Relationships between structure, process and outcome to assess quality of integrated chronic disease management in a rural South African setting: applying a structural equation model
Background: South Africa faces a complex dual burden of chronic communicable and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). In response, the Integrated Chronic Disease Management (ICDM) model was initiated in primary health care (PHC) facilities in 2011 to leverage the HIV/ART programme to scale-up services for NCDs, achieve optimal patient health outcomes and improve the quality of medical […]
The Nkateko health service trial to improve hypertension management in rural South Africa: Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Background: South Africa has a high and rising prevalence of hypertension. Many affected individuals are not using medication, and few have controlled blood pressure. Until recently, primary care clinics focused on maternal and child health and management of acute conditions, but new government initiatives have shifted the focus to chronic diseases, including HIV/AIDS and hypertension. […]
Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 310 diseases and injuries, 1990–2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015
Background Non-fatal outcomes of disease and injury increasingly detract from the ability of the world’s population to live in full health, a trend largely attributable to an epidemiological transition in many countries from causes affecting children, to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) more common in adults. For the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study […]
Integrated Sustainable childhood Pneumonia and Infectious disease Reduction in Nigeria (INSPIRING) through whole system strengthening in Jigawa, Nigeria: study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial
BACKGROUND: Child mortality remains unacceptably high, with Northern Nigeria reporting some of the highest rates globally (e.g. 192/1000 live births in Jigawa State). Coverage of key protect and prevent interventions, such as vaccination and clean cooking fuel use, is low. Additionally, knowledge, care-seeking and health system factors are poor. Therefore, a whole systems approach is […]
The Kusamala Program for primary caregivers of children 6-59 months of age hospitalized with severe acute malnutrition in Malawi: Study protocol for a cluster-randomized controlled trial
Background: Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) is associated with high mortality rates and impairments in growth and development in children that do survive. There are complex nutritional, health, and behavioural risk factors involving severely malnourished children and their primary caregivers, requiring integrated intervention approaches. Methods: A cluster-randomized controlled trial at the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in […]
Impact of integrated water, sanitation, hygiene, health and nutritional interventions on diarrhoea disease epidemiology and microbial quality of water in a resource-constrained setting in Kenya: A controlled intervention study
Objectives: We assessed the impact of water, hygiene and sanitation (WASH), maternal, new-born and child health (MNCH), nutrition and early childhood development (ECD) on diarrhoea and microbial quality of water in a resource-constrained rural setting in Kenya. Methods: Through a controlled intervention study, we tested faecal and water samples collected from both the intervention and […]
Predictors of intention to use maternity waiting home among pregnant women in bench maji zone, southwest ethiopia using the theory of planned behavior
Background: Ending preventable maternal mortality remains an unfinished agenda and one of the world’s most critical challenges. Skilled care at birth is one of the crucial strategies that help to prevent deaths that occur during delivery. Maternity waiting homes have been endorsed to facilitate access to skilled care during intra-partum and post-partum periods for women […]
A Prognostic Study for the Development of Risk Prediction Model for the Success of Vaginal Birth Following a Cesarean Surgery at Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia
Background: An attempt at vaginal delivery by a woman who has previously had a cesarean section is known as a trial of labor after cesarean section. The most important issues are how to accurately anticipate successful vaginal birth after cesarean surgery and how to calculate the likelihood of success of vaginal birth after caesarean section […]
Patient satisfaction and perceived quality of care: Evidence from a cross-sectional national exit survey of HIV and non-HIV service users in Zambia
Objective: To examine the associations between perceived quality of care and patient satisfaction among HIV and non-HIV patients in Zambia. Setting: Patient exit survey conducted at 104 primary, secondary and tertiary health clinics across 16 Zambian districts. Participants: 2789 exiting patients. Primary independent variables: Five dimensions of perceived quality of care (health personnel practice and […]
Mortality amongst patients with influenza-associated severe acute respiratory illness, South Africa, 2009-2013
Introduction: Data on the burden and risk groups for influenza-associated mortality from Africa are limited. We aimed to estimate the incidence and risk-factors for in-hospital influenza-associated severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) deaths. Methods: Hospitalised patients with SARI were enrolled prospectively in four provinces of South Africa from 2009- 2013. Using polymerase chain reaction, respiratory samples […]
