scholarly journals Patient-Pathway Analysis of Tuberculosis Services in Cameroon

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 171
Author(s):  
Collins N. Titahong ◽  
Gideon N. Ayongwa ◽  
Yvonne Waindim ◽  
Dubliss Nguafack ◽  
Albert Kuate Kuate ◽  
...  

In Cameroon, in 2019, tuberculosis (TB) treatment coverage was estimated at 53%, indicating that almost half of all people sick with TB were not diagnosed or linked to care. To inform strategies to improve access to TB services, we conducted an evaluation of the alignment between patient-initiated care-seeking behavior and spatial and institutional allocation of TB services. Data sources included the Cameroon Demographic and Health Survey (2018), the Health Facility List (2017), and routinely collected TB surveillance data. Data visualization was performed in Tableau and QGIS. The pathway analysis showed that only an estimated 9% of people attended a health facility providing TB services at initial care-seeking, with access varying from <3% to 16% across the ten regions of the country. While 72% of government and 56% of private hospitals (Level 2 facilities) provide TB services, most Cameroonians (87%) initially chose primary care (Level 1) or informal private sector sites (Level 0) without TB services. The gaps were greatest in regions with the highest prevalence of poverty, a significant determinant for TB. These results indicate that access may be improved by expanding TB services at both public and private facilities across the country, prioritizing regions with the greatest gaps.

2019 ◽  
Vol IV (II) ◽  
pp. 317-326
Author(s):  
Mohammad Imran Marwat ◽  
Katrina A. Ronis ◽  
Noor Sanauddin

Since 2009, an estimated 3 million people were displaced in Pakistan of which 10% took refuge in “camps”. To ascertain their health needs and care-seeking behavior an exploratory crosssectional survey was undertaken from November 2017 to April 2018 in Jalozai camp by interviewing 318 household heads and 318 married females using systematic and convenient sampling techniques respectively. Study findings revealed that 91% of the IDPs received some assistance for shelter, food, water, sanitation and basic health services while 37% of respondents had difficulties in fulfilling their family food demands, 38% had poor access to water. The prevalence of communicable and non-communicable diseases in the camp was 29% and 23% respectively. Demand for basic public health needs and health services was high and required active and coordinated interventions by both the public and private sectors. The study recommends a national health framework for IDPs.


2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 63-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
SK Sharma ◽  
P Vong-Ek

Background Importance of maternal health has been recognized over the last decade, however information about the perception of illness and healthcare behavior of obstetric complication is lacking. Objective This study assesses women’s knowledge, perception, and experience of obstetric complication and care-seeking behavior and explores the factors associated with the morbidity and the constraints hindering them from seeking timely care. Methods Twenty one in-depth interviews on the perceptions, experience and care seeking behavior related to pregnancy and delivery of Women at Kanchanaburi Demographic Surveillance site of Thailand were conducted. A structured guideline was first prepared in English and translated into Thai language. An interpreter was hired to interview women at the Thai-Myanmar border to translate Thai into local language. A moderator note-taker, and interpreter were present throughout the interview period and tape recorded the conversation. Results In-depth interview revealed that even though quality maternal health care was accessible to most of the women, obstetric complication was prevalent and they were not seeking appropriate care specifically in highland. Too early and too late marriage, frequent child bearing, poverty, hard work, poor nutrition and traditional practices were the reasons for complications. Poor transportation, lack of health insurance, inadequate training of health personnel, poor health facilities and the perception that the complications are normal for pregnant women were the main reasons for not seeking appropriate care. Conclusions Perceived reasons for complications among women living in Kanchanaburi, Thailand were early marriage, frequent childbearing, hard work, poor nutrition and traditional practices. The constraints hindering them from seeking care for the complications were perceived to be the lack of access to health personnel, health facilities, and proper transportation. These issues seemed to be related to poverty. Kathmandu University Medical Journal | Vol.10 | No. 2 | Issue 38 | Apr – June 2012 | Page 63-70 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/kumj.v10i2.7347


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gebretsadik Shibre ◽  
Betregiorgis Zegeye ◽  
Dina Idriss-Wheeler ◽  
Sanni Yaya

Abstract Background Pneumonia is a leading public health problem in under-five children worldwide and particularly in Africa. Unfortunately, progress in reducing pneumonia related mortality has been slow. The number of children with symptoms of pneumonia taken to health facilities for treatment is low in Ethiopia, and disparities among sub-groups regarding health seeking behavior for pneumonia have not been well explored in the region. This study assessed the trends of inequalities in care seeking behavior for children under five years of age with suspected pneumonia in Ethiopia. Methods Using cross-sectional data from the 2005, 2011 and 2016 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Health Equity Assessment Toolkit (HEAT), this study investigated the inequalities in health seeking behavior for children with suspected pneumonia. Four measures of inequality were calculated: Difference, Ratio, Slope Index of Inequality and Relative Index of Inequality. Results were disaggregated by wealth, education, residence, and sex with computed 95% Uncertainty Intervals for each point estimate to determine significance. Results The percentage of under-five children with symptoms of pneumonia who were taken to a health facility was significantly lower for children in the poorest families, 15.48% (95% UI; 9.77, 23.64) as compared to children in the richest families, 61.72% (95% UI; 45.06, 76.02) in 2011. Substantial absolute (SII = 35.61; 95% UI: 25.31, 45.92) and relative (RII = 4.04%; 95% UI: 2.25, 5.84) economic inequalities were also observed. Both educational and geographic inequalities were observed; (RII = 2.07; 95% UI: 1.08, 3.06) and (D = 28.26; 95% UI: 7.14, 49.37), respectively. Economic inequality decreased from 2011 to 2016. There was no statistically significant difference between male and female under-five children with pneumonia symptoms taken to health facility, in all the studied years. Conclusions Health care seeking behavior for children with pneumonia was lower among the poorest and non-educated families as well as children in rural regions. Policies and strategies need to target subpopulations lagging behind in seeking care for pneumonia treatment as it impedes achievement of key UN sustainable development goals (SDGs).


2010 ◽  
Vol 25 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 311-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shadi S. Martin ◽  
Jacqueline Trask ◽  
Tina Peterson ◽  
Bryan C. Martin ◽  
Josh Baldwin ◽  
...  

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