Journal of Global Health最新文献

{"title":"Implementation of a coach-supported mHealth intervention for dementia prevention in China: a qualitative study among Chinese participants and coaches in the PRODEMOS trial.","authors":"Jinxia Zhang, Marieke P Hoevenaar-Blom, Xuening Jian, Haifeng Hou, Siqi Ge, Carol Brayne, Esmé Eggink, Melanie Hafdi, Mingyue He, Guohua Wang, Wenzhi Wang, Wei Zhang, Yueyi Yu, Yixuan Niu, Jihui Lyu, Libin Song, Wei Wang, Youxin Wang, Eric P Moll van Charante, Manshu Song","doi":"10.7189/jogh.15.04036","DOIUrl":"10.7189/jogh.15.04036","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Modifiable risk factors have been linked to 45% of dementia cases. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions targeting lifestyle-related risk factors with remote coaching have the potential to reach underserved high-risk populations globally. To date, little is known about the implementation of such interventions in China.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Fifty semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 participants and 11 health coaches involved in the PRODEMOS trial. This trial investigated whether a coach-supported mHealth application intervention can reduce dementia risk in people aged 55-75 years with multiple risk factors. Interviews were conducted three months and 12-18 months into the intervention, focusing on implementation outcomes among Chinese participants using thematic analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Participants found the PRODEMOS app easy to use and remote coaching convenient, although coach responses were sometimes perceived as slow due to not logging into the mHealth platform simultaneously, thus delaying text chat communication. The intervention's appropriateness was shaped by its effectiveness in enhancing health awareness and meeting participants' needs. Feasibility depended on integration into daily routines, participant progress, partner support, coach attention, smartphone literacy, and time availability. Challenges for the coaches included remote motivational interviewing and sustained participant-coach engagement, influenced by participant-coach relationships, social environment, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants generally adhered to goals, but fidelity varied. Integration into primary care was endorsed.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This first qualitative study of the Chinese arm of the PRODEMOS intervention demonstrates that it is an acceptable and implementable approach for promoting lifestyle changes in individuals at increased risk of dementia. While coaching is crucial for sustained engagement, it presents challenges when delivered remotely. Despite significant variability in participants' adherence, positive feedback underscores its potential for integration into primary care and large-scale implementation, provided issues with coaching and engagement are addressed. These findings offer valuable insights for practitioners and policymakers seeking to incorporate mHealth solutions into public health strategies for dementia prevention.</p><p><strong>Registration: </strong>PRODEMOS: ISRCTN15986016.</p>","PeriodicalId":48734,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Global Health","volume":"15 ","pages":"04036"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11950902/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143732545","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unravelling the determinants of life expectancy during and after the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative comparative analysis.","authors":"Xiao Li, Jialing Zhu, Jae Man Park, Jordan Mitchell","doi":"10.7189/jogh.15.04126","DOIUrl":"10.7189/jogh.15.04126","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Disparities in life expectancy persist across countries, despite overall improvements in recent years. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated these disparities. While substantial research has investigated life expectancy determinants, the factors driving variations across countries remain insufficiently explored.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study innovatively employed Qualitative Comparative Analysis with data from 2020-2022, integrating multiple global data sources. We examined the complex causal patterns among conditions, including educational attainment, economic prosperity, environmental quality, social stability, urban development, and public health capacity within a case-oriented framework. Variables were calibrated into fuzzy sets to analyse necessary and sufficient conditions, with intermediate results tested across cases per solution, including robustness tests to validate the findings.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Environmental quality, represented by access to electricity, consistently emerged as a necessary and sufficient condition across seven key case scenarios for achieving high life expectancy. Each case highlights unique pathways that align with different combinations of socioeconomic and policy conditions, illustrating that diverse approaches can lead to positive outcomes. In addition to environmental quality, factors such as mean years of schooling, gross national income per capita, urban population density, and measles immunisation were found to be influential in various combinations within these cases, underscoring the complexity of life expectancy determinants.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our findings indicate that while core determinants like environmental quality are crucial, countries can enhance life expectancy through unique, context-dependent pathways that integrate environmental, educational, economic, and public health factors. Specifically, countries may focus on different policy areas based on their socio-economic conditions and development priorities to optimise life expectancy outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":48734,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Global Health","volume":"15 ","pages":"04126"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11950900/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143732578","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Outcome and management of children with chest indrawing pneumonia at primary health care settings in Pakistan: an observational cohort study.","authors":"Zamir Hussain Suhag, Ashlesha Pal, Muhammad Naeem, Imran Ahmed, Noorulain Altaf Khuwaja, Shayan Khakwani, Ali Mujtaba, Shamim Ahmad Qazi, Yasir Bin Nisar","doi":"10.7189/jogh.15.04096","DOIUrl":"10.7189/jogh.15.04096","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Pneumonia is a major cause of childhood mortality in Pakistan. In 2019, the Government of Pakistan revised the national Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) chart booklet, following the World Health Organization's recommendation for outpatient management with oral antibiotics of children aged 2-59 months with chest indrawing pneumonia. We aimed to assess the outcomes of children aged 2-59 months with chest indrawing pneumonia in programme setting of Pakistan.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This was a prospective observational cohort study in three primary health care facilities in Thatta district, Sindh province. We screened children aged 2-59 months who presented with cough and/or difficult breathing, and recruited those classified with chest indrawing pneumonia according to the IMCI tool. from December 2022 to March 2024. The primary outcome was to assess the case fatality ratio. The secondary outcomes were to calculate the prevalence of antibiotic use, hospital admissions and treatment adherence among these children during the current illness. We followed up on day 15 after enrolment to assess outcomes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>456 children with chest indrawing pneumonia met the study's enrolment criteria. Two (0.4%) died. Four (0.9%) were lost to follow-up and excluded from the analysis. According to parental/caregiver reports, among 452 children followed up on day 15, 435 (96.3%) were cured, 12 (2.7%) did not improve and two (0.4%) worsened and were hospitalised. All patients were treated with oral antibiotics. Oral amoxicillin was prescribed and used by 282 (62.4%) and 236 of those (83.7%) adhered to five or more days of oral amoxicillin treatment. Oral cefixime was prescribed and used by 114 children (25.2%).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our findings support using the IMCI protocol for treating chest indrawing pneumonia without danger signs in children aged 2-59 months with oral antibiotics on an outpatient basis. It can potentially reduce childhood pneumonia deaths, increase access to treatment, improve treatment coverage, reduce referrals and reduce costs for the health system and families in resource-limited settings.</p><p><strong>Registration: </strong>ISRCTN: 12687253.</p>","PeriodicalId":48734,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Global Health","volume":"15 ","pages":"04096"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11952181/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143736233","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Upgrading delivery rooms in Africa's primary healthcare systems: a combination strategy of the 'staff, stuff, space, and systems' framework and emerging technologies.","authors":"Yuxuan Li, Rudong Zhang, Ruolin Zhang, Nicholas Peoples, Chunshan Zhao, Min Yang, Kun Tang","doi":"10.7189/jogh.15.03006","DOIUrl":"10.7189/jogh.15.03006","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Maternal health disparities in sub-Saharan Africa remain critical, with high maternal mortality ratio requiring urgent interventions. In this viewpoint, we propose an integrated strategy combining the 'staff, stuff, space, and systems' (4S) framework with emerging technologies to upgrade delivery rooms in primary health care settings. Infrastructure enhancements, point-of-care innovations like artificial intelligence-driven diagnostics and ultrasound, and workforce training through traditional training-of-trainers approach or emerging simulation-based education aim to improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes. While financial and systemic barriers persist, sustainable funding, community engagement, and policy support are crucial for success. The integrated strategy offers a scalable solution to reduce maternal mortality and advance the maternal and child health targets of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.</p>","PeriodicalId":48734,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Global Health","volume":"15 ","pages":"03006"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11949509/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143732580","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Current status of elevated blood pressure and hypertension among adolescents in Asia: a systematic review.","authors":"Binish Islam, Tasiu Ibrahim Ibrahim, Wang Tingting, Mingyang Wu, Qin Jiabi","doi":"10.7189/jogh.15.04115","DOIUrl":"10.7189/jogh.15.04115","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Hypertension among adolescents in Asia is an emerging public health concern that is directly associated with early onset cardiovascular risks. As such, it can also lead to further health issues and challenges for health care in the future. As existing studies have predominantly focussed on adult populations, we sought to provide targeted insights into adolescent hypertension across Asia, elucidating the impact of rapid lifestyle and environmental changes on this younger population. Therefore, in this systematic review, we aimed to evaluate the prevalence and trends of elevated blood pressure (BP) and hypertension among adolescents aged 10-19 years across Asia, address gaps in region-specific data, and determine any demographic risk factors.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched PubMed, EMBASE, Science Direct, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Scopus for cross-sectional studies on adolescent hypertension/elevated BP in Asia published from January 2019 to June 2024, after which we narratively synthesised their findings.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 2634 retrieved studies, 39 met the inclusion criteria, covering over 200 000 adolescents in Asia. The prevalence of hypertension ranges from 0.7% in urban Bangladesh to 24.5% in urban Malaysia, with urban areas generally showing higher rates than rural areas (e.g. India: 8.4% urban vs. 5.7% rural). By region, East Asia has the highest overall prevalence (14.25%), followed by West Asia (14.14%), South Asia (13.77%), Southeast Asia (13.16%), and Central Asia (12.37%). Males had higher prevalence rates (for example, 22.3% in Chinese males vs. 20% in females).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The increasing prevalence of adolescent hypertension in urban Asia is a significant public health concern. Although extensive research has been conducted in East and South Asia, there is a dearth of studies in Western, Southeast, and Central Asia, emphasising a need for future research. Standardised diagnostic criteria and targeted interventions are crucial for addressing regional disparities and reducing long-term cardiovascular risks.</p>","PeriodicalId":48734,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Global Health","volume":"15 ","pages":"04115"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11949511/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143732536","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Long-term outcomes of a paediatric quality improvement project in Central Asia: changes take time, time for a change.","authors":"Sophie Jullien, Shamsov Bakhtovar Abdulkhafizovich, Rabiia Allakhveranova, Manzura Mirsaidova, Gulmira Nazhimidinova, Nurshaim Tilenbaeva, Shoira Yusupova, Martin W Weber, Susanne Carai","doi":"10.7189/jogh.15.04133","DOIUrl":"10.7189/jogh.15.04133","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Quality health care is essential for reducing child mortality. A three-year World Health Organization (WHO) quality improvement (QI) project, implemented in the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan between 2012 and 2014, aimed to enhance the quality of paediatric hospital care and thereby reduce child mortality. The intervention included training on international guidelines, provision of medicines, supplies, and equipment, and supportive supervision. This study assessed whether the project was successful in improving clinical practices in the long term in both countries.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We matched intervention hospitals with hospitals that did not participate in the QI project (control hospitals). We randomly selected medical records of children aged 2-59 months who were hospitalised with an acute respiratory infection or diarrhoea before the start of the QI project (2012), at its end (2015), and seven years after its completion (2021). We reviewed clinical practices from medical records to assess compliance with WHO standards for clinical care of children, which were emphasised in the project's training sessions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In the Kyrgyz Republic, the quality of care improved in intervention hospitals between the start and the end of the QI project for all indicators except one: unnecessary hospitalisations, unnecessarily prolonged hospitalisations, and unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions decreased, while the use of pulse oximetry and oral rehydration salts (ORS) prescriptions increased. This improvement was sustained until 2021. In control hospitals, some improvements were also observed between 2012 and 2015, but these were less substantial and less sustained. The interventions had less effect in Tajikistan between 2012 and 2015, and the improvements were not always sustained until 2021: unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions decreased and ORS prescriptions increased by 2015 but reverted to baseline levels by 2021.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The QI project resulted in improvements in clinical practice in both countries, which were sustainable in the long term only in one country. The differences in long-term benefits may be attributable to factors within the health system environment. Issues related to health governance for, health financing, and health workforce were largely disregarded during the project's design and implementation, yet may be crucial for sustainability.</p>","PeriodicalId":48734,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Global Health","volume":"15 ","pages":"04133"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11950901/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143732577","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Insights from national stakeholders and health workers on learning and performance interventions in immunisation programs: a multi-country situational analysis.","authors":"Julia Bluestone, Emily Bryce, Alexander K Rowe, Naina J Ahuja, Wincate M Murathi, Rosemary N Njogu, Arshad Chandio","doi":"10.7189/jogh.15.04109","DOIUrl":"10.7189/jogh.15.04109","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Health workers play a key role in providing high-quality health services, but health worker practice improvements remain limited despite significant investments in learning and performance interventions. We conducted a situational analysis to explore factors affecting health worker performance, focusing on barriers and facilitators and integrating digital solutions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In the analysis we focussed on paid professional health workers. Primary data collection occurred between April-May 2022 across seven countries, involving key informant interviews with immunisation program managers and human resource representatives. In three countries, human-centred design meetings included surveys on preferred interventions for improving learning and performance. Secondary data included a desk review of the literature, including recent strategy documents from the Gavi Alliance. We used a virtual session with human-centred design facilitators to create a health worker learning journey map.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our findings show a shift towards digital and innovative approaches in learning, though traditional methods, such as in-service training and supervision, still dominate. Most initiatives depend on donor funding. There is a lack of evidence on the effectiveness of digital solutions. Integration with health workers' continuing professional development processes is limited, but career advancement motivates engagement. Challenges include inadequate staffing, limited training opportunities, and poor digital infrastructure. Preferred methods include workplace-based learning and digitally supported training. Evidence supports quality improvement or group problem-solving to improve practices, while other approaches, such as eLearning or blended learning and mentorship, require further evaluation.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Stakeholders, including donors, should prioritise support for more effective learning approaches, combining strategies to improve outcomes. While stakeholders desire to expand digital learning, given the limited evidence, prioritising effectiveness evaluations are crucial. Educating stakeholders on evidence-based practices, promoting combined strategies, evaluating unproven interventions, and aligning donor funding with effective approaches is critical to enhancing interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":48734,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Global Health","volume":"15 ","pages":"04109"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11952180/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143736232","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing courtesy reporting bias in facility-based surveys on person-centred maternity care: evidence from urban informal settlements in Nairobi and Lusaka.","authors":"Safia S Jiwani, Martin Kavao Mutua, Choolwe Jacobs, Mwiche Musukuma, Anne Njeri, Godfrey Adero, Dennis Ngosa, Amanuel Abajobir, Cheikh Mbacké Faye, Ties Boerma, Agbessi Amouzou","doi":"10.7189/jogh.15.04090","DOIUrl":"10.7189/jogh.15.04090","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Experience of care is typically measured through client exit surveys administered in the facility. Evidence suggests that such measures suffer from courtesy reporting bias whereby respondents do not accurately report on their experiences while in the facility. We explored the presence of courtesy bias by comparing women's reported experience of person-centred maternity care (PCMC) from facility-based client exit surveys to mobile phone-based surveys out of the facility in Nairobi and Lusaka's urban informal settlements.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We randomly and independently sampled women in the facilities for either a facility-based survey (n = 233 in Lusaka and n = 112 in Nairobi) or a mobile phone-based survey (n = 203 in Lusaka and n = 300 in Nairobi) within one to two weeks of facility discharge. The questionnaire included a validated PCMC scale. After adjusting for differences in women's characteristics across groups, we compared PCMC scores between facility and phone-based samples. We ran multilevel linear regression models to assess PCMC by survey modality in each city.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In both cities, over 70.0% of women were aged 20-34 years and were married, at least two thirds had secondary education, and over 95.0% were unaccompanied during labour/delivery. The overall PCMC score was 69.3% among women surveyed on the phone compared to 70.2% among those surveyed in the facility in Nairobi. In Lusaka, it was 57.5% on the phone compared to 56.8% in-facility. We found no statistically significant differences in PCMC scores between survey modalities in both cities, after adjusting for differences in women's characteristics.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>We did not detect significant courtesy reporting bias in PCMC in facility-based client exit surveys in the context of urban informal settlements in Nairobi and Lusaka. Experience of PCMC can be measured through in-facility client exit surveys or mobile phone surveys. However, it is critical to address challenges related to a mobile phone-based approach.</p>","PeriodicalId":48734,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Global Health","volume":"15 ","pages":"04090"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11949514/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143732535","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An ensemble approach improves the prediction of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea.","authors":"Kyulhee Han, Catherine Apio, Hanbyul Song, Bogyeom Lee, Xuwen Hu, Jiwon Park, Liu Zhe, Taewan Goo, Taesung Park","doi":"10.7189/jogh.15.04079","DOIUrl":"10.7189/jogh.15.04079","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Modelling can contribute to disease prevention and control strategies. Accurate predictions of future cases and mortality rates were essential for establishing appropriate policies during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, no single model yielded definite conclusions, with each having specific strengths and weaknesses. Here we propose an ensemble learning approach which can offset the limitations of each model and improve prediction performances.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;We generated predictions for the transmission and impact of COVID-19 in South Korea using seven individual models, including mathematical, statistical, and machine learning approaches. We integrated these predictions using three ensemble methods: stacking, average, and weighted average ensemble (WAE). We used train and test errors to measure a model's performance and selected the best covariate combinations based on the lowest train error. We then evaluated model performance using five error measures (r&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;, weighted mean absolute percentage error (WMAPE), autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA), mean squared error (MSE), root mean squared error (RMSE), and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE)) and selected the optimal covariate combination accordingly. To validate the generalisability of our approach, we applied the same modelling framework to USA data.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;Booster shot rate + Omicron variant BA.5 rate was the most commonly selected combination of covariates. For raw data evaluated using the WMAPE, individual models achieved the following: Generalised additive modelling (GAM) reached a value of 0.244 for the daily number of confirmed cases, a value of 0.172 for the time series Poisson for the daily number of confirmed deaths, and a value of 0.022 for both ARIMA and time series Poisson for the daily number of ICU patients. For smoothed data, the Holt-Winters model achieved a value of 0.058 for daily confirmed cases, while ARIMA attained a value of 0.058 for the daily number of confirmed deaths and 0.013 for the daily number of ICU patients. Among ensemble models, the SVM-based stacking ensemble achieved error values of 0.235 for the daily number of confirmed cases, 0.118 for the daily number of deaths, and 0.019 for the daily number of ICU patients on raw data. For smoothed data, the average ensemble and weighted average ensemble achieved 0.060 for the daily number of confirmed cases and 0.013 for daily ICU patients. The ensemble models also generalised well when applied to data from the USA.Booster shot rate + Omicron variant BA.5 rate was the most commonly selected combination of covariates. For raw data, GAM (0.244) predicted daily confirmed cases best, time series Poisson (0.172) predicted daily confirmed deaths, and both ARIMA and time series Poisson (0.022) predicted daily ICU patients, based on WMAPE. For smoothed data, time series Poisson predicted daily confirmed cases (0.065) best, while A","PeriodicalId":48734,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Global Health","volume":"15 ","pages":"04079"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11949510/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143732437","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing monitoring and evaluation of digital health interventions in sub-Saharan Africa: big data, mHealth, and dashboards.","authors":"Oche Joseph Otorkpa, Joseph Omeiza Alao, Abiodun Paul Olaiya","doi":"10.7189/jogh.15.03013","DOIUrl":"10.7189/jogh.15.03013","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Digital health interventions based on digital and mobile technologies are essential for advancing healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa. However, challenges with their effective monitoring and evaluation (M&E) continue to impact their scalability and sustainability. Here we propose a set of innovative strategies to strengthen M&E frameworks, including integrating big data analytics and artificial intelligence for real-time impact assessment, leveraging mHealth platforms for enhanced data collection and stakeholder engagement, and developing interactive digital dashboards for transparent decision-making. These strategies aim to optimise digital health interventions implementation and evaluation, addressing critical healthcare access and outcome challenges exacerbated by a shortage of healthcare professionals in the region. By enhancing M&E capabilities, these approaches maximise the impact of digital health technologies in improving public health across sub-Saharan Africa.</p>","PeriodicalId":48734,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Global Health","volume":"15 ","pages":"03013"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11926576/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143671394","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}