Global Health Research and Policy最新文献

{"title":"Strengthening the primary health care for non-communicable disease prevention and control in the post-pandemic period: a perspective from China.","authors":"Zhangyang Pan, Jing Wu, Yunguo Liu","doi":"10.1186/s41256-023-00336-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41256-023-00336-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have become the leading cause of deaths in China and many other countries worldwide. To call for actions in strengthening primary health care (PHC) and accelerate NCD prevention and control in the post-pandemic era in China, the 2023 Duke Kunshan Health Forum focused on innovative approaches and lessons learned during the pandemic that can be applied in addressing NCD challenges. In this article we summarize key points discussed by the participants in three areas: PHC as the foundation and ultimate solution for NCD prevention and control, post-pandemic opportunities to accelerate the NCD program with innovative approaches, and an action framework proposed by the Forum collaborators to address remaining challenges and achieve NCD control objectives in China. The core of the suggested action framework is to offer people-centered, lifetime, comprehensive, continued, and quality NCD prevention and control services, which rely on an integrated healthcare system connecting the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of care. To achive this objective, six interconnected actions are recommended in the framework: prioritizing and integrating NCD in PHC and Universal Health Coverage (UHC) framework, engaging multiple stakeholders, directing resources to PHC for quality NCD services, leveraging advantages of new technology, encouraging the use of PHC and improving services, and strengthening best practice sharing.</p>","PeriodicalId":52405,"journal":{"name":"Global Health Research and Policy","volume":"8 1","pages":"49"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10685497/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138464309","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Global health collaborative research: beyond mandatory collaboration to mandatory authorship.","authors":"Wongani John Nyangulu","doi":"10.1186/s41256-023-00334-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41256-023-00334-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Collaborative research between the global north and global south is common and growing in number. Due to inability of local governments to fund research, global north actors provide the bulk of research funding. While providing mutual benefits, global collaborative research projects are far from ideal. In this paper, we review the authorship discrepancies in global collaborative research, discuss preventive measures in place and their shortfalls, and recommend an intervention to address the problem. Malawi research guidelines recommend collaboration between foreign and local researchers in locally conducted research. However, there is no provision requiring joint authorship in final published papers. Journal recommendations on authorship criteria exist, but they can disadvantage low- and middle-income country researchers in collaborative projects because of exclusionary interpretations of guidelines. For example, the requirement for authors to make substantial contributions to conception or design of the work may favor research grant holders, often from the global north. Systematic and holistic changes proposed to address power asymmetries at the core of the problem have been proposed. However, these proposals may take a long time to produce change. Ad interim, local institutions can take more direct action to address inequalities by establishing offices of research integrity to enforce mandates to increase opportunities for authorship in collaborative research.</p>","PeriodicalId":52405,"journal":{"name":"Global Health Research and Policy","volume":"8 1","pages":"48"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10664688/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138296514","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Awareness of and participation in mass drug administration programs used for onchocerciasis control in the Atwima Nwabiagya North District, Ghana.","authors":"Francis Adjei Osei, Sam Kofi Tekyi Newton, Isaac Nyanor, Eugene Osei-Yeboah, Evans Xorse Amuzu, Nicholas Karikari Mensah, Obed Ofori Nyarko, Ernest Amanor, Samuel Frimpong Odoom, Suraj Yawnumah Abubakar, Mathias Dongyele, Aliyu Mohammed, Ofeibea Asare, Stephanie Boadi, Peter Furu, Dan Wolf Meyrowitsch, Ellis Owusu-Dabo","doi":"10.1186/s41256-023-00331-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41256-023-00331-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Studies on Mass drug administration (MDA) in Ghana targeting various diseases, have mostly focused on factors that affect coverage and compliance to MDA with limited focus on evidence regarding awareness and community perception of the program. Therefore, this study sought to provide empirical evidence on the knowledge of onchocerciasis, and awareness of and participation in the MDA among community members.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted from August to October 2019 in communities within the Atwima Nwabiagya North District, Ghana. Data was collected from 2,008 respondents. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to measure the associations between socio-demographics, having heard of onchocerciasis and its prevention, and levels of awareness of the MDA program.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 1268 respondents (63.2%) were aware of the MDA program. The majority ofMost respondents (74.4%) were of the view that the information given about the program was not enough and 45.4% of the respondents had no idea about the relevance of the MDA program. Respondents who had ever heard about onchocerciasis prevention and persons who had previously participated in the MDA program were more likely to be aware of the MDA program during implementation (AOR = 2.32; 95% CI 1.79-3.01 and AOR = 9.31; 95% CI 7.06-12.26, respectively).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>We observed a significant association between being aware of MDA campaigns and knowledge of onchocerciasis and its preventive methods, and participation in previous MDA campaigns. We recommend intensification and improvement of prevention campaigns regarding the onchocerciasis MDA program as key to ensuring increased MDA program participation.</p>","PeriodicalId":52405,"journal":{"name":"Global Health Research and Policy","volume":"8 1","pages":"47"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10644529/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"107592780","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Adaptation of the CUGH global health competency framework in the Chinese context: a mixed-methods study.","authors":"Wei Ding, Yayi Guan, Bernadette Peterhans, Axel Hoffmann, Xiao-Nong Zhou","doi":"10.1186/s41256-023-00327-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41256-023-00327-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In 2014, the Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH) developed a global health competency framework and called for its validation. Given China's increasing engagement in global health over the past decade, there is a need for a tailored competency framework to enhance the capacity of its workforce. This study aimed to localize the CUGH global health framework within the Chinese context, offering guidance to public health professionals in China to bolster their capabilities for international endeavors.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Employing a modified Delphi consultation approach, this study adapted the CUGH global health competency framework through three consultation rounds and a panel discussion. A questionnaire employing a five-point Likert scale was developed to gather opinions from 37 experts on the significance and feasibility of each competency within the Chinese setting. Profiling information, judgment criteria, and familiarity with each competency were collected to assess experts' authority levels. Furthermore, a priority survey was administered to 51 experts to identify key competencies and provide recommendations for bolstering the capabilities of China's public health professionals. Data analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The adapted framework comprises 10 domains and 37 competencies including: 1. Global Burden of Disease; 2. Social-economic, Environmental and Behavioral Determinants of Health; 3. The Impact of Globalization on Population Health, Health Systems, and Healthcare; 4. Major Global health initiatives and efforts; 5. Ethics, Health Equity and Social Justice; 6. Sociocultural, Political Awareness and Policy Promotion; 7. Personal Competencies and Professional Practice; 8. Capacity strengthening; 9. Collaboration, Partnering and Communication; 10. Programme Management. The priority survey underscored Domain 9, 10, and 4 as the foremost concern for Chinese public health professionals, urging active learning, critical thinking, open communication, experiential learning, and case-based studies. Institutions were advised to enhance their capacity, foster partnerships, and discern China's distinct role in the global health arena.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study adapted the CUGH framework within the Chinese context, evaluating the significance and feasibility of each competency. The adapted framework can serve as a tool for developing global health curricula and delineating roles for Chinese public health professionals. To ensure contextual compatibility, testing of the framework with diverse public health professionals is recommended, enabling precise refinement of competencies based on empirical results.</p>","PeriodicalId":52405,"journal":{"name":"Global Health Research and Policy","volume":"8 1","pages":"46"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10621075/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"71429060","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Factors associated with the utilization of diagnostic tools among countries with different income levels during the COVID-19 pandemic.","authors":"Shuduo Zhou, Xiangning Feng, Yunxuan Hu, Jian Yang, Ying Chen, Jon Bastow, Zhi-Jie Zheng, Ming Xu","doi":"10.1186/s41256-023-00330-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41256-023-00330-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Disparities in the utilization of essential medical products are a key factor contributing to inequality in health outcomes. We aimed to analyze the trends and influencing factors in using Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) diagnostic tools and disparities in countries with different income levels.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a cross-sectional study using open and publicly available data sources. Data were mainly collected from the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics, \"Our World in Data,\" and the Global Burden of Disease databases. Negative binomial regression model and generalized linear mixed model were employed to investigate into five sets of factors associated with the usage of diagnostics: severity of COVID-19, socioeconomic status, health status, medical service capacity, and rigidity of response. Dominance analysis was utilized to compare the relative importance of these factors. The Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition was used to decompose the difference in the usage of diagnostics between countries.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The total COVID-19 testing rate ranged from 5.13 to 22,386.63 per 1000 people from March 2020 to October 2022 and the monthly testing rate declined dramatically from January 2022 to October 2022 (52.37/1000 vs 5.91/1000).. The total testing rate was primarily associated with socioeconomic status (37.84%), with every 1 standard deviation (SD) increase in Gross Domestic Product per capita and the proportion of people aged ≥ 70, the total testing rate increased by 88% and 31%. And so is the medical service capacity (33.66%), with every 1 SD increase in health workforce density, the number increased by 38%. The monthly testing rate was primarily associated with socioeconomic status (34.72%) and medical service capacity (28.67%), and the severity of COVID-19 (21.09%). The average difference in the total testing rates between high-income and low-income countries was 2726.59 per 1000 people, and 2493.43 (91.45%) of the differences could be explained through the five sets of factors.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Redoubling the efforts, such as local manufacturing, regulatory reliance, and strengthening the community health workforce and laboratory capacity in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) cannot be more significant for ensuring sustainable and equitable access to diagnostic tools during pandemic.</p>","PeriodicalId":52405,"journal":{"name":"Global Health Research and Policy","volume":"8 1","pages":"45"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10605783/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"54232131","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Belt and road initiative and healthy silk road: an alternative path for Pacific island countries to participate in global public health governance.","authors":"Yujie Mei","doi":"10.1186/s41256-023-00329-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41256-023-00329-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pacific island countries (PICs) located in a region with relatively insufficient capacity to respond to public health emergencies, establishing reliable public health cooperation is conducive to maintaining security and stability. The belt and road initiative (BRI) launched by China attempts to provide a novel form of international cooperation and has supported multi-channel investment and construction. This article elucidates the history of public health cooperation between China and PICs, as well as the current situation of the BRI in the field of public health and emphasizes that there are numerous constraints in the public health cooperation between China and PICs. Given the profound impact of COVID-19 on diplomatic strategies, gradual cooperation in the field of public health may be the initial exploration of the BRI in the PICs, but it also means that the initiative must deal with challenges from geopolitical competition and cultural differences.</p>","PeriodicalId":52405,"journal":{"name":"Global Health Research and Policy","volume":"8 1","pages":"44"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2023-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10585897/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49684913","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Depression and health-related quality of life of patients with type 2 diabetes attending tertiary level hospitals in Dhaka, Bangladesh.","authors":"Manish K Namdeo, Sarita Verma, Rajat Das Gupta, Rubana Islam, Shaila Nazneen, Lal B Rawal","doi":"10.1186/s41256-023-00328-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41256-023-00328-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and depression are closely linked. People with T2DM are at increased risk of developing depression and vice versa. T2DM and depression comorbid conditions adversely affect Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) and management of T2DM. In this study, we assessed depression and HRQOL among patients with T2DM in Dhaka, Bangladesh.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted in two tertiary-level hospitals in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Data were collected from 318 patients with T2DM. A set of standard tools, PHQ-9 (for assessing depression) and EuroQol-5D-5L (for assessing the HRQOL), were used. Statistical analyses, including Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests, Wilcoxon (Mann-Whitney), and Spearman's correlation coefficient tests, were performed using SPSS (v.20).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The majority of the patients (58%) were females, with a mean age (standard deviation) of 52 ± 10 years, and 74% of patients lived in urban areas. The prevalence of depression was 62% (PHQ-9 score ≥ 5). Over three-quarters (76%) reported problems in the anxiety/ depression dimension of EQ-5D, followed by pain/discomfort (74%), mobility (40%), self-care (36%), and usual activities (33%). The depression and T2DM comorbid condition were associated with all the five dimensions of EQ-5D (χ2 statistics with df = 1 was 52.33, 51.13, 52.67, 21.61, 7.92 for mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/ depression dimensions respectively, p- < 0.01). The mean EQ-5D index (0.53 vs. 0.75) and the mean EQ-5D VAS (65 vs. 76) both showed lower values in T2DM patients with depression compared to T2DM patients without depression (Wilcoxon test, p- < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>We conclude that the majority of the patients with T2DM had comorbid conditions, and the HRQOL was negatively affected by comorbid depression in T2DM patients. This suggests the importance of timely screening, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of comorbid depression in T2DM patients to improve overall health and QOL.</p>","PeriodicalId":52405,"journal":{"name":"Global Health Research and Policy","volume":"8 1","pages":"43"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2023-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10577997/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41240811","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The development and application of a two-step surveillance process for Healthy China Initiative based on wide coverage interagency data.","authors":"Lin Liu, Xiaomeng Lan, Yili Yang, Yuying Luo, Xueli Zhang, Xiuli Wang, Jay Pan","doi":"10.1186/s41256-023-00326-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41256-023-00326-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Healthy China is a nationwide health strategy aiming at improving health from diverse dimensions, and strengthening high-quality assessment is essential for its stimulation. However, there is limited evidence in the surveillance of the actual performance of the initiative at regional levels. This study innovatively proposes a two-step surveillance process which comprehensively monitors Healthy China Initiative based on regional realities, thus provides guidance for policymaking.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A flexible indicator system was firstly developed basing on Delphi survey and focus group discussions. And then the Analysis Hierarchical Process and the TOPSIS method were used to determine the weights of indicators and calculate comprehensive indexes as the surveillance outcomes. A pilot study was conducted in a typical area in China to verify the applicability of the process.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Following the surveillance process and basing on the implementation of Healthy China Initiative in the target region, an indicator system comprised of 5 domains and 23 indicators with weights was first developed specifically for the pilot area. Then 1848 interagency data of the study area were collected from 8 provincial institutions/departments to calculate the indexes and ranks of the five domains which were health level, healthy living, disease prevention and control, health service, and healthy environment. The outcomes showed that Healthy China Initiative in the pilot area had been constantly improved since the strategy proposed, while there were still issues to be tackled such as the deficient monitoring mechanisms and unevenly development progress.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study proposed a pragmatic surveillance process with indicators which could be tailored for specific context of target regions and produce meaningful surveillance outcomes to inform decision-making for policymakers, and also provided a theoretical foundation as well as empirical evidence for further health strategies and plannings assessment studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":52405,"journal":{"name":"Global Health Research and Policy","volume":"8 1","pages":"42"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2023-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10515230/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41172068","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Household satisfaction and associated factors with community-based health insurance scheme in Ethiopia: systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Daniel Tarekegn Worede, Mengistie Kassahun Tariku, Melash Belachew Asresie, Belayneh Fentahun Shibesh","doi":"10.1186/s41256-023-00325-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41256-023-00325-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Community-based health insurance (CBHI) schemes are crucial for households to avoid financial hardship, improve healthcare quality, and engage in health policies. Household satisfaction is a key indicator for assessing healthcare quality and identifying service gaps. However, research on household satisfaction with CBHI in Ethiopia is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate household satisfaction and associated factors with CBHI schemes in Ethiopia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A comprehensive search of relevant literature was conducted using multiple databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, Africa Journal Online, and Ethiopian Universities' institutional open-access online repositories. The search was carried out between January 25, 2023, and February 28, 2023. Twelve primary studies, including eight published and four unpublished, were identified and included in the analysis with a total sample size of 5311 participants. A protocol with the registration number CRD20531345698 is recorded on the Prospero database. Two authors, DT and MK, independently extracted the required data using a standardized form. The extracted data were then analyzed using STATA version 17 software. Heterogeneity was assessed using the Cochrane Q-test and I² tests. Finally, a random-effect model was employed to calculate the overall household satisfaction with CBHI and to determine the associated factors.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The meta-analysis showed that the overall household satisfaction with CBHI in Ethiopia was 62.26% (95% CI 53.25-71.21%). The study found regional variations in household satisfaction, with 63.40% in Oromia, 64.01% in Amhara, 49.58% in Addis Ababa, and 66.76% in SNNPs. The study identified several factors associated with household satisfaction and the CBHI scheme, including the availability of drugs (OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.47-2.78), friendly services (OR 3.85, 95% CI 1.60-6.10), affordability of premium (OR 2.80, 95% CI 1.97-3.63), and knowledge/awareness of CBHI (OR 2.52, 95% CI 1.73-3.33).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The study provides valuable insights into household satisfaction with CBHI in Ethiopia, with a considerable proportion of enrolees being satisfied. The finding highlights regional variations in household satisfaction and underscores the need for tailored interventions and monitoring to enhance CBHI sustainability and effectiveness. The results suggest that healthcare providers and policymakers should prioritize the availability of drugs, friendly services, affordable premiums, and education to improve household satisfaction with CBHI schemes.</p>","PeriodicalId":52405,"journal":{"name":"Global Health Research and Policy","volume":"8 1","pages":"41"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2023-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10503176/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10305430","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Malaria rapid diagnostic tests in community pharmacies in Rwanda: availability, knowledge of community pharmacists, advantages, and disadvantages of licensing their use.","authors":"Amon Nsengimana, Joyce Isimbi, Theogene Uwizeyimana, Emmanuel Biracyaza, Jean Claude Hategekimana, Charles Uwambajimana, Olivia Gwira, Vedaste Kagisha, Domina Asingizwe, Ahmed Adedeji, Jean Baptiste Nyandwi","doi":"10.1186/s41256-023-00324-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41256-023-00324-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Presumptive treatment of malaria is often practiced in community pharmacies across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).To address this issue, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests (m-RDTs) be used in these settings, as they are used in the public sector. However, their use remains unlicensed in the community pharmacies in Rwanda. This can lessen their availability and foster presumptive treatment. Therefore, this study investigated the availability of m-RDTs, knowledge of community pharmacists on the use of m-RDTs, and explored Pharmacists' perceptions of the advantages and disadvantages of licensing the use of m-RDTs in community pharmacies.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This was a cross-sectional study among 200 licensed community pharmacists who were purposefully sampled nationwide from 11th February to 12th April 2022. Data was collected using an online data collection instrument composed of open-ended and closed-ended questions. Statistical analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0. The chi-square test was used to evaluate the association between the availability of m-RDTs and independent variables of interest. Content analysis was used for qualitative data.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Although 59% were consulted by clients requesting to purchase m-RDTs, only 27% of the participants had m-RDTs in stock, 66.5% had no training on the use of m-RDTs, and 18.5% were not at all familiar with using the m-RDTs. Most of the participants (91.5%) agreed that licensing the use of m-RDTs in community pharmacies could promote the rational use of antimalarials. The chi-square test indicated that being requested to sell m-RDTs (x² = 6.95, p = 0.008), being requested to perform m-RDTs (x² = 5.39, p  = 0.02),familiarity using m-RDTs (x² = 17.24, p = 0.002), availability of a nurse in the Pharmacy (x² = 11.68, p < 0.001), and location of the pharmacy (x² = 9.13, p = 0.048) were all significantly associated with the availability of m-RDTs in the pharmacy.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The availability of m-RDTs remains low in community pharmacies in Rwanda, and less training is provided to community pharmacists regarding the use of m-RDTs. Nevertheless, community pharmacists had positive perceptions of the advantages of licensing the use of m-RDTs. Thus, licensing the use of m-RDTs is believed to be the first step toward promoting the rational use of antimalarial medicines in Rwanda.</p>","PeriodicalId":52405,"journal":{"name":"Global Health Research and Policy","volume":"8 1","pages":"40"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2023-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10496312/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10242401","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}