that participants had good practices towards COVID-19. Conclusions Most of the participants had adequate knowledge related to COVID-19. Despite adequate knowledge, the attitude was not always positive, thereby necessitating further education to convey the importance of forming a positive attitude and continuous preventive practice towards reducing contraction and transmission of COVID‐19.

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Mapping Evidence on Community-Based Clinical Education Models for Undergraduate Physiotherapy Students: Protocol for a Scoping Review

JMIR Research Protocols ◽

10.2196/19039 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (10) ◽

pp. e19039

Author(s):

Nomzamo Charity Thobekile Chemane ◽

Verusia Chetty ◽

Saul Cobbing

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Clinical Education ◽

Health Care Professionals ◽

Clinical Training ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Boolean Logic ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Community Based ◽

Physiotherapy Students

Background Community-based clinical training has been advocated as an excellent approach to transformation in clinical education. Clinical education for undergraduate physiotherapy students is a hands-on practical experience that aims to provide a student with the skills necessary to enable them to be fit to practice independently. However, in many countries, including South Africa, this training has been conducted only in large urban academic hospitals. Such hospitals are not a true reflection of the environment that these students will most likely be facing as practicing health care professionals. Objective The objective of this scoping review is to map out existing evidence on community-based clinical education models for undergraduate physiotherapy students globally. Methods A systematic scoping review will be based on the 2005 Arksey and O’Malley framework. Studies involving students and stakeholders in clinical education will be included. This review will not be limited by time of publication. An electronic search of relevant literature, including peer-reviewed primary studies and grey literature, will be conducted from the PubMed, Google Scholar, Medline, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library databases. The search strategy will include keywords such as “education,” “physiotherapy,” “undergraduate,” “community-based,” “training,” “decentralized,” and “distributed.” Boolean logic will be used for each search string. Two independent reviewers will conduct screening of titles, abstracts, and full text before extracting articles. A predesigned data-charting table will supplement the extraction of data. Version 12 NVIVO software will aide in the thematic analysis of data. Results Data collection will commence after publication of this protocol, and the results are expected to be obtained in the following 5 months. Conclusions The evidence obtained from the extracted data is expected to assist in the development of a model of community-based clinical education for undergraduate physiotherapy students in South Africa, and serve as a basis for future research. The discussion of this evidence will be guided by the research question utilizing a critical narrative approach to explore emerging themes. The enablers and barriers identified from the reviewed studies can guide the development of a community-based clinical education model. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) PRR1-10.2196/19039

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What are the Environmental Determinants to Participate Among Stroke Survivors in Africa? a Scoping Review

10.21203/rs.3.rs-1146161/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yohannes Awoke Assefa ◽

Zelalem Dessalegn Demeke

Keyword(s):

Environmental Factors ◽

Adult Population ◽

Grey Literature ◽

International Classification Of Functioning ◽

Stroke Survivors ◽

Environmental Determinants ◽

African Countries ◽

Middle Income ◽

Middle Income Countries

Abstract Background Stroke is the main cause of serious long-term disability worldwide, and it is the second commonest cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability. Two-thirds of stroke cases occur in low- and middle-income countries, which all African countries fall. In Africa, the incidence and survival rate of stroke is increasing. Various personal and environmental factors limit the participation of stroke survivors. As a result, in this review, we aimed to review the environmental factors that are influencing the participation of stroke survivors in Africa. Methods Five electronic databases were systematically searched in August 2021 and identified articles were screened by three authors based on predetermined criteria. We followed Arksey and O'Malley (2005) framework and the whole finding is reported using PRISMA-ScR. No date restrictions were imposed, and we included any type of papers including grey literature. Results 584 articles were generated by our search, after removing duplicates, the title and abstract of 497 articles were screened. From the screening, 42 articles were selected for full article review from which 12 met the criteria to be included. We also manually searched and included one more article for the review. Conclusion Studies were mainly conducted in South Africa and assessed the adult population. We followed the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework for the environmental determinants to present our findings. Products and Technology; Natural Environment and Human-Made Changes to Environment; and Services, Systems and Policies found to be a barrier for participation. Conversely, stroke survivors are getting good support from their immediate family and health professionals, which is found to be facilitating. This review could be used by policymakers to understand the environmental barriers that are hindering participation and help to improve the accessibility of the environment so stroke survivors can participate in the community.

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Assessing the nature of asthma in African epidemiological studies: a scoping review protocol

Systematic Reviews ◽

10.1186/s13643-020-01491-7 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Vuyelwa Ndlovu ◽

Moses John Chimbari ◽

Elopy Sibanda

Keyword(s):

Scoping Review ◽

Low Income ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Epidemiological Studies ◽

Open Science ◽

Low Income Countries ◽

African Countries ◽

Premature Deaths ◽

Science Framework ◽

Associated Risk Factors

Abstract Background Asthma is one of the most common chronic respiratory conditions in the world and is increasing in prevalence, particularly in Africa and other low-income countries. The disproportionately high numbers of premature deaths and severe or uncontrolled cases in many African countries are indicative of their inability to cope with a costly disease like asthma. Progress has, however, been made in understanding the complex and heterogeneous nature of the disease. The objective of this study will be to summarise the epidemiological literature on the nature of asthma in African countries. Methods We registered a study protocol for a scoping review. The review was designed following the Arksey and O’Malley framework. We will search PubMed/MEDLINE, African Journals Online (AJOL) and relevant grey literature (e.g. Google Scholar, EBSCOhost) from January 1990 onwards. Only primary epidemiological studies of asthma (e.g. frequency, disease mechanisms, associated risk factors and comorbidities) written in English and conducted in Africa will be included. Two reviewers will independently screen all citations, full-text articles and abstract data. Potential conflicts will be resolved through discussion. Findings will be reported using narrative synthesis and tabulation of the summaries. Discussion This scoping review will capture the state of the current epidemiological literature on asthma in African countries. Results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. We anticipate this review will identify gaps and make recommendations for future areas of study. Scoping review registration Open Science Framework http://osf.io/n2p87/

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Global Evidence on the Rapid Adoption of Telemedicine in Primary Care During the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Scoping Review Protocol.

10.21203/rs.3.rs-302879/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Daniela Valdes ◽

Lama Alqazlan ◽

Rob Procter ◽

Jeremy Dale

Keyword(s):

Primary Care ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Web Of Science ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Scale Up ◽

Google Scholar ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

First Year ◽

Global Level ◽

Global Evidence

Abstract Background: Before the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, primary care relied on face-to-face consultations, with relatively limited use of telemedicine. The rapid uptake that occurred following the onset of the pandemic in countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand prompts questions around the drivers and extent of this transformation in clinical practice at global level. The purpose of this scoping review is to explore the global evidence surrounding the rapid adoption of telemedicine in primary care settings during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A draft protocol was tested through an initial search on Ovid Medline, Web of Science and Google Scholar with additional searches on the Cochrane Database. This informed the final selection of terms which will be use to search Ovid, Web of Science, Google Scholar, PROSPERO and Cochrane Library, filtering for studies from the pandemic declaration onwards. Additional grey literature reports will be sourced through simplified searches on appropriate search engines in widely spoken languages. Duplicates will be removed by screening titles. Abstracts and grey literature text extracts will be screened based on pre-set eligibility criteria by an automated tool and further screened by the lead researcher. Abstracts (and extracts in the case of grey literature) will be mapped against the domains of the Non-adoption, Abandonment, and challenges to Scale-up, Spread and Sustainability (NASSS) framework. Data will be presented in table format. Discussion: This review will map the current literature to identify current gaps in evidence related to the adoption of telemedicine after the declaration of the pandemic in March 2020. The use of simplified searches in the most spoken languages in the world is aimed at capturing more immediate non-academic reflections and experiences on this major service change at a global level.Systematic review registration: Study has been registered on Open Science Framework and can be accessed through the following URL: https://osf.io/4z5ut/

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Urban health nexus with COVID-19 preparedness and response in Africa: rapid scoping review of the early evidence.

10.21203/rs.3.rs-79685/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Robert Kaba Alhassan

Keyword(s):

Urban Health ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Empirical Studies ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Spillover Effects ◽

Health Systems Strengthening ◽

Economic Resilience ◽

African Countries ◽

Response Strategies ◽

Early Evidence

Abstract Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) also called COVID-19 was first reported in the African continent on 14th February 2020, in Egypt. As at 24th August 2020, the continent reported a total of 1,189,526 cases; 27,798 deaths and 907,822 recoveries. Urban cities in African have suffered the brunt of COVID-19; meanwhile, response strategies by African countries have largely been condemned as “one-size-fit-all” approach.Objective: This paper synthesized and analyzed early evidence on the nexus between urban health and COVID-19 preparedness and response in Africa. Methods: Rapid scoping review of empirical and grey literature was done using data sources such as ScienceDirect, GoogleScholar, PubMed, HINARI and official websites of WHO and Africa CDC. Out of over 6,000 search output, 24 full articles, reviews and commentaries were finally synthesized analyzed qualitatively based on relevance and quality, guided by the PRISMA flow chart (2009).Results: Over 70% of the 24 articles reported on COVID-19 response strategies across Africa; 29% of the articles reported on preparedness towards COVID-19 while 41% reported on the nexus between urbanization and COVID-19; 37% of the publications were full text empirical studies while the remaining 63% were either commentaries, reviews or editorials. It was found that urban cities remain epicentres for COVID-19 in Africa. Even though some successes have been recorded in Africa in respect of the COVID-19 fight, the continent’s response strategies are largely a “one-size-fit all” approach. In effect, adoption of “Western elitist” mitigating measures for COVID-19 resulted in excesses and spillover effects on individuals, families and economies in Africa. Conclusion: Africa needs to increase commitment to health systems strengthening through context-specific interventions in addition to prioritization of pandemic preparedness over response. Likewise, improved economic resilience and proper urban planning will help African countries to respond better to future public health emergencies.

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