scholarly journals Mapping Research Evidence on Children With Atopic Dermatitis and Quality of Life in Sub-saharan Africa: a Scoping Review Protocol

Author(s):  
Abraham Getachew Kelbore ◽  
Wendemagegn Enbiale ◽  
Anisa Mosam ◽  
Jacqueline M. van Wyk

Abstract Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, debilitating disease affecting children worldwide. Several studies have explored the disease causes a significant problem leading to a diminished quality of life, for the affected children but systematic evaluation of such studies in Africa is yet to be reported. Therefore, this scoping review aims to map research evidence on children with AD and their quality of life (QoL) in sub-Saharan Africa.Methods: The scoping review will follow the Arksey and O’Mally methodological framework. The electronic databases to be searched will include: PubMed, EBSCOhost (Academic search complete, CINAHL PsycINFO, and Health Sources), Scopus, and Google Scholar for published literature between 2000 and 2021. Only literature written in English will be included. The search strategy for the databases will include keywords, Medical Subject Headings terms and Boolean operators. The reference list of the included sources of evidence, and the WHO website will also be consulted for evidence relating to QoL of children with AD in Sab-Saharan Africa (SSA). Following title searching, two independent reviewers will conduct screening of abstracts and full text articles. Eligibility criteria will guide the screenings. This review will include studies conducted in SSA, publication focusing on quality of life and associated factors of AD in children. Data will be extracted from the included studies, analyzed qualitatively; NVIVO software V.11 will be usedand the emerging themes reported narratively. The mixed-method appraisal tool (MMAT) will be employed for quality appraisal of included studies.Discussion: We look forward to findings of several studies that describe the QoL and associated factors among children with AD and that report on using different diagnostic criteria, severity scaling and QoL measuring scale tools used to ascertain the presence of AD, scale severity of AD and impact of AD on quality of life among children. The study findings will be disseminated through publication in a peer-reviewed journal, peer presentations, and presentations at relevant conferences.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Armand Kouotou

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic and recurrent inflammatory dermatitis often associated with other atopic manifestations, such as asthma and allergic rhinitis. This study aimed to determine the epidemiological and clinical aspects of AD and to assess the quality of life (QoL) of patients suffering from AD in our setting. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted from February through April 2017 in seven hospitals in Cameroon. The study included patients above 18 who presented themselves to a dermatology consultation, were diagnosed with AD, and gave their consent. To assess the severity of AD and evaluate the QoL of the patients, standardized scales, such as SCORAD and QoLIAD, were employed. Results: The study enrolled 46 patients between 18 and 69 years of age with a mean age of 31 ± 12 years and the prevalence of AD at 1.5%. Most of the participants were females, with a sex ratio of 0.4:1, living in urban areas (93.5%). Food (34.8%) and cosmetic products (21.7%) were found as the main risk factors in the occurrence of AD. Upon physical examination, the upper and lower limbs were found to be the most affected in 84.8% and 54.3% of cases, respectively; in addition to cutaneous xerosis (45.7%), lichenification (43.5%), and excoriations (37%). Of the 46 patients, 9 (20%) had severe AD, 32 (70%) had moderate AD, and 5 (10%) had mild AD. QoL was impaired in 43 of the 46 patients (93.5%). Conclusion: Atopic dermatitis is a pathology that impacts the QoL of adults. A QoL assessment is, therefore, an important step in the management of AD.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tshubelela Sello Simon Magakwe ◽  
Zamadonda Nokuthula Queen Xulu-Kasaba ◽  
Rekha Hansraj

Abstract BackgroundRefractive error (RE) is a leading cause of visual impairment (VI) in children, the most common cause of childhood handicaps, and the second leading cause of childhood blindness globally. Refractive error and/or VI limits the ability of a child to perform well at school, in most sporting activities which require good vision, and negatively affects the socio-economical security of an individual. These two conditions have also reported to impact quality of life (QoL). The epidemiological evidence about the prevalence and distribution of RE and VI, as well their impact on the QoL of school-going children in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), will assist policymakers and stakeholders involved in child eye care in channelling resources appropriately. The main objective of this scoping review study therefore is to map available evidence on RE and or VI and their impact on QoL of school-going children in SSA. Methods This systematic review study will follow the five steps outlined in a framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley (2005). The literature search will be conducted using the following databases, EBSCOhost: CINAHL, Academic search complete, Health-Consumer and Health-Nursing, Google Scholar, Science direct and PubMed. The period of the literature will be from January 1998 to 31 December 2020, all suitable studies will be exported to a Mendeley library and in cases of outstanding articles the authors will be contacted directly. The title screening will be done by the principal investigator (PI), then the study will employ two independent reviewers which will have access to the Mendeley library to do abstract screening (AS) and a full article screening (FAS). Following FAS, data extraction will be done by PI. The quality index of all included studies will be determined using the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT). The results will be reported using the Preferred Reporting Items for systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Discussion The evidence of this scoping review will guide policy makers and all stakeholders in planning intervention strategies to address this global issue. Furthermore, the results of this review will be published in a peer reviewed journal and will be used to guide future research in this and related areas. Systemic review registration: Submitted (PROSPERO) 27/04/2021


2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark J. Siedner

Objective: The number of people living with HIV (PLWH) over 50 years old in sub-Saharan Africa is predicted to triple in the coming decades, to 6-10 million. Yet, there is a paucity of data on the determinants of health and quality of life for older PLWH in the region. Methods: A review was undertaken to describe the impact of HIV infection on aging for PLWH in sub-Saharan Africa. Results: We (a) summarize the pathophysiology and epidemiology of aging with HIV in resource-rich settings, and (b) describe how these relationships might differ in sub-Saharan Africa, (c) propose a conceptual framework to describe determinants of quality of life for older PLWH, and (d) suggest priority research areas needed to ensure long-term gains in quality of life for PLWH in the region. Conclusions: Differences in traditional, lifestyle, and envirnomental risk factors, as well as unique features of HIV epidemiology and care delivery appear to substantially alter the contribution of HIV to aging in sub-Saharan Africa. Meanwhile, unique preferences and conceptualizations of quality of life will require novel measurement and intervention tools. An expanded research and public health infrastructure is needed to ensure that gains made in HIV prevention and treamtent are translated into long-term benefits in this region.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelui Collinson ◽  
Joseph Timothy ◽  
Samuel K Zayay ◽  
Karsor K Kollie ◽  
Eglantine Lebas ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundScabies is known to be a public health problem in many settings but the majority of recent data is from rural settings in the Pacific. There is a need for high quality data from sub-Saharan Africa and peri-Urban settings to inform scale up of scabies control efforts. There have been anecdotal reports of scabies being a public health problem in Liberia but robust data are lacking.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional cluster-randomised prevalence survey for scabies in a peri-urban community in Monrovia, Liberia in February-March 2020. Participants underwent a standardised examination conducted by trained local health care workers. Health related quality of life (HRQoL) was assessed using age-appropriate dermatology life quality indices (DLQIs). Prevalence estimates were calculated accounting for clustering at community and household levels and associations with key demographic variables assessed through multivariable random-effects logistic regression.Results1,318 participants from 477 households were surveyed. The prevalence of scabies prevalence was 9.3% (95% CI: 6.5-13.2%), across 75 (19.7%) households; impetigo or infected scabies prevalence was 0.8% (95% CI: 0.4-1.9%). The majority (52%) of scabies cases were classified as severe. Scabies prevalence was lower in females and higher in the youngest age group; no associations were found with other collected demographic or socio-economic variables. DLQI scores indicated a very or extremely large effect on HRQoL in 29% of adults and 18% of children diagnosed with scabies.ConclusionsOur study indicates a substantial burden of scabies in this peri-Urban population in Liberia. This was associated with significant impact on quality of life, highlighting the need for action to control scabies in this population. Further work is needed to assess the impact of interventions in this context on both the prevalence of scabies and quality of life.Plain English summaryScabies is an infestation with a microscopic mite which affects many people living in low-resource tropical countries. It causes intense itching, which can lead to complications through bacterial infection and poor quality of life. To help develop global scabies control programmes, we need a better understanding of how common it is across different tropical settings. We conducted a survey to assess the burden of scabies and bacterial skin infection in a random sample of people living in a community in Monrovia, Liberia. Information about participants and their household were collected and their skin was examined; those with skin conditions were asked about its impact on quality of life.We examined 1,318 participants and found that almost 10% of people had scanies. Scabies was more common in young children, and was more common in male children than female children. We found that there was a large impact on quality of life due mostly to the itching that scabies causes and to people feeling embarrassed or sad because of their skin condition. This scabies survey is one of the first conducted across all age groups in recent years in sub-Saharan Africa and indicates a substantial burden and impact on quality of life. More work is needed to understand how common scabies is in different settings and the impact that different treatment strategies may have.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Warren Boling ◽  
Margaret Means ◽  
Anita Fletcher

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Peter M. Nthumba

Introduction. Palliative care in Kenya and the larger Sub-Saharan Africa is considered a preserve of hospices, where these exist. Surgical training does not arm the surgeon with the skills needed to deal with the care of palliative patients. Resource constraints demand that the surgeon be multidiscipline trained so as to be able to adequately address the needs of a growing population of patients that could benefit from surgical palliation. Patients and Methods. The author describes his experience in the management of a series of 31 palliative care patients, aged 8 to 82 years. There were a total of nine known or presumed mortalities in the first year following surgery; 17 patients experienced an improved quality of life for at least 6 months after surgery. Fourteen of these were disease-free at 6 months. Conclusion. Palliative reconstructive surgery is indicated in a select number of patients. Although cure is not the primary intent of palliative surgery, the potential benefits of an improved quality of life and the possibility of cure should encourage a more proactive role for the surgeon. The need for palliative care can be expected to increase significantly in Africa, with the estimated fourfold increase of cancer patients over the next 50 years.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Priscilla Y. A. Attafuah ◽  
Irma H. J. Everink ◽  
Ruud J. G. Halfens ◽  
Christa Lohrmann ◽  
Aaron Abuosi ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Over 60% of the population in sub-Saharan Africa, live in informal settlements (slums) with little or no resources. To be prepared to meet the needs of older people living in slums, it is necessary to know more about their quality of life (QoL). The objective of this review is to identify instruments, which can be used by researchers to assess the QoL of older adults living in African countries, especially those dwelling in slums. Methods A scoping review was performed using the databases Scopus, PubMed, and ISI Web of Science to retrieve studies published from January 2008 – September 2020. Studies were included if they reported generic QoL instruments, focused on adults with a mean age ≥ 50 and were conducted in African countries. Results In total, 18 studies were included using 7 unique instruments to measure QoL (EUROHIS-QOL-8, SWLS, WHOQOL-OLD, the WHOQOL-BREF, SF-36, SF-12 and RAND-38). All instruments could be interviewer-administered and had 5–36 items. However, little is known about their psychometric properties (validity and reliability), time-investment and cultural sensitivity of the domains included in the instruments. Conclusions Even though this review retrieved instruments used to assess QoL of older adults in African countries, there is a need for further research on adjustment and validation of currently existing QoL instruments. In addition, the development and validation of a new instrument which can be used in (illiterate) older populations, living in slums in Africa should be considered.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document