| 1. |
- Alemu, Andinet Worku, et al.
(författare)
-
Determinants of survival in adult HIV patients on antiretroviral therapy in Oromiyaa, Ethiopia
- 2010
-
Ingår i: Global Health Action. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1654-9716 .- 1654-9880. ; 3
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The antiretroviral treatment (ART) scale-up service has been a recent development in Ethiopia, but its impact on mortality has not been well investigated. The aim of this study was to assess the early survival outcome of the scale-up service by utilizing routine hospital data.Methods: All adult HIV/AIDS patients who started on antiretroviral treatment in Shashemene and Assela hospitals from January 1, 2006 to May 31, 2006 were included and followed up for 2 years. Data were extracted from standard patient medical registrations. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to estimate survival probability and the Cox proportional hazard model was applied to determine predictors of mortality. Two alterative assumptions (real case and worst case) were made in determining predictors of mortality.Results: The median age of patients was 33 years and 57% were female. Eighty-five percent had CD4 <200 cells/mu L with a median CD4 count of 103 cells/mu L. The median survival time was 104.4 weeks. A total of 28 (10.3%) deaths were observed during the 2-year period and 48 patients (18%) were lost to follow up. The majority of deaths occurred in the first 4 months of treatment. In multivariate analysis, 2-year survival was significantly associated with the clinical stage of the disease, baseline hemoglobin, and cotrimoxazole prophylaxis therapy (CPT) at or before ART initiation in both assumptions. The median CD4 count and body weight showed a marked improvement during the first 6 months of treatment, followed by stagnation thereafter.Conclusion: The study has shown an overall low mortality but a high loss to follow-up rate of the cohort. Advanced clinical stage, anemia, low body weight, and lack of CPT initiation were independent predictors of mortality - but not gender. CPT initiation should be encouraged in routine HIV care services, and patient retention mechanisms have to be strengthened. Stagnation in immunological and weight recovery after the first 6 months should be further investigated. The utilization of routine data should be encouraged in order to facilitate appropriate decision making.
|
|
| 2. |
- Anticona, Cynthia, et al.
(författare)
-
Anemia and malnutrition in indigenous children and adolescents of the Peruvian Amazon in a context of lead exposure : a cross-sectional study
- 2014
-
Ingår i: Global Health Action. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1654-9716 .- 1654-9880. ; 7
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Indigenous children and adolescents of the Peruvian Amazon live in precarious conditions that could increase the risk of malnutrition. A particular problem in the Corrientes river communities is the high exposure to lead among children and adolescents. Objective: This study aimed to determine the nutritional status of children and adolescents in indigenous communities in the Corrientes river basin and examine risk factors for anemia, stunting, underweight, and wasting. Design: This was a cross-sectional assessment in children and adolescents aged 0-17 years from six communities (n = 330). Data collection included measurement of hemoglobin levels, anthropometrics, blood lead levels (BLLs); a parental questionnaire including demographic and dwelling information; parents' occupation; and the child's duration of breastfeeding and food consumption. Analysis included univariate, bivariate, and logistic regression. Results: Overall, anemia prevalence was 51.0%, stunting (proxy for chronic malnutrition) 50.0%, and underweight 20.0%. Bivariate analysis showed that anemia and underweight prevalence was higher in the 0-4 years group (p<0.05). No association was found between anemia, stunting, or underweight with gender, community exposure to oil activity, or consumption of river water. Stunting prevalence was higher in the group whose BLLs were >5 mu g/dL (p<0.05). In the logistic regression analysis, no variable was associated with anemia or underweight. The group 5-11 years and >12 years had 1.9 and 3.1 times higher risk of stunting than the group under five years, respectively. Children and adolescents with BLLs >5 mu g/dL had twice the risk of stunting compared to those with lower BLLs. Conclusions: Half of the study population was found with anemia and stunting. Anemia was more prevalent in the 0- to 5-year age group and stunting in the 12- to 17-year group. The association between stunting and BLLs might be attributed to a direct effect of lead on human growth. Also, poor nutrition and other socioeconomic-related factors may contribute to the simultaneous existence of stunting and elevated BLLs.
|
|
| 3. |
- Anticona, Cynthia, et al.
(författare)
-
Easier said than done : applying the Ecohealth principles to a study of heavy metals exposure among indigenous communities of the Peruvian Amazon
- 2013
-
Ingår i: BMC Public Health. - London : BioMed Central (BMC). - 1471-2458. ; 13
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background The renewed interest in community participation in health research is linked to its potential for bridging gaps between research and practice. Its main attributes are the generation of knowledge that can lead to socially robust, long-lasting solutions and the creation of a colearner relationship between researchers and research users. Following this philosophy, Ecohealth has evolved into a specialized framework for participatory research on the impact of pollution on ecosystems and human health. However, its principles pose considerable challenges. Its outcomes are strongly influenced by contextual factors that are impossible to control for ahead of time.This paper describes how the Ecohealth principles were applied to an epidemiological study of heavy metals exposure among indigenous communities of the Peruvian Amazon. It illustrates how knowledge generated from participatory research does not necessarily imply solving a public health problem. This study aimed to contribute to the understanding of the benefits and barriers of following the basic principles of the Ecohealth approach, and assist researchers working in similar contexts.Research process Based upon their personal experience as participant observers, the authors describe the research process; then, they discuss the most important challenges faced, their implications, and the attempted strategies for resolution.Challenges Challenges were grouped into four themes: (1) building trust; (2) one partnership, many stakeholders, multiple agendas; (3) being a researcher; and (4) communicating complex and unexpected findings.Conclusions Integrating the principles of transdisciplinarity and participation posed a series of challenges to the research process that were difficult, and sometimes impossible to overcome. However, positive outcomes from this experience were the lessons learned by the different actors. Despite the lack of immediate action, it is expected that useful interventions to prevent and control lead exposure in the Corrientes population will be implemented in the medium term.
|
|
| 4. |
- Anticona, Cynthia, et al.
(författare)
-
Lead exposure among children from native communities of the Peruvian Amazon basin
- 2012
-
Ingår i: Revista panamericana de salud pùblica. - 1020-4989 .- 1680-5348. ; 31:4, s. 296-302
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective. To assess potential risk factors associated with elevated blood lead levels (BLLs) among children in two communities from the Corrientes River basin in the Peruvian Amazon. Methods. Children aged 0-17 years were screened for BLLs, hemoglobin levels, and anthropometric measures. Dwelling, family, and child data were collected through a parental questionnaire. Statistical analysis included descriptive and bivariate analysis. Multiple linear and logistic regressions using generalized estimating equations were also conducted to determine associated risk factors. A map of each community was drawn to examine the spatial distribution of BLLs.Results. Of 208 children (88 from 23 households of the Peruanito community and 120 from 28 households of Santa Isabel), 27.4% had BLLs >= 10 mu g/dL. The geometric mean (+/- standard deviation) BLL was 8.7 +/- 4.0 mu g/dL (range 3.0-26.8 mu g/dL). In the total population, linear regression analysis indicated that age was positively associated with BLLs (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that boys had 2.12 times greater odds of having BLLs >= 10 mu g/dL than girls (P < 0.05). Among the children 0-3 years, those whose mothers had BLLs >= 10 mu g/dL had 45.0% higher odds of presenting BLLs >= 10 mu g/dL than children whose mothers had BLLs < 10 mu g/dL (P < 0.05).Conclusions. Older age, male gender, and mothers' BLL >= 10 mu g/dL were the main risk factors for elevated BLLs. The higher risk in boys 7-17 years suggests that exposure could be related to specific activities in this group, such as fishing and hunting. Continuous monitoring of BLLs in the Corrientes River population is recommended.
|
|
| 5. |
- Anticona, Cynthia, et al.
(författare)
-
Lead exposure in indigenous communities of the Amazon basin, Peru
- 2011
-
Ingår i: International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health. - : Elsevier BV. - 1618-131X .- 1438-4639. ; 215:1, s. 59-63
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Since 2006, three studies have reported elevated levels of lead (Pb) among the indigenous population of the Corrientes river, in the Amazon basin of Peru. Due to the large evidence of environmental pollution related to oil exploitation in the area, this activity has been suggested as the source of exposure. This study aimed to evaluate Pb levels in the population and environment of two communities exposed and one community non-exposed to the oil exploitation activity. Blood lead levels (BLL) were determined by the instrument Leadcare. A comparison with the graphite furnace atomic absorption technique was performed in order to validate the Leadcare results. Environmental samples were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. Among 361 capillary samples, the mean BLL was 9.4 mu g/dl). Mean BLL of the communities exposed (n = 171, (x) over bar = 9.5 mu g/dl) and non-exposed (n = 190, (x) over bar = 9.2 mu g/dl) to the oil activity were not significantly different. PI) levels in environmental samples were below the maximum permissible levels. The sources of exposure could not be identified. Elevated levels of Pb in the oil-non-exposed community pointed out at other sources not yet clarified. (C) 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.
|
|
| 6. |
- Anticona, Cynthia, et al.
(författare)
-
Sources and risk factors for lead exposure in indigenous children of the Peruvian Amazon, disentangling connections with oil activity
- 2012
-
Ingår i: International journal of occupational and environmental health. - : Maney Publishing. - 1077-3525 .- 2049-3967. ; 18:4, s. 268-277
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: In the Corrientes river basin, Peruvian Amazon, lead exposure among indigenous communities was first reported in 2006. To address controversy regarding the main source of exposure, this study aimed to identify the sources and risk factors for lead exposure among children from the communities in question, and to clarify the potential relationship with oil activity.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in six communities. Participants were children aged 0–17 years and their mothers. Data collection included blood lead levels (BLLs) and hemoglobin determination, a questionnaire on risk factors and environmental sampling. We used age-stratified multivariate regression models, with generalized estimating equation to account for correlation within households.Results: Twenty-seven percent of the children had BLLs ≧10 μg/dl. Mother's BLLs ≧10 μg/dl, playing and chewing lead scraps, fishing ≧three times/week, and living in highly oil-exposed communities increased the risk of having BLLs ≧10 μg/dl. Lead concentrations in sediment, soil, dust, and fish samples were below reference values.Conclusions: Mother's BLLs ≧10 μg/dl, playing and chewing lead scraps to manufacture fishing sinkers were the most important risk factors for children’s BLLs ≧10 μg/dl. The connection with oil activity appears to be through access to metal lead from the industry's wastes.
|
|
| 7. |
- Anticona Huaynate, Cynthia, 1983-
(författare)
-
Lead exposure in indigenous children of the Peruvian Amazon : seeking the hidden source,venturing into participatory research
- 2012
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Introduction. In 2006, a Peruvian environmental agency reported the presence of elevated blood lead levels (BLLs) in indigenous communities of the Corrientes river basin. This is a territory in the Peruvian Amazon where oil activity has been associated with serious environmental effects, with impact on an ongoing social conflict. This PhD project aimed to determine the lead sources, risk factors and pathways in children of these communities and to suggest control and prevention strategies. Given the arguments attributing the lead source to the oil activity pollution, the second objective was to clarify any potential connection between the two. This project was conducted by a collaborative research partnership with the regional health authorities and the community-based organization. The third objective was to characterize the challenges, facilitating factors and the lessons learned from the research process.Methods. Two epidemiological studies were conducted. Study I (2009) was carried out in three communities and study II (2010) in six communities with different levels of exposure to oil activity. The participants were children 0–17 years old. Data collection included: determination of BLLs, hemoglobin levels and anthropometric indicators, a risk factor questionnaire, an environmental assessment and a risk map. Data analysis included univariate, bivariate and multivariate logistic regression. Data for the third objective came from field notes, documents, interviews and a process of collective reflection.Results. Study I (n= 221) found no significant difference in the geometric mean(GM) BLLs between the communities exposed and not exposed to oil activity. Older age and being a boy were found as risk factors for BLLs ≥ 10 μg/dL. In study II (n= 346), age stratified logistic regression models indicated that children 0–3 years whose mothers had BLLs ≥ 10 μg/dL, children 0–6 years who played with pieces of lead and children 7–17 years who fished 3 times or more per weekor chewed pieces of lead to manufacture fishing sinkers had a significant increased risk of having BLLs ≥ 10 μg/dL. Children who lived in communities near oil battery facilities also had a significant increased risk of having BLLs ≥ 10 μg/dL. In both studies, environmental samples showed lead concentrations below reference levels. The challenges and facilitating factors identified focused on five interrelated themes: i) mutual trust, ii) multiple agendas, iii) equal participation, iv) competing research paradigms and v) complex and unexpected findings.Conclusions. Metal lead appeared to be the main source of exposure. Playing with pieces of lead and chewing pieces of lead to construct fishing sinkers appeared to be pathways of exposure for children aged 0–6 years and 7–17 years, respectively. Mothers’ BLLs > 10 μg/dL was a risk factor for BLLs > 10 μg/dL in children aged 0–3 years. Living in a community with high exposure to oil activity was a risk factor for BLLs > 10 μg/dL. The identified connection with oil activity was the proximity of communities to oil battery facilities and thus greater access to lead from cables and other industrial waste. Despite the numerous challenges, participatory research appears to be the most appropriate approach for this type of context. The study findings led us to recommend:i) a comprehensive community-based lead control and prevention plan,ii) the introduction of substitute non-harmful material(s) for fishing sinkers and iii) secure containment of the oil company’s waste deposits.
|
|
| 8. |
- Bozorgmehr, Kayvan, et al.
(författare)
-
Trade liberalization and tuberculosis incidence : a longitudinal multi-level analysis in 22 high burden countries between 1990 and 2010
- 2014
-
Ingår i: Health Policy and Planning. - : Oxford University Press. - 0268-1080 .- 1460-2237. ; 29:3, s. 328-351
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND Trade liberalization is promoted by the World Trade Organization (WTO) through a complex architecture of binding trade agreements. This type of trade, however, has the potential to modify the upstream and proximate determinants of tuberculosis (TB) infection. We aimed to analyse the association between trade liberalization and TB incidence in 22 high-burden TB countries between 1990 and 2010. METHODS and findings A longitudinal multi-level linear regression analysis was performed using five different measures of trade liberalization as exposure [WTO membership, duration of membership, trade as % of gross domestic product, and components of both the Economic Freedom of the World Index (EFI4) and the KOF Index of Globalization (KOF1)]. We adjusted for a wide range of factors, including differences in human development index (HDI), income inequality, debts, polity patterns, conflict, overcrowding, population stage transition, health system financing, case detection rates and HIV prevalence.None of the five trade indicators was significantly associated with TB incidence in the crude analysis. Any positive effect of EFI4 on (Log-) TB incidence over time was confounded by differences in socio-economic development (HDI), HIV prevalence and health financing indicators. The adjusted TB incidence rate ratio of WTO member countries was significantly higher [RR: 1.60; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.12-2.29] when compared with non-member countries. CONCLUSION We found no association between specific aggregate indicators of trade liberalization and TB incidence. Our analyses provide evidence of a significant association between WTO membership and higher TB incidence, which suggests a possible conflict between the architecture of WTO agreements and TB-related Millennium Development Goals. Further research is needed, particularly on the relation between the aggregate trade indices used in this study and the hypothesized mediators and also on sector-specific indices, specific trade agreements and other (non-TB) health outcomes.
|
|
| 9. |
- Córdoba-Doña, Juan Antonio, et al.
(författare)
-
Economic crisis and suicidal behaviour : the role of unemployment, sex and age in Andalusia, Southern Spain
- 2014
-
Ingår i: International Journal for Equity in Health. - : BioMed Central. - 1475-9276. ; 13
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- INTRODUCTION: Although suicide rates have increased in some European countries in relation to the current economic crisis and austerity policies, that trend has not been observed in Spain. This study examines the impact of the economic crisis on suicide attempts, the previously neglected endpoint of the suicidal process, and its relation to unemployment, age and sex.METHODS: The study was carried out in Andalusia, the most populated region of Spain, and which has a high level of unemployment. Information on suicide attempts attended by emergency services was extracted from the Health Emergencies Public Enterprise Information System (SIEPES). Suicide attempts occurring between 2003 and 2012 were included, in order to cover five years prior to the crisis (2003-2007) and five years after its onset (2008-2012). Information was retrieved from 24,380 cases (11,494 men and 12,886 women) on sex, age, address, and type of attention provided. Age-adjusted suicide attempt rates were calculated. Excess numbers of attempts from 2008 to 2012 were estimated for each sex using historical trends of the five previous years, through time regression models using negative binomial regression analysis. To assess the association between unemployment and suicide attempts rates, linear regression models with fixed effects were performed.RESULTS: A sharp increase in suicide attempt rates in Andalusia was detected after the onset of the crisis, both in men and in women. Adults aged 35 to 54 years were the most affected in both sexes. Suicide attempt rates were associated with unemployment rates in men, accounting for almost half of the cases during the five initial years of the crisis. Women were also affected during the recession period but this association could not be specifically attributed to unemployment.CONCLUSIONS: This study enhances our understanding of the potential effects of the economic crisis on the rapidly increasing suicide attempt rates in women and men, and the association of unemployment with growing suicidal behaviour in men. Research on the suicide effects of the economic crisis may need to take into account earlier stages of the suicidal process, and that this effect may differ by age and sex.
|
|
| 10. |
|
|
| 11. |
- Forouzan, Ameneh S, et al.
(författare)
-
Reliability and validity of a Mental Health System Responsiveness Questionnaire in Iran
- 2014
-
Ingår i: Global Health Action. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1654-9716 .- 1654-9880. ; 7, s. 1-10
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background:The Health System Responsiveness Questionnaire is an instrument designed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2000 to assess the experience of patients when interacting with the health care system. This investigation aimed to adapt a Mental Health System Responsiveness Questionnaire (MHSRQ) based on the WHO concept and evaluate its validity and reliability to the mental health care system in Iran.Design: In accordance with the WHO health system responsiveness questionnaire and the findings of a qualitative study, a Farsi version of the MHSRQ was tailored to suit the mental health system in Iran. This version was tested in a cross-sectional study at nine public mental health clinics in Tehran. A sample of 500 mental health services patients was recruited and subsequently completed the questionnaire. Item missing rate was used to check the feasibility while the reliability of the scale was determined by assessing the Cronbach's alpha and item total correlations. The factor structure of the questionnaire was investigated by performing confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).Results: The results showed a satisfactory feasibility since the item missing value was lower than 5.2%. With the exception of access domain, reliability of different domains of the questionnaire was within a desirable range. The factor loading showed an acceptable unidimentionality of the scale despite the fact that three items related to access did not perform well. The CFA also indicated good fit indices for the model (CFI = 0.99, GFI = 0.97, IFI = 0.99, AGFI = 0.97).Conclusions: In general, the findings suggest that the Farsi version of the MHSRQ is a feasible, reliable, and valid measure of the mental health system responsiveness in Iran. Changes to the questions related to the access domain should be considered in order to improve the psychometric properties of the measure.
|
|
| 12. |
- Forouzan, Ameneh Setareh, et al.
(författare)
-
Service users and providers expectations of mental health care in Iran : a qualitative study
- 2013
-
Ingår i: Iranian Journal of Public Health. - 2251-6085. ; 42:10, s. 1106-1116
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Mental disorders are known to be an important cause of disabilities worldwide. Despite their importance, about two thirds of mentally ill people do not seek treatment, probably because of the mental health system's inability to decrease the negative side effects of the interaction with the mental health services. The World Health Organization has suggested the concept of responsiveness as a way to better understand the active interaction between the health system and the population. This study aimed to explore the expectations of mental health service users and providers.Methods: Six focus group discussions were carried in Tehran, the capital of Iran. In total, seventy-four participants comprising twenty-one health providers and fifty-three users of mental health system were interviewed. Interviews were analyzed through content analysis. The coding was synchronized between the researchers through two discussion sessions to ensure the credibility of the findings. The results were then discussed with two senior researchers to strengthen plausibility.Results: Five common domains among all groups were identified: accessibility, quality of interpersonal relationships, adequate infrastructure, participation in decisions, and continuity of care. The importance of cultural appropriateness of care was only raised by service users as an expectation of an ideal mental health service.Conclusions: Both users and providers identified the most relevant expectations from the mental health care system in Iran. More flexible community mental health services which are responsive to users? experiences may contribute to improving the process of care for mental health patients.
|
|
| 13. |
- Forouzan, Ameneh Setareh, et al.
(författare)
-
Testing the WHO responsiveness concept in the Iranian mental healthcare system : a qualitative study of service users
- 2011
-
Ingår i: BMC Health Services Research. - : BioMed Central. - 1472-6963. ; 11:1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Individuals' experience of interacting with the healthcare system has significant impact on their overall health and well-being. To relate patients' experiences to a common set of standards, the World Health Organization (WHO) developed the concept of health system responsiveness. This study aimed to assess if the WHO responsiveness concept reflected the non-medical expectations of mental healthcare users in Teheran.Methods In this qualitative study, four mixed focus group discussions were formed, comprising 53 mental health service users in Tehran, Iran, in 2010. Content analysis was performed for data analysis. Responses were examined in relation to the eight domains of the WHO's responsiveness model.Results There were many commonalities between the findings of this study and the eight domains of the WHO responsiveness model, although some variations were found. Effective care was a new domain generated from our findings. In addition, the domain of prompt attention was included in two new labelled domains: attention and access to care. Participants could not differentiate autonomy from choice of healthcare provider, believing that free choice is part of autonomy. Therefore these domains were unified under the name of autonomy. The domains of quality of basic amenities, access to social support, dignity and confidentiality were considered to be important for the responsiveness concept. Some differences regarding how these domains should be defined were observed, however.Conclusions The results showed that the concept of responsiveness developed by the WHO is applicable to mental health services in Iran. These findings might help policy-makers' better understanding of what is useful for the improvement of mental health services.
|
|
| 14. |
- Gebrehiwot, Tesfay, et al.
(författare)
-
Health workers' perceptions of facilitators of and barriers to institutional delivery in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia
- 2014
-
Ingår i: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. - : BioMed Central. - 1471-2393 .- 1471-2393. ; 14
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Evidence shows that the three delays, delay in 1) deciding to seek medical care, 2) reaching health facilities and 3) receiving adequate obstetric care, are still contributing to maternal deaths in low-income countries. Ethiopia is a major contributor to the worldwide death toll of mothers with a maternal mortality ratio of 676 per 100,000 live births. The Ethiopian Ministry of Health launched a community-based health-care system in 2003, the Health Extension Programme (HEP), to tackle maternal mortality. Despite strong efforts, universal access to services remains limited, particularly skilled delivery attendance. With the help of 'the three delays' framework, this study explores health-service providers' perceptions of facilitators and barriers to the utilization of institutional delivery in Tigray, a northern region of Ethiopia.Methods: Twelve in-depth interviews were carried out with eight health extension workers (HEWs) and four midwives. Each interview lasted between 90 and 120 minutes. Data were analysed through a thematic analysis approach.Results: Three themes emerged from the analysis: the struggle between tradition and newly acquired knowledge, community willingness to deal with geographical barriers, and striving to do a good job with insufficient resources. These themes represent the three steps in the path towards receiving adequate institutional delivery care at a health facility. Of the themes, 'increased community awareness', 'organization of the community' and 'hospital with specialized staff' were recognized as facilitators. On the other hand, 'delivery as a natural event', 'cultural tradition and rituals', 'inaccessible transport', 'unmet community expectation' and 'shortage of skilled human resources' were represented as barriers to institutional delivery.Conclusions: The participants in this study gave emphasis to the major barriers to institutional delivery that are closely connected with the three delays model. Despite the initiatives being implemented by the Tigray Regional Health Bureau, much is still needed to enhance the humanization approach of delivery care on a broader level of the region. A quick solution is needed to address the major issue of lack of transport accessibility. The poor capacity of the HEWs to provide delivery services, calls for reconsidering staffing patterns of remote health posts and readdressing the issue of downgraded health facilities would address unmet community needs.
|
|
| 15. |
- Gebrehiwot, Tesfay, et al.
(författare)
-
Making pragmatic choices : women's experiences of delivery care in Northern Ethiopia
- 2012
-
Ingår i: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. - : BioMed Central Ltd.. - 1471-2393 .- 1471-2393. ; 12:113
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: In 2003, the Ethiopian Ministry of Health launched the Health Extension Programme (HEP), which was intended to increase access to reproductive health care. Despite enormous effort, utilization of maternal health services remains limited, and the reasons for the low utilization of the services offered through the HEP previously have not been explored in depth.This study explores women's experiences and perceptions regarding delivery care in Tigray, a northern region of Ethiopia, and enables us to make suggestions for better implementation of maternal health care services in this setting.METHODS: We used six focus group discussions with 51 women to explore perceptions and experiences regarding delivery care. The data were analysed by means of grounded theory.RESULTS: One core category emerged, 'making pragmatic choices', which connected the categories 'aiming for safer deliveries', 'embedded in tradition', and 'medical knowledge under constrained circumstances'. In this setting, women -- aiming for safer deliveries -- made choices pragmatically between the two available models of childbirth. On the one hand, choice of home delivery, represented by the category 'embedded in tradition', was related to their faith, the ascendancy of elderly women, the advantages of staying at home and the custom of traditional birth attendants (TBAs). On the other, institutional delivery, represented by the category 'medical knowledge under constrained circumstances', and linked to how women appreciated medical resources and the support of health extension workers (HEWs) but were uncertain about the quality of care, emphasized the barriers to transportation.In Tigray women made choices pragmatically and seemed to not feel any conflict between the two available models, being supported by traditional birth attendants, HEWs and husbands in their decision-making. Representatives of the two models were not as open to collaboration as the women themselves, however.CONCLUSIONS: Although women did not see any conflict between traditional and institutional maternal care, the gap between the models remained and revealed a need to reconcile differing views among the caregivers. The HEP would benefit from an approach that incorporates all the actors involved in maternal care, at institutional, community and family levels alike. Reconsideration is required of the role of TBAs, and a well-designed, community-inclusive, coordinated and feasible referral system should be maintained.
|
|
| 16. |
- Goicolea, Isabel, 1971-, et al.
(författare)
-
Adolescent pregnancies and girls' sexual and reproductive rights in the Amazon Basin of Ecuador : an analysis of providers' and policy makers' discourses
- 2010
-
Ingår i: BMC International Health and Human Rights. - London : BioMed Central. - 1472-698X. ; 10:12
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Adolescent pregnancies are a common phenomenon that can have both positive and negative consequences. The rights framework allows us to explore adolescent pregnancies not just as isolated events, but in relation to girls' sexual and reproductive freedom and their entitlement to a system of health protection that includes both health services and the so called social determinants of health. The aim of this study was to explore policy makers' and service providers' discourses concerning adolescent pregnancies, and discuss the consequences that those discourses have for the exercise of girls' sexual and reproductive rights' in the province of Orellana, located in the amazon basin of Ecuador. Methods: We held six focus-group discussions and eleven in-depth interviews with 41 Orellana's service providers and policy makers. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using discourse analysis, specifically looking for interpretative repertoires. Results: Four interpretative repertoires emerged from the interviews. The first repertoire identified was "sex is not for fun" and reflected a moralistic construction of girls' sexual and reproductive health that emphasized abstinence, and sent contradictory messages regarding contraceptive use. The second repertoire -"gendered sexuality and parenthood"-constructed women as sexually uninterested and responsible mothers, while men were constructed as sexually driven and unreliable. The third repertoire was "professionalizing adolescent pregnancies" and lead to patronizing attitudes towards adolescents and disregard of the importance of non-medical expertise. The final repertoire -"idealization of traditional family"-constructed family as the proper space for the raising of adolescents while at the same time acknowledging that sexual abuse and violence within families was common. Conclusions: Providers' and policy makers' repertoires determined the areas that the array of sexual and reproductive health services should include, leaving out the ones more prone to cause conflict and opposition, such as gender equality, abortion provision and welfare services for pregnant adolescents. Moralistic attitudes and sexism were present - even if divergences were also found-, limiting services' capability to promote girls' sexual and reproductive health and rights.
|
|
| 17. |
- Goicolea, Isabel, et al.
(författare)
-
How do primary health care teams learn to integrate intimate partner violence (IPV) management? A realist evaluation protocol
- 2013
-
Ingår i: Implementation Science. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1748-5908. ; 8, s. 36-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Despite the existence of ample literature dealing, on the one hand, with the integration of innovations within health systems and team learning, and, on the other hand, with different aspects of the detection and management of intimate partner violence (IPV) within healthcare facilities, research that explores how health innovations that go beyond biomedical issues-such as IPV management-get integrated into health systems, and that focuses on healthcare teams' learning processes is, to the best of our knowledge, very scarce if not absent. This realist evaluation protocol aims to ascertain: why, how, and under what circumstances primary healthcare teams engage (if at all) in a learning process to integrate IPV management in their practices; and why, how, and under what circumstances team learning processes lead to the development of organizational culture and values regarding IPV management, and the delivery of IPV management services.METHODS: This study will be conducted in Spain using a multiple-case study design. Data will be collected from selected cases (primary healthcare teams) through different methods: individual and group interviews, routinely collected statistical data, documentary review, and observation. Cases will be purposively selected in order to enable testing the initial middle-range theory (MRT). After in-depth exploration of a limited number of cases, additional cases will be chosen for their ability to contribute to refining the emerging MRT to explain how primary healthcare learn to integrate intimate partner violence management.DISCUSSION: Evaluations of health sector responses to IPV are scarce, and even fewer focus on why, how, and when the healthcare services integrate IPV management. There is a consensus that healthcare professionals and healthcare teams play a key role in this integration, and that training is important in order to realize changes. However, little is known about team learning of IPV management, both in terms of how to trigger such learning and how team learning is connected with changes in organizational culture and values, and in service delivery. This realist evaluation protocol aims to contribute to this knowledge by conducting this project in a country, Spain, where great endeavours have been made towards the integration of IPV management within the health system.
|
|
| 18. |
- Goicolea, Isabel, et al.
(författare)
-
Mechanisms for achieving adolescent-friendly services : a realist evaluation approach
- 2012
-
Ingår i: Global Health Action. - : Co-Action Publishing. - 1654-9716 .- 1654-9880. ; 5, s. 18748-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Despite evidence showing that adolescent-friendly health services (AFSs) increase young people's access to these services, health systems across the world are failing to integrate this approach.In Latin America, policies aimed at strengthening AFS abound. However, such services are offered only in a limited number of sites, and providers' attitudes and respect for confidentiality have not been addressed to a sufficient extent.Methods: The aim of this study was to explore the mechanisms that triggered the transformation of an 'ordinary' health care facility into an AFS in Ecuador. For this purpose, a realist evaluation approach was used in order to analyse three well-functioning AFSs. Information was gathered at the national level and from each of the settings including: (i) statistical information and unpublished reports; (ii) in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with policy makers, health care providers, users and adolescents participating in youth organisations and (iii) observations at the health care facilities. Thematic analysis was carried out, driven by the realist evaluation approach, namely exploring the connections between mechanisms, contexts and outcomes.Results: The results highlighted that the development of the AFSs was mediated by four mechanisms: grounded self-confidence in trying new things, legitimacy, a transformative process and an integral approach to adolescents. Along this process, contextual factors at the national and institutional levels were further explored.Conclusion: The Ministry of Health of Ecuador, based on the New Guidelines for Comprehensive Care of Adolescent Health, has started the scaling up of AFSs. Our research points towards the need to recognise and incorporate these mechanisms as part of the implementation strategy from the very beginning of the process.Although contextually limited to Ecuador, many mechanisms and good practices in these AFS may be relevant to the Latin American setting and elsewhere.
|
|
| 19. |
- Goicolea, Isabel, et al.
(författare)
-
Unintended pregnancy in the amazon basin of Ecuador : a multilevel analysis
- 2010
-
Ingår i: International Journal for Equity in Health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1475-9276. ; 9, s. 14-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study showed the significance of individual factors in increasing the risk of unintended pregnancy, while the role of community factors was found to be negligible. In order for all women to be able to realize their right to reproductive autonomy, there needs to be a diverse range of solutions, with particular attention paid to cultural issues.
|
|
| 20. |
- Gustafsson, Per E., et al.
(författare)
-
Life-course accumulation of neighborhood disadvantage and allostatic load : empirical integration of three social determinants of health frameworks
- 2014
-
Ingår i: American Journal of Public Health. - : American Public Health Association. - 0090-0036 .- 1541-0048. ; 104:5, s. 904-910
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: We examined if the accumulation of neighborhood disadvantages from adolescence to mid-adulthood were related to allostatic load, a measure of cumulative biological risk, in mid-adulthood, and explored whether this association was similar in women and men.METHODS: Data were from the participants in the Northern Swedish Cohort (analytical n = 818) at ages 16, 21, 30, and 43 years in 1981, 1986, 1995, and 2008. Personal living conditions were self-reported at each wave. At age 43 years, 12 biological markers were measured to operationalize allostatic load. Registered data for all residents in the cohort participants' neighborhoods at each wave were used to construct a cumulative measure of neighborhood disadvantage. Associations were examined in ordinary least-squares regression models.RESULTS: We found that cumulative neighborhood disadvantage between ages 16 and 43 years was related to higher allostatic load at age 43 years after adjusting for personal living conditions in the total sample (B = 0.11; P = .004) and in men (B = 0.16; P = .004), but not in women (B = 0.07; P = .248).CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggested that neighborhood disadvantage acted cumulatively over the life course on biological wear and tear, and exemplified the gains of integrating social determinants of health frameworks.
|
|
| 21. |
- Gustafsson, Per E., et al.
(författare)
-
Residential Selection across the Life Course : Adolescent Contextual and Individual Determinants of Neighborhood Disadvantage in Mid-Adulthood
- 2013
-
Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 8:11, s. e80241-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Numerous cross-sectional studies have examined neighborhood effects on health. Residential selection in adulthood has been stressed as an important cause of selection bias but has received little empirical attention, particularly its determinants from the earlier life course. The present study aims to examine whether neighborhood, family, school, health behaviors and health in adolescence are related to socioeconomic disadvantage of one's neighborhood of residence in adulthood. Methods: Based on the prospective Northern Swedish Cohort (analytical N = 971, 90.6% retention rate), information was collected at age 16 years concerning family circumstances, school adjustment, health behaviors and mental and physical health. Neighborhood register data was linked to the cohort and used to operationalize aggregated measures of neighborhood disadvantage (ND) at age 16 and 42. Data was analyzed with linear mixed models, with ND in adulthood regressed on adolescent predictors and neighborhood of residence in adolescence as the level-2 unit. Results: Neighborhood disadvantage in adulthood was clustered by neighborhood of residence in adolescence (ICC = 8.6%). The clustering was completely explained by ND in adolescence. Of the adolescent predictors, ND (b =.14 (95% credible interval =.07-.22)), final school marks (b =-.18 (-.26--.10)), socioeconomic disadvantage (b =.07 (.01-.14)), and, with borderline significance, school peer problems (b =-.07 (-.00-.13)), were independently related to adulthood ND in the final adjusted model. In sex-stratified analyses, the most important predictors were school marks (b =-.21 (-.32--.09)) in women, and neighborhood of residence (ICC = 15.5%) and ND (b =.20 (.09-.31)) in men. Conclusions: These findings show that factors from adolescence - which also may impact on adult health - could influence the neighborhood context in which one will live in adulthood. This indicates that residential selection bias in neighborhood effects on health research may have its sources in early life.
|
|
| 22. |
- Gustafsson, Per E, 1981-, et al.
(författare)
-
When does hardship matter for health? Neighborhood and individual disadvantages and functional somatic symptoms from adolescence to mid-life in the Northern Swedish Cohort.
- 2014
-
Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science. - 1932-6203. ; 9:6, s. e99558-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A large body of research has shown that health is influenced by disadvantaged living conditions, including both personal and neighborhood conditions. Little is however known to what degree the health impact of different forms of disadvantage differ along the life course. The present study aims to examine when, during the life course, neighborhood and individual disadvantages relate to functional somatic symptoms. Participants (n = 992) came from The Northern Swedish Cohort and followed from age 16, 21, 30 until 42 years. Functional somatic symptoms, socioeconomic disadvantage, and social and material adversity were measured through questionnaires and linked to register data on neighborhood disadvantage. Data was analyzed with longitudinal and cross-sectional multilevel models. Results showed that neighborhood disadvantage, social and material adversity and gender all contributed independently to overall levels of symptoms across the life course. Cross-sectional analyses also suggested that the impact of disadvantage differed between life course periods; neighborhood disadvantage was most important in young adulthood, and the relative importance of material versus social adversity increased as participants grew older. In summary, the study suggests that disadvantages from different contextual sources may affect functional somatic health across the life course, but also through life course specific patterns.
|
|
| 23. |
- Hernández, Alison, 1978-
(författare)
-
Enabling the performance of nurses in rural Guatemala : the role of relationships
- 2014
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: Enhancing the performance of front-line health workers serving vulnerable populations is crucial for redressing inequities. Traditional approaches have focused on introducing technical solutions, such as guidelines and incentives, to modify performance outcomes. Recognition of the complex social nature of health system function draws attention to the intangible software elements that shape performance, including the values, ideas, interests, and norms that guide human behavior and interactions. Insight into the operation of software elements can provide a base for people-focused solutions to support health workers and enable them to confront constraints in low resource settings. This study examines the social environment of the practice of front-line auxiliary nurses (AN) in rural Guatemala, in order to understand the role of health system software elements in enabling their performance and to gain insight into how organizational support can be strengthened through locally-relevant actions.Methods: A mixed methods approach provided a multi-level view of the AN practice environment, situated in the regional health system of the rural department of Alta Verapaz. Interviews with ANs and observations of practice were conducted to understand the values orienting them and how these shaped their relationships with patients and communities. A theory-driven case study of AN supervision was conducted in selected health posts to understand the values orienting supervisors in their role and examine how these shaped their relationships with ANs. The participatory method of concept mapping was used to examine the views of health workers, district and regional managers on actions to strengthen organizational support for the performance of ANs.Results: The values of nursing vocation and community connectedness were prominent in ANs’ interpretations of their work. In relationships, nursing principles oriented them to be attentive to understanding patient needs, and a shared ethnic identity and personal experience of local needs served as a base for engaging with local leaders in community work. The dominant orientation of supervisors in their role was managerial control, and it provided limited support. It contributed to standard-centered relationships with ANs focused on fulfillment of ministry criteria. Supervision oriented by a holistic understanding of ANs’ needs and the goal of improving patient care was more successful in enabling AN motivation. This relationship was characterized as people-centered, based in a shared interpretation of the value of work with patients and the responsive support provided to ANs’ problems. “Organizational climate of support across levels”, where working relationships are characterized by respectful treatment, attention to psycho-social well-being and responsiveness to needs, was identified by health-system actors as a top priority for improving performance.Conclusions: To enable performance, there needs to be a balance between attention to standards and attention to the human dimensions of health worker practice. The dominant approach to supervision did not recognize or build on AN values. Supervision and management should be oriented by a more holistic view of the ANs’ work and their needs, in order to promote a people-centered approach to working relationships. Locally relevant action to strengthen district and regional management’s support for AN performance should focus on operationalizing performance goals that go beyond standards to encompass care that responds to patient and community needs.
|
|
| 24. |
- Hernández, Alison R, et al.
(författare)
-
Assessing the technical efficiency of health posts in rural Guatemala : a data envelopment analysis
- 2014
-
Ingår i: Global Health Action. - Umeå : Umeå University, Centre for Global Health Research. - 1654-9716 .- 1654-9880. ; 7, s. 23190-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction : Strengthening health service delivery to the rural poor is an important means of redressing inequities. Meso-level managers can help enhance efficiency in the utilization of existing resources through the application of practical tools to analyze routinely collected data reflecting inputs and outputs. This study aimed to assess the efficiency and change in productivity of health posts over two years in a rural department of Guatemala.Methods : Data envelopment analysis was used to measure health posts' technical efficiency and productivity change for 2008 and 2009. Input/output data were collected from the regional health office of Alta Verapaz for 34 health posts from the 19 districts comprising the health region.Results : Technical efficiency varied widely across health posts, with mean scores of 0.78 (SD=0.24) and 0.75 (SD=0.21) in 2008 and 2009, respectively. Overall, productivity increased by 4%, though 47% of health posts experienced a decline in productivity. Results were combined on a bivariate plot to identify health posts at the high and low extremes of efficiency, which should be followed up to determine how and why their production processes are operating differently.Conclusions : Assessing efficiency using the data that are available at the meso-level can serve as a first step in strengthening performance. Further work is required to support managers in the routine application of efficiency analysis and putting the results to use in guiding efforts to improve service delivery and increase utilization.
|
|
| 25. |
- Hernández, Alison R, et al.
(författare)
-
More than a checklist : a realist evaluation of supervision of mid-level health workers in rural Guatemala
- 2014
-
Ingår i: BMC Health Services Research. - : BioMed Central. - 1472-6963. ; 14:1, s. 112-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Mid-level health workers (MLHWs) form the front-line of service delivery in many low- and middle-income countries. Supervision is a critical institutional intervention linking their work to the health system, and it consists of activities intended to support health workers' motivation and enable them to perform. However its impact depends not only on the frequency of these activities but also how they are carried out and received. This study aims to deepen understanding of the mechanisms through which supervision activities support the performance of auxiliary nurses, a cadre of MLHWs, in rural Guatemala.METHODS: A multiple case study was conducted to examine the operation of supervision of five health posts using a realist evaluation approach. A program theory was formulated describing local understanding of how supervision activities are intended to work. Data was collected through interviews and document review to test the theory. Analysis focused on comparison of activities, outcomes, mechanisms and the influence of context across cases, leading to revision of the program theory.RESULTS: The supervisor's orientation was identified as the main mechanism contributing to variation observed in activities and their outcomes. Managerial control was the dominant orientation, reflecting the influence of standardized performance criteria and institutional culture. Humanized support was present in one case where the auxiliary nurse was motivated by the sense that the full scope of her work was valued. This orientation reflected the supervisor's integration of her professional identity as a nurse.CONCLUSIONS: The nature of the support health workers received was shaped by supervisors' orientation, and in this study, nursing principles were central to humanized support. Efforts to strengthen the support that supervision provides to MLHWs should promote professional ethos as a means of developing shared performance goals and orient supervisors to a more holistic view of the health worker and their work.
|
|
| 26. |
- Hernández, Alison, et al.
(författare)
-
Translating community connectedness to practice : a qualitative study of midlevel health workers in rural Guatemala
- 2012
-
Ingår i: ISRN Nursing. - : Hindawi Limited. - 2090-5483 .- 2090-5491. ; 2012, s. 648769-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background. The performance of midlevel health workers is a critical lever for strengthening health systems and redressing inequalities in underserved areas. Auxiliary nurses form the largest cadre of health workers in Guatemala. In rural settings, they provide essential services to vulnerable communities, and thus have great potential to address priority health needs. This paper examines auxiliary nurses' motivation and satisfaction, and the coping strategies they use to respond to challenges they confront in their practice.Methods. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 14 auxiliary nurses delivering health services in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala.Results. Community connectedness was central to motivation in this rural Guatemalan setting. Participants were from rural communities and conveyed a sense of connection to the people they were serving through shared culture and their own experiences of health needs. Satisfaction was derived through recognition from the community and a sense of valuing their work. Auxiliary nurses described challenges commonly faced in low-resource settings. Findings indicated they were actively confronting these challenges through their own initiative.Conclusions. Strategies to support the performance of midlevel health workers should focus on mechanisms to make training accessible to rural residents, support problem-solving in practice, and emphasize building relationships with communities served.
|
|
| 27. |
- Jat, Tej Ram, et al.
(författare)
-
Factors affecting the use of maternal health services in Madhya Pradesh state of India : a multilevel analysis
- 2011
-
Ingår i: International Journal for Equity in Health. - : BioMed Central. - 1475-9276. ; 10:1, s. 59-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Improving maternal health is one of the eight Millennium Development Goals. It is widely accepted that the use of maternal health services helps in reducing maternal morbidity and mortality. The utilization of maternal health services is a complex phenomenon and it is influenced by several factors. Therefore, the factors at different levels affecting the use of these services need to be clearly understood. The objective of this study was to estimate the effects of individual, community and district level characteristics on the utilisation of maternal health services with special reference to antenatal care (ANC), skilled attendance at delivery and postnatal care (PNC).Methods This study was designed as a cross sectional study. Data from 15,782 ever married women aged 15-49 years residing in Madhya Pradesh state of India who participated in the District Level Household and Facility Survey (DLHS-3) 2007-08 were used for this study. Multilevel logistic regression analysis was performed accounting for individual, community and district level factors associated with the use of maternal health care services. Type of residence at community level and ratio of primary health center to population and percent of tribal population in the district were included as district level variables in this study.Results The results of this study showed that 61.7% of the respondents used ANC at least once during their most recent pregnancy whereas only 37.4% women received PNC within two weeks of delivery. In the last delivery, 49.8% mothers were assisted by skilled personnel. There was considerable amount of variation in the use of maternal health services at community and district levels. About 40% and 14% of the total variance in the use of ANC, 29% and 8% of the total variance in the use of skilled attendance at delivery and 28% and 8.5% of the total variance in the use of PNC was attributable to differences across communities and districts, respectively. When controlled for individual, community and district level factors, the variances in the use of skilled attendance at delivery attributed to the differences across communities and districts were reduced to 15% and 4.3% respectively. There were only marginal reductions observed in the variance at community and district level for ANC and PNC use. The household socio-economic status and mother's education were the most important factors associated with the use of ANC and skilled attendance at delivery. The community level variable was only significant for ANC and skilled attendance at delivery but not for PNC. None of the district level variables used in this study were found to be influential factors for the use of maternal health services.Conclusions We found sufficient amount of variations at community and district of residence on each of the three indicators of the use of maternal health services. For increasing the utilisation of these services in the state, in addition to individual-level, there is a strong need to identify and focus on community and district-level interventions.
|
|
| 28. |
- Jat, Tej Ram, et al.
(författare)
-
Technical efficiency of public district hospitals in Madhya Pradesh, India : a data envelopment analysis
- 2013
-
Ingår i: Global Health Action. - : CoAction Publishing. - 1654-9716 .- 1654-9880. ; 6
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Scarcity of resources for healthcare is a well-acknowledged problem. In this context, efficient utilization of existing financial and human resources becomes crucial for strengthening the healthcare delivery. The assessment of efficiency of health facilities can guide decision makers in ensuring the optimum utilization of available resources.Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the technical efficiency (TE) of the public district hospitals in Madhya Pradesh, India, with special emphasis on maternal healthcare services, using data envelopment analysis (DEA).Methods: Data from 40 district hospitals from January to December 2010 were collected from the health management information system and other records of the department of health and family welfare of the state. DEA was performed with input orientation and variable returns to scale assumption.Results: TE and scale efficiency scores of the district hospitals were 0.90 (SD = 0.14) and 0.88 (SD = 0.15), respectively. Of the total district hospitals in the study, 20 (50%) were technically efficient constituting the 'best practice frontier'. The other half were technically inefficient, with an average TE score of 0.79 (SD = 0.12) meaning that these hospitals could produce the same outputs by using 21% less inputs from current input levels. Twenty-six (65%) district hospitals were found to be scale inefficient, manifesting a mean score of 0.81 (SD = 0.16).Conclusions: Half of the district hospitals in the study were operating inefficiently. Decision makers and administrators in the state should identify the causes of the observed inefficiencies and take appropriate measures to increase efficiency of these hospitals.
|
|
| 29. |
- Jat, Tej Ram, et al.
(författare)
-
The emergence of maternal health as a political priority in Madhya Pradesh, India : a qualitative study
- 2013
-
Ingår i: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. - : Springer. - 1471-2393 .- 1471-2393. ; 13, s. 181-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Politics plays a critical role in agenda setting in health affairs; therefore, understanding the priorities of the political agenda in health is very important. The political priority for safe motherhood has been investigated at the national level in different countries. The objective of this study was to explore why and how maternal health became a political priority at sub-national level in the state of Madhya Pradesh in India.Methods: This study followed a qualitative design. Data were collected by carrying out interviews and review of documents. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with twenty respondents from four stakeholder groups: government officials, development partners, civil society and academics. Data analysis was performed using thematic analysis. The analysis was guided by Kingdon's multiple streams model.Results: The emergence of maternal health as a political priority in Madhya Pradesh was the result of convergence in the developments in different streams: the development of problem definition, policy generation and political change. The factors which influenced this process were: emerging evidence of the high magnitude of maternal mortality, civil society's positioning of maternal mortality as a human rights violation, increasing media coverage, supportive policy environment and launch of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), the availability of effective policy solutions, India's aspiration of global leadership, international influence, maternal mortality becoming a hot debate topic and political transition at the national and state levels. Most of these factors first became important at national level which then cascaded to the state level. Currently, there is a supportive policy environment in the state for maternal health backed by greater political will and increased resources. However, malnutrition and population stabilization are the competing priorities which may push maternal health off the agenda.Conclusions: The influence of the events and factors evolving from international and national levels significantly contributed to the development of maternal health as a priority in Madhya Pradesh. This led to several opportunities in terms of policies, guidelines and programmes for improving maternal health. These efforts were successful to some extent in improving maternal health in the state but several implementation challenges still require special attention.
|
|
| 30. |
- Lemma, Hailemariam, et al.
(författare)
-
Adherence to a six-dose regimen of artemether-lumefantrine among uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum patients in the Tigray Region, Ethiopia
- 2011
-
Ingår i: Malaria Journal. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1475-2875. ; 10, s. 349-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: In 2004, Ethiopia switched its first-line treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria from sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine to a fixed artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT), artemether-lumefantrine (AL). Patient adherence to AL regimen is a major determining factor to achieve the desired therapeutic outcome. The aim of this study was to measure patient adherence levels to the six-dose AL regimen for the treatment of uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria and to identify its determinant factors in rural areas of the Tigray region, EthiopiaMETHODS: The study was conducted under routine health service delivery at health posts level. Patients/caregivers were not informed about their home visit and were traced on the day after they finished the AL regimen. By combining the response to a structured questionnaire and the tablet count from the blister, adherence level was classified into three categories: definitely non-adherent, probably non-adherent and probably adherent. Reasons for being definitely non-adherent were also assessed. For the purpose of examine risk factors, definitely non-adherent and probably non-adherent was merged into a non-adherent group. Variables found significantly associated (p < 0.05) with the adherence level on the univariate analysis were fitted into a multivariate logistic regression model.RESULTS: Out of the total initially enrolled 180 patients, 86.1% completed the follow-up. Out of these, 38.7% were classified as probably adherent, 34.8% as probably non-adherent, and 26.5% were definitely non-adherent. The most common reasons that definitely non-adherents gave for not taking the full dose were "too many tablets" (37.3%) and to "felt better before finished the treatment course" (25.5%). The adherence of the patients was associated with the ownership of a radio (adjusted odd ratio, AOR: 3.8; 95% CI: 1.66-8.75), the belief that malaria can be treated traditionally (AOR: 0.09; 95% CI: 0.01-0.78) and a delay of more than one day in seeking treatment after the onset of fever (AOR: 5.39; 95% CI: 1.83-15.88).CONCLUSION: The very low adherence to AL found in this study raises serious concerns for the malaria control in the region. The implementation of a monitoring adherence system is essential to ensure long-term treatment efficacy.
|
|
| 31. |
- Lemma, Hailemariam, et al.
(författare)
-
Cost-effectiveness of three malaria treatment strategies in rural Tigray, Ethiopia where both Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax co-dominate
- 2011
-
Ingår i: Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation. - : BioMed Central (BMC). - 1478-7547. ; 9, s. 2-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Malaria transmission in Ethiopia is unstable and the disease is a major public health problem. Both, p.falciparum (60%) and p.vivax (40%) co-dominantly exist. The national guideline recommends three different diagnosis and treatment strategies at health post level: i) the use of a p.falciparum/vivax specific RDT as diagnosis tool and to treat with artemether-lumefantrine (AL), chloroquine (CQ) or referral if the patient was diagnosed with p.falciparum, p.vivax or no malaria, respectively (parascreen pan/pf based strategy); ii) the use of a p.falciparum specific RDT and AL for p.falciparum cases and CQ for the rest (paracheck pf based strategy); and iii) the use of AL for all cases diagnosed presumptively as malaria (presumptive based strategy). This study aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of the recommended three diagnosis and treatment strategies in the Tigray region of Ethiopia.METHODS: The study was conducted under a routine health service delivery following the national malaria diagnosis and treatment guideline. Every suspected malaria case, who presented to a health extension worker either at a village or health post, was included. Costing, from the provider's perspective, only included diagnosis and antimalarial drugs. Effectiveness was measured by the number of correctly treated cases (CTC) and average and incremental cost-effectiveness calculated. One-way and two-way sensitivity analyses were conducted for selected parameters.RESULTS: In total 2,422 subjects and 35 health posts were enrolled in the study. The average cost-effectiveness ratio showed that the parascreen pan/pf based strategy was more cost-effective (US$1.69/CTC) than both the paracheck pf (US$4.66/CTC) and the presumptive (US$11.08/CTC) based strategies. The incremental cost for the parascreen pan/pf based strategy was US$0.59/CTC to manage 65% more cases. The sensitivity analysis also confirmed parascreen pan/pf based strategy as the most cost-effective.CONCLUSION: This study showed that the parascreen pan/pf based strategy should be the preferred option to be used at health post level in rural Tigray. This finding is relevant nationwide as the entire country's malaria epidemiology is similar to the study area.
|
|
| 32. |
- Lemma, Hailemariam, 1966-
(författare)
-
Improving efficiency, access to and quality of the rural health extension programme in Tigray, Ethiopia : the case of malaria diagnosis and treatment
- 2012
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Introduction: Ensuring universal access to primary health care (PHC) is a key component of the Ethiopian nationalhealth policy. The policy also emphasises promoting and enhancing national self-reliance in health development bymobilizing and efficiently utilizing resources including community participation. To this end, the government introducedthe accelerated expansion of the PHC strategy through a comprehensive health extension programme (HEP). HEP is afamily and community-based health care delivery system institutionalised at health post level which combines carefullyselected high impact promotive, preventive and basic curative interventions. All HEP interventions are promotive and preventive except the malaria intervention which, in addition, incorporates a curative service. In the country, malaria is a leading disease. Unlike most Sub-Saharan African countries where P. falciparum accounts for almost all malaria infections, in Ethiopia both P. falciparum and P. vivax are co-dominant. Considering this peculiar epidemiological nature, the national guideline recommends alternative diagnosis and treatment strategies. Rationale: The lack of adequate resources and the efficiency with which available resources are being utilised are the main challenges in any health care setting. Therefore, if the HEP which consumes consideral amount of resource desires to reach its intended goal, monitoring and improving its efficiency is of great public heath importance. HEP has been successful in improving access to PHC including the malaria diagnosis and treatment service. Though this is a crucial measure, its quality ought to be considered. For the malaria curative service, studying the cost-effectiveness of the available strategy and patients’ adherence to the treatment regimen can be considered as proxy measures of quality for which local evidence is lacking. However, none of the existing studies in this field of research has addressed the Ethiopian malaria epidemiological context and its diagnosis and treatment guideline. In Tigray, for more than two decades, access to malaria early diagnosis and prompt treatment was facilitated by volunteer community healthworkers (CHWs). However, with the introduction of artemether-lumefantrine (AL) the service was compromised mainly for reasons of cost, safety and logistic. Therefore, it was important to explore the feasibility and the impact of community deployment of AL with rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs). The aim: to explore the overall performance of HEP and particularly the access to and quality of malaria early diagnosis and prompt treatment in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. Methods: Different study designs and populations were used for each of the four specific objectives. Data envelop analysis (DEA) was applied to assess the HEP efficiency. For this, register data for the output variables and primary data for the input and the environmental factors were collected. A health provider perspective cost-effectiveness analysis was used to determine which among the currently available diagnostic and treatment strategies is best for the country. Effectiveness data were generated from a stratified cross-sectional survey and secondary data were used to calculate the cost. For measuring adherence to the six-dose AL regimen, an assessment questionnaire and pill count was employed at patients´ home. To determine whether deploying AL with RDT at community level was feasible and effective, a number of designs were used: longitudinal follow-up, cross-sectional surveys, cost analysis, verbal autopsyquestionnaires and focal group discussions. Main findings: More than three-quarters of the health posts were found to be technically inefficient with an average score of 42%, which implies potentially they could improve their efficiency by 58%. Scale of operation was not a cause of inefficiency. None of the considered environmental factors was associated with efficiency. The Parascreen-based strategy (multispecies RDT-BS) was found to be the most cost-effective strategy, which allowed treating correctly an additional 65% of patients with less cost than the paracheck-BS. Presumptive-BS was highly dominated. Among P.falciparum positive patients to whom AL was prescribed, more than a quarter did not finish their treatment. The main reasons for interrupting the dose were ‘too many tablets’ and ‘felt better before finishing the dose’. The ownership of aradio, the belief that malaria cannot be treated traditionally and a delay of more than one day in seeking treatment after the onset of fever were significantly associated with being adherent. Deploying AL with RDT at community level was demonstrated to be effective and feasible. In the intervention district, almost 60% of suspected cases were managed by CHWs. Malaria transmission was lower at least threefold and malaria mortality risk by around 40% compared to the control district. The use of RDTs reduced cost and possibly the risk of drug resistance development. Conclusion: Though improving access to health care is important, it should be considered a means, not an end. Themore accessible a system is the more people could utilise it to improve their health. Thus, ensuring the access obtainedthrough HEP is maintained, its quality is improved and efficiently utilised to its optimal productivity level is a necessarytask. The DEA study revealed a high level of inefficiency where majority of the health posts needed improvement.This thesis also found parascreen-BS to be the most cost-effective strategy and that there is no epidemiological andeconomical contextual justification to keep both, the presumptive-BS and the RDT-BS specific only to P.falciparum.The high poor adherence levels raises great concern as it leads to recurrent malaria attacks of the patient, speed upthe development and spread of drug resistance strains and reduces the effect of the drug on the transmission. Therefore,providing effective drug alone is not sufficient; assessing and monitoring adherence to the treatment is by faressential. Deployment of AL with RDT through a community-based service has shown an enormous impact in termsof cost, transmission, morbidity and mortality. However, it is worth noting that this results came from an area wherea community-based service has been involved in the PHC system for more than three decades.
|
|
| 33. |
- Lusey, Hendrew, et al.
(författare)
-
Conflicting discourses of church youths on masculinity and sexuality in the context of HIV in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
- 2014
-
Ingår i: SAHARA-J. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1729-0376 .- 1813-4424. ; 11:1, s. 84-93
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Masculinity studies are fairly new and young churchgoers are an under-researched group in the current Congolese church context. In response to this knowledge gap, this paper attempts to explore discourses of young churchgoers from deprived areas of Kinshasa regarding masculinity and sexuality in the era of HIV. A series of 16 semi-structured interviews were conducted with unmarried young churchgoers from the Salvation Army, Protestant and Revival churches. The interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using discourse analysis. Five main discourses emerged: 'we are aware of the church message on sex', 'young men need sex', 'young women need money', 'to use or not to use condoms' and 'we trust in the church message'. Although all informants knew and heard church messages against premarital sex, many of them were sexually active. The perception was that young men were engaged in sexual activities with multiple partners as a result of sexual motivations surrounding masculinity and sexual potency, while young women sought multiple partners through transactional and intergenerational sex for economic reasons. These sexual practices of young people conflicted with church messages on sexual abstinence and faithfulness. However, a small number of participants challenged current gender norms and suggested alternative ways of being a man or a woman. To elucidate these alternatives, we suggest that church youths and church leaders might take concrete actions to deconstruct misconceptions about being men. In this way, they can possibly enhance a frank and fruitful dialogue on sex, sexuality and gender to promote positive masculinities and constructive partnerships to prevent HIV.
|
|
| 34. |
- Maluka, Stephen, 1978-, et al.
(författare)
-
Implementing accountability for reasonableness framework at district level in Tanzania : a realist evaluation
- 2011
-
Ingår i: Implementation Science. - : BioMed Central. - 1748-5908. ; 6, s. Article nr 11-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Despite the growing importance of the Accountability for Reasonableness (A4R) framework in priority setting worldwide, there is still an inadequate understanding of the processes and mechanisms underlying its influence on legitimacy and fairness, as conceived and reflected in service management processes and outcomes. As a result, the ability to draw scientifically sound lessons for the application of the framework to services and interventions is limited. This paper evaluates the experiences of implementing the A4R approach in Mbarali District, Tanzania, in order to find out how the innovation was shaped, enabled, and constrained by the interaction between contexts, mechanisms and outcomes.Methods: This study draws on the principles of realist evaluation - a largely qualitative approach, chiefly concerned with testing and refining programme theories by exploring the complex interactions of contexts, mechanisms, and outcomes. Mixed methods were used in data collection, including individual interviews, non-participant observation, and document reviews. A thematic framework approach was adopted for the data analysis.Results: The study found that while the A4R approach to priority setting was helpful in strengthening transparency, accountability, stakeholder engagement, and fairness, the efforts at integrating it into the current district health system were challenging. Participatory structures under the decentralisation framework, central government's call for partnership in district-level planning and priority setting, perceived needs of stakeholders, as well as active engagement between researchers and decision makers all facilitated the adoption and implementation of the innovation. In contrast, however, limited local autonomy, low level of public awareness, unreliable and untimely funding, inadequate accountability mechanisms, and limited local resources were the major contextual factors that hampered the full implementation.Conclusion: This study documents an important first step in the effort to introduce the ethical framework A4R into district planning processes. This study supports the idea that a greater involvement and accountability among local actors through the A4R process may increase the legitimacy and fairness of priority-setting decisions. Support from researchers in providing a broader and more detailed analysis of health system elements, and the socio-cultural context, could lead to better prediction of the effects of the innovation and pinpoint stakeholders' concerns, thereby illuminating areas that require special attention to promote sustainability.
|
|
| 35. |
- Maluka, Stephen, 1978-, et al.
(författare)
-
Improving district level health planning and priority setting in Tanzania through implementing accountability for reasonableness framework : perceptions of stakeholders
- 2010
-
Ingår i: BMC Health Services Research. - : BioMed Central. - 1472-6963. ; 10, s. Article nr 322-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: In 2006, researchers and decision-makers launched a five year project, Response to Accountable Priority Setting for Trust in Health Systems (REACT) to improve planning and priority setting through implementing the Accountability for Reasonableness framework in Mbarali District in Tanzania. The objective of this paper is to explore the acceptability of Accountability for Reasonableness from perspectives of the Council Health Management Team, local government officials, health workforce and members of user boards and committees.METHODS: Individual interviews were carried out with different categories of actors and stakeholders in the district. The interview guide consisted of a series of questions asking respondents to describe their perceptions regarding the applicability and feasibility of each condition of the Accountability for Reasonableness framework to priority setting. Interviews were analysed using thematic framework analysis. Documentary data was used to support, verify and highlight key issues that emerged.RESULTS: Almost all stakeholders viewed Accountability for Reasonableness as an important and feasible approach for improving priority setting and health service delivery in their context. However, a few aspects of the Accountability for Reasonableness framework were seen as difficult to implement given the socio-political conditions and traditions in Tanzania. Respondents mentioned budget ceilings and guidelines, low level of public awareness, unreliable and untimely funding as well as limited capacity of the district to generate local resources as the major contextual factors that hamper the full implementation of the framework in their context.CONCLUSION: This study was one of the first assessments of the applicability of Accountability for Reasonableness in health care priority setting in Tanzania. The analysis, overall, suggests that the Accountability for Reasonableness framework could be an important tool for improving priority-setting process in the contexts of resource poor settings. However, the full implementation of Accountability for Reasonableness framework would require a proper capacity-building plan to all relevant stakeholders, particularly members of the community since public accountability is the ultimate aim, and it is the public that will live with the consequences of priority setting decisions.
|
|
| 36. |
- Maluka, Stephen Oswald, 1978-, et al.
(författare)
-
Decentralization and health care prioritization process in Tanzania : from national rhetoric to local reality
- 2011
-
Ingår i: International Journal of Health Planning and Management. - : Wiley. - 0749-6753 .- 1099-1751. ; 26:2, s. e102-e120
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- During the 1990s, Tanzania like many other developing countries adopted health sector reforms. The most common policy change under the health sector reforms has been decentralization, which involves the transfer of power and authority from the central level to local authorities. Based on the case study of Mbarali district in Tanzania, this paper uses a policy analysis approach to analyse the implementation of decentralized health care priority setting. Specifically, the paper examines the process, actors and contextual factors shaping decentralized health care priority setting processes. The analysis and conclusion are based on a review of documents, key informant interviews, focus group discussion, and notes from non-participant observation. The findings of the study indicate that local institutional contexts and power asymmetries among actors have a greater influence on the prioritization process at the local level than expected and intended. The paper underlines the essentially political character of the decentralization process and reiterates the need for policy analysts to pay attention to processes, institutional contexts, and the role of policy actors in shaping the implementation of the decentralization process at the district level. Copyright (c) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
|
|
| 37. |
- Maluka, Stephen, 1978-
(författare)
-
Strengthening fairness, transparency and accountability in health care priority setting at district level in Tanzania : opportunities, challenges and the way forward
- 2011
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background During the 1990s, Tanzania, like many other developing countries, adopted health sector reforms. The most common policy change under health sector reforms has been decentralisation, which involves the transfer of power and authority from the central levels to the local governments. However, while decentralisation of health care planning and priority-setting in Tanzania gained currency in the last decade, its performance has, so far, been less than satisfactory. In a five-year EU-supported project, which started in 2006, ways of strengthening fairness and accountability in priority-setting in district health management were studied through action research. As part of this overall project, this doctoral thesis aims to analyse the existing health care organisation and management systems, and explore the potential and challenges of implementing Accountability for Reasonableness approach to priority setting in Tanzania. Methods A qualitative case study in Mbarali district formed the basis of exploring the socio-political and institutional contexts within which health care decision-making takes place. The thesis also explores how the Accountability for Reasonableness intervention was shaped, enabled and constrained by the interaction between the contexts and mechanisms. Key informant interviews were conducted with the Council Health Management Team, local government officials, and other stakeholders, using a semi-structured interview guide. Relevant documents were also gathered and group priority-setting processes in the district were observed. Main findings The study revealed that, despite the obvious national rhetoric on decentralisation, actual practice in the district involved little community participation. The findings showed that decentralisation, in whatever form, does not automatically provide space for community engagement. The assumption that devolution to local government promotes transparency, accountability and community participation, is far from reality. In addition, the thesis found that while the Accountability for Reasonableness approach to priority setting was perceived to be helpful in strengthening transparency, accountability, stakeholder engagement and fairness, integrating the innovation into the current district health system was challenging. Conclusion This thesis underscores the idea that greater involvement and accountability among local actors may increase the legitimacy and fairness of priority-setting decisions. A broader and more detailed analysis of health system elements, and socio-cultural context, can lead to better prediction of the effects of the innovation, pinpoint stakeholders’ concerns, and thereby illuminate areas requiring special attention in fostering sustainability. Additionally, the thesis stresses the need to recognise and deal with power asymmetries among various actors in priority-setting contexts.
|
|
| 38. |
- Mosquera Mendez, Paola A, et al.
(författare)
-
Challenges of implementing a primary health care strategy in a context of a market-oriented health care system : the experience of Bogota, Colombia
- 2014
-
Ingår i: International Journal of Health Planning and Management. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 0749-6753 .- 1099-1751. ; 29:4, s. E347-E367
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Although Colombia has a health system based on market and neoliberal principles, in 2004, the government of the capital-Bogota-took the decision to formulate a health policy that included the implementation of a comprehensive primary health care (PHC) strategy. This study aims to identify the enablers and barriers to the PHC implementation in Bogota. METHODS: The study used a qualitative multiple case study methodology. Seven Bogota's localities were included. Eighteen semi-structured interviews with key informants (decision-makers at each locality and members of the District Health Secretariat) and fourteen FGDs (one focus group with staff members and one with community members) were carried out. Data were analysed using a thematic analysis approach. RESULTS: The main enablers found across the district and local levels showed a similar pattern, all were related to the good will and commitment of actors at different levels. Barriers included the approach of the national policies and a health system based on neoliberal principles, the lack of a stable funding source, the confusing and rigid guidelines, the high turnover of human resources, the lack of competencies among health workers regarding family focus and community orientation, and the limited involvement of institutions outside the health sector in generating intersectoral responses and promoting community participation. CONCLUSION: Significant efforts are required to overcome the market approach of the national health system. Interventions must be designed to include well-trained and motivated human resources, as well as to establish available and stable financial resources for the PHC strategy.
|
|
| 39. |
- Mosquera Méndez, Paola Andrea, 1979-
(författare)
-
Evaluation of a primary health care strategy implemented in a market-oriented health system : the case of Bogota, Colombia.
- 2014
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Introduction: Despite Colombia having adopted a health system based on an insurance market, Bogota in 2004, as part of a left-wing government (elected for first time in the city), decided to implement a Primary Health Care (PHC) strategy to improve quality of life, level of population health and reduce health inequities. The PHC strategy has been implemented through the HomeHealth program by three consecutive governments over the last eight years in the context of continuous political tension stemming from differences between national and district health policies.This thesis is an attempt to provide a better understanding of the overall experience of implementing a PHC strategy in the context of a market-oriented health care system. The research aimed to evaluate results of the PHC strategy through the intervention of the Home Health program and to identify factors that have enabled or limited the on-going PHC implementation process in Bogota.Methods: This study used a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. A descriptive analysis was performed to assess direct results of the PHC strategy in terms of progress in the Home Health program coverage and increases in health personnel ratios reaching out to poor and vulnerable groups in Bogota. A cross sectional analysis was carried out to evaluate qualities of the delivery of PHC services through the attainment of PHC essential dimensions in the network of first-level public health care facilities. An ecological analysis was performed to estimate the contribution of the PHC strategy, through the Home Health program, to improve child health outcomes and to reduce health inequalities. A qualitative multiple case study was conducted to identify contextual factors that have enabled or limited the on-going PHC implementation process in Bogota.Results: The descriptive analysis showed a notable initial increase and rapid expansion in the development of the PHC strategy between 2004 and 2007, followed by a period of slower growth and stagnation between 2007 and 2010. The cross-sectional analysis suggested that the Home Health program could be helping to improve the performance of first-level public health care facilities. Ratings assigned to PHC dimensions by different participants pointed out the need to strengthen family focus, community orientation, financial resources distribution, and accessibility. The ecological analysis showed that localities with high PHC coverage had a lower risk of under-five mortality, infant mortality and acute malnutrition as well as a higher probability of being vaccinated than low PHC coverage localities. The belonging to a high-coverage locality was significantly associated with risk reductions of under-five mortality (13.8%) and infant mortality by pneumonia (37.5%) as well as increases in the probability of being vaccinated for DPT (4.9%). Concentration curves and concentration indices indicated inequality reductions in all child indicators betwen 2003 and 2007. In 2007 (period after implementation), the PHC strategy was associated with a reduction in the effect of the inequality that affected disadvantaged localities in under-five mortality (24%), infant mortality rate (19%), acute malnutrition (7%) and DPT vaccination coverage (20%). The main facilitators of the results achieved so far by the PHC strategy were all related to the commitment and good will of actors at different levels. Longterm political commitment, support by local mayors and hospital managers, organized communities historically active in the process of social participation, as well as extramural work carried out by community health workers and health care teams were highly valued. Barriers to the implementation included the structure of the national health system itself, lack of a stable funding source, unsatisfactory working conditions, lack of competencies among health workers regarding family focus and community orientation, and limited involvement of institutions outside the health sector in generating intersectoral responses and promoting community participation.Conclusion: Despite adverse contextual conditions and limitations imposed by the Colombian health system itself, Bogota’s initiative of a PHC strategy has helped to improve the performance of first-level public health care facilities in the essential dimensions of PHC and has also contributed to improvement of child health outcomes and reduction of health inequalities associated with socioeconomic and living conditions. Significant efforts are required to overcome the market approach of the national health system. Structural changes to social policies at the national and district level are needed if the PHC strategy is expected to achieve its full potential. Specific interventions must be designed to have well-trained and motivated human resources, as well as to establish available and stable financial resources for the PHC strategy.
|
|
| 40. |
- Mosquera Mendéz, Paola A, et al.
(författare)
-
Performance evaluation of the essential dimensions of the primary health care services in six localities of Bogota-Colombia : a cross-sectional study
- 2013
-
Ingår i: BMC Health Services Research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1472-6963. ; 13, s. 315-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The high segmentation and fragmentation in the provision of services are some of the main problems of the Colombian health system. In 2004 the district government of Bogota decided to implement a Primary Health Care (PHC) strategy through the Home Health program. PHC was conceived as a model for transforming health care delivery within the network of the first-level public health care facilities. This study aims to evaluate the performance of the essential dimensions of the PHC strategy in six localities geographically distributed throughout Bogota city.Methods: The rapid assessment tool to measure PHC performance, validated in Brazil, was applied. The perception of participants (users, professionals, health managers) in public health facilities where the Home Health program was implemented was compared with the perception of participants in private health facilities not implementing the program. A global performance index and specific indices for each primary care dimension were calculated. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine possible associations between the performance of the PHC dimensions and the self-perceived health status of users.Results: The global performance index was rated as good for all participants interviewed. In general, with the exception of professionals, the differences in most of the essential dimensions seemed to favor public health care facilities where the Home Health program was implemented. The weakest dimensions were the family focus and community orientation-rated as critical by users; the distribution of financial resources-rated as critical by health managers; and, accessibility-rated as intermediate by users.Conclusions: The overall findings suggest that the Home Health program could be improving the performance of the network of the first-level public health care facilities in some PHC essential dimensions, but significant efforts to achieve its objectives and raise its visibility in the community are required.
|
|
| 41. |
- Mosquera Mendez, Paola A., et al.
(författare)
-
Primary health care contribution to improve health outcomes in Bogota-Colombia : a longitudinal ecological analysis
- 2012
-
Ingår i: BMC Family Practice. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2296. ; 13
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Colombia has a highly segmented and fragmented national health system that contributes to inequitable health outcomes. In 2004 the district government of Bogota initiated a Primary Health Care (PHC) strategy to improve health care access and population health status. This study aims to analyse the contribution of the PHC strategy to the improvement of health outcomes controlling for socioeconomic variables.Methods: A longitudinal ecological analysis using data from secondary sources was carried out. The analysis used data from 2003 and 2007 (one year before and 3 years after the PHC implementation). A Primary Health Care Index (PHCI) of coverage intensity was constructed. According to the PHCI, localities were classified into two groups: high and low coverage. A multivariate analysis using a Poisson regression model for each year separately and a Panel Poisson regression model to assess changes between the groups over the years was developed. Dependent variables were infant mortality rate, under-5 mortality rate, infant mortality rate due to acute diarrheal disease and pneumonia, prevalence of acute malnutrition, vaccination coverage for diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus (DPT) and prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding. The independent variable was the PHCI. Control variables were sewerage coverage, health system insurance coverage and quality of life index.Results: The high PHCI localities as compared with the low PHCI localities showed significant risk reductions of under-5 mortality (13.8%) and infant mortality due to pneumonia (37.5%) between 2003 and 2007. The probability of being vaccinated for DPT also showed a significant increase of 4.9%. The risk of infant mortality and of acute malnutrition in children under-5 years was lesser in the high coverage group than in the low one; however relative changes were not statistically significant.Conclusions: Despite the adverse contextual conditions and the limitations imposed by the Colombian health system itself, Bogota's initiative of a PHC strategy has successfully contributed to the improvement of some health outcomes.
|
|
| 42. |
- Mosquera Mendez, Paola A, et al.
(författare)
-
The impact of primary healthcare in reducing inequalities in child health outcomes, Bogota, Colombia : an ecological analysis
- 2012
-
Ingår i: International Journal for Equity in Health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1475-9276. ; 11
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Colombia is one of the countries with the widest levels of socioeconomic and health inequalities. Bogota, its capital, faces serious problems of poverty, social disparities and access to health services. A Primary Health Care (PHC) strategy was implemented in 2004 to improve health care and to address the social determinants of such inequalities. This study aimed to evaluate the contribution of the PHC strategy to reducing inequalities in child health outcomes in Bogota.Methods: An ecological analysis with localities as the unit of analysis was carried out. The variable used to capture the socioeconomic status and living standards was the Quality of Life Index (QLI). Concentration curves and concentration indices for four child health outcomes (infant mortality rate (IMR), under-5 mortality rate, prevalence of acute malnutrition in children under-5, and vaccination coverage for diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus) were calculated to measure socioeconomic inequality. Two periods were used to describe possible changes in the magnitude of the inequalities related with the PHC implementation (2003 year before - 2007 year after implementation). The contribution of the PHC intervention was computed by a decomposition analysis carried out on data from 2007.Results: In both 2003 and 2007, concentration curves and indexes of IMR, under-5 mortality rate and acute malnutrition showed inequalities to the disadvantage of localities with lower QLI. Diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus (DPT) vaccinations were more prevalent among localities with higher QLI in 2003 but were higher in localities with lower QLI in 2007. The variation of the concentration index between 2003 and 2007 indicated reductions in inequality for all of the indicators in the period after the PHC implementation. In 2007, PHC was associated with a reduction in the effect of the inequality that affected disadvantaged localities in under-5 mortality (24%), IMR (19%) and acute malnutrition (7%). PHC also contributed approximately 20% to inequality in DPT coverage, favoring the poorer localities.Conclusion: The PHC strategy developed in Bogota appears to be contributing to reductions of the inequality associated with socioeconomic and living conditions in child health outcomes.
|
|
| 43. |
- Njozing, Barnabas N, 1974-
(författare)
-
Bridging the Gap : implementing tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS collaborative activities in the Northwest Region of Cameroon
- 2011
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Introduction The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic has led to the upsurge of tuberculosis (TB) infection globally, but most especially in areas with high HIV prevalence. In the past, there was lack of a coordinated global and national response between TB and HIV programmes to curb the devastating impacts of both infections. However, the ProTEST Initiative piloted in sub-Saharan Africa in 1997 demonstrated that TB and HIV programmes could collaborate successfully in delivering joint services. This prompted the development of the WHO interim policy on collaborative TB/HIV activities in 2004, aimed at reducing the burden of TB and HIV in populations affected by both infections. This thesis explores how collaborative activities between TB and HIV programmes have been established in Cameroon and implemented in the Northwest Region. It also highlights the achievements and constraints in delivering joint services to TB patients co-infected with HIV. Methods The study was conducted in the Northwest Region, one of the 10 regions of Cameroon with the highest HIV prevalence. The study uses health system research combining qualitative and quantitative methods to explore the research objectives. Qualitative methods were used to capture the perspectives of: i) the service providers; key informants from the central, regional and district levels concerned with the collaboration process and in delivering HIV services to TB patients, and ii) TB patients regarding HIV testing as an entry point to HIV services. Quantitative methods were used to ascertain TB patients’ access to HIV services provided for by the collaboration. Results The study demonstrated that although there were varying levels of collaboration between TB and HIV programmes from the central to operational level in the health system, delivering joint services was feasible. Furthermore, despite the challenges TB patients faced in testing for HIV, overall implementing TB/HIV collaborative activities increased TB patients’ acceptability and accessibility to HIV services. These were facilitated by the improved collaboration at the operational level, and enhanced service provider-patient alliance which was instrumental in building patients’ trust in the health system. Collaboration also led to cross-training and teamwork between staffs from both programmes, and improved networking between service providers and other actors involved in TB and HIV care. Nevertheless, there were health system constraints including inadequate leadership and management, shortage of human and infrastructural resources, frequent interruptions in the supply of essential drugs and laboratory materials Conclusion TB/HIV collaborative activities have improved service delivery and TB patients’ access to HIV services. Nonetheless, appropriate stewardship which guarantees joint planning, monitoring and evaluation of essential activities, and accountability at all levels in the health system is invaluable. Besides, the identified health system constraints which could adversely influence effective joint service delivery and a sustainable collaboration deserve due appraisal.
|
|
| 44. |
- Njozing, Barnabas N, et al.
(författare)
-
“If the patients decide not to tell what can we do?” : TB/HIV counsellors’ dilemma on partner notification for HIV
- 2011
-
Ingår i: BMC International Health and Human Rights. - 1472-698X. ; 11
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: There is a global consensus towards universal access to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) services consequent to the increasing availability of antiretroviral therapy. However, to benefit from these services, knowledge of one's HIV status is critical. Partner notification for HIV is an important component of HIV counselling because it is an effective strategy to prevent secondary transmission, and promote early diagnosis and prompt treatment of HIV patients' sexual partners. However, counsellors are often frustrated by the reluctance of HIV-positive patients to voluntarily notify their sexual partners. This study aimed to explore tuberculosis (TB)/HIV counsellors' perspectives regarding confidentiality and partner notification. Methods: Qualitative research interviews were conducted in the Northwest Region of Cameroon with 30 TB/HIV counsellors in 4 treatment centres, and 2 legal professionals between September and December 2009. Situational Analysis (positional map) was used for data analysis. Results: Confidentiality issues were perceived to be handled properly despite concerns about patients' reluctance to report cases of violation due to apprehension of reprisals from health care staffs. All the respondents encouraged voluntary partner notification, and held four varying positions when confronted with patients who refused to voluntarily notify their partners. Position one focused on absolute respect of patients' autonomy; position two balanced between the respect of patients' autonomy and their partners' safety; position three wished for protection of sexual partners at risk of HIV infection and legal protection for counsellors; and position four requested making HIV testing and partner notification routine processes. Conclusion: Counsellors regularly encounter ethical, legal and moral dilemmas between respecting patients' confidentiality and autonomy, and protecting patients' sexual partners at risk of HIV infection. This reflects the complexity of partner notification and demonstrates that no single approach is optimal, but instead certain contextual factors and a combination of different approaches should be considered. Meanwhile, adopting a human rights perspective in HIV programmes will balance the interests of both patients and their partners, and ultimately enhance universal access to HIV services.
|
|
| 45. |
- Njozing, Barnabas N, et al.
(författare)
-
Voices from the frontline : counsellors’ perspectives on TB/HIV collaborative activities in the Northwest Region, Cameroon
- 2011
-
Ingår i: BMC Health Services Research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1472-6963. ; 11, s. 328-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The overlapping epidemiology of tuberculosis (TB) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections prompted the World Health Organisation in 2004 to recommend collaboration between national TB and HIV programmes. The goal of this collaboration is to decrease the burden of both infections in the population. This policy was subsequently adopted by the national TB and HIV programmes in Cameroon with TB and HIV nurses/counsellors acting as frontline implementers of the collaborative activities in the 10 regions of the country.METHODS: Qualitative research interviews were conducted with 30 nurses/counsellors in four approved treatment centres providing comprehensive TB and HIV/AIDS services in the Northwest region of Cameroon. The aim was to explore their experiences in counselling, in delivering joint TB and HIV services, and the constraints to effective collaboration between TB and HIV services. To complement the findings from the counsellors' interviews, as part of an emergent design, further interviews with 2 traditional healers and non-participant observations in two HIV support group meetings were conducted.RESULTS: According to the respondents, counselling was regarded as a call to serve humanity irrespective of the reasons for choosing the profession. In addition, the counselling training and supervision received, and the skills acquired, have altogether contributed to build patients' trust in the healthcare system. Teamwork among healthcare workers and other key stakeholders in the community involved in TB/HIV prevention and control was used as a strategy to improve joint service delivery and patients' uptake of services. Several constraints to effective collaboration between TB and HIV services were identified, including shortage of human resources, infrastructure and drug supplies, poor patients' adherence to treatment and the influence of traditional healers who relentlessly dissuade patients from seeking mainstream medical care.CONCLUSIONS: In order to achieve a sustainable collaboration between TB and HIV services, adequate planning, investment and strengthening of the health system including human resources, infrastructure and ensuring uninterrupted supplies of medicines are essential. A multidisciplinary approach to service delivery particularly focusing on harnessing the enormous potentials of traditional healers in TB/HIV prevention and control would also be indispensible.
|
|
| 46. |
- Njozing, Nwarbébé Barnabas, et al.
(författare)
-
Assessing the accessibility of HIV care packages among tuberculosis patients in the Northwest Region, Cameroon
- 2010
-
Ingår i: BMC Public Health. - : BioMed Central. - 1471-2458. ; 10, s. Article nr 129-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Tuberculosis (TB) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co-infection is a major source of morbidity and mortality globally. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended that HIV counselling and testing be offered routinely to TB patients in order to increase access to HIV care packages. We assessed the uptake of provider-initiated testing and counselling (PITC), antiretroviral (ART) and co-trimoxazole preventive therapies (CPT) among TB patients in the Northwest Region, Cameroon.Methods: A retrospective cohort study using TB registers in 4 TB/HIV treatment centres (1 public and 3 faith-based) for patients diagnosed with TB between January 2006 and December 2007 to identify predictors of the outcomes; HIV testing/serostatus, ART and CPT enrolment and factors that influenced their enrolment between public and faith-based hospitals.Results: A total of 2270 TB patients were registered and offered pre-HIV test counselling; 2150 (94.7%) accepted the offer of a test. The rate of acceptance was significantly higher among patients in the public hospital compared to those in the faith-based hospitals (crude OR 1.97; 95% CI 1.33 - 2.92) and (adjusted OR 1.92; 95% CI 1.24 - 2.97). HIV prevalence was 68.5% (1473/2150). Independent predictors of HIV-seropositivity emerged as: females, age groups 15-29, 30-44 and 45-59 years, rural residence, previously treated TB and smear-negative pulmonary TB. ART uptake was 50.3% (614/1220) with 17.2% (253/1473) of missing records. Independent predictors of ART uptake were: previously treated TB and extra pulmonary TB. Finally, CPT uptake was 47.0% (524/1114) with 24% (590/1114) of missing records. Independent predictors of CPT uptake were: faith-based hospitals and female sex.Conclusion: PITC services are apparently well integrated into the TB programme as demonstrated by the high testing rate. The main challenges include improving access to ART and CPT among TB patients and proper reporting and monitoring of programme activities.
|
|
| 47. |
- Ram Jat, Tej, 1976-
(författare)
-
Maternal health and health care in Madhya Pradesh state of India : an exploration using a human rights lens
- 2014
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Pregnancy and motherhood are natural processes in the lives of women of reproductive age. These processes are generally considered to be positive and fulfilling experiences. However, for various reasons, many women end up dying as a result of these processes. Improving maternal health and reducing maternal mortality are accepted as human rights challenges and prioritized in several international declarations and national policies. However, progress in achieving these objectives still remains poor.This thesis aims to explore the maternal health and healthcare in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh through a human rights lens. A human rights lens provides a framework to study various aspects of the problem of maternal health from a human rights perspective. It helps in highlighting the gaps and challenges related to political priority, sociocultural, economic and individual-level factors and the availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality of maternal healthcare services. A combination of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies was applied in four sub-studies conducted in Madhya Pradesh. The specific objectives were: to investigate, by using John W. Kingdon’s multiple-streams model of agenda setting, why and how maternal health became a political priority in the state (Paper I); to estimate the effects of individual-, community- and district-level characteristics on the utilization of maternal health services with special reference to antenatal care, skilled attendance at delivery and post-natal care (Paper II); to analyse sociocultural and service delivery related dimensions of maternal deaths in rural central India through a human rights lens (Paper III); and to evaluate the technical efficiency of the public district hospitals using data envelopment analysis (Paper IV).The findings of the first qualitative study indicated that various developments at international, national and state level brought the issue of maternal health to the priority political agenda in Madhya Pradesh state. This resulted in the introduction of new policies and programmes and more resources were allocated for improving maternal health. However, several challenges still remain in ensuring proper implementation of these programmes and policies. The quantitative study on factors affecting the use of maternal health services revealed that 61.7% of women used antenatal care at least once, 49.8% of women used skilled attendance at delivery and 37.4% of women used post-natal care during their most recent pregnancy. The household’s socio-economic status and mother’s education emerged as the most important factors associated with the use of antenatal care and skilled attendance at delivery. Delivery by skilled personnel and the use of antenatal care were the most important factors in the use of post-natal care. This study highlighted the need to identify and focus on community- and district-level intervention along with addressing the individual-level factors.The findings of the third qualitative sub-study revealed that all pregnant women in the study tried to access medical assistance for obstetric complications but various factors delayed appropriate care. The underestimation of complication symptoms by family members, gender inequity and the negative perceptions regarding delivery services deferred decisions to seek care. Transportation problems and care seeking at multiple facilities also constrained timely reaching of appropriate health facilities. Negligence by health staff in providing care, and unavailability of blood and emergency obstetric care services, delayed the receiving of adequate care after reaching a health facility. This study indicates that normative elements of a human rights approach to maternal health, i.e. availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality, were not fully upheld. The deceased women and their relatives were unable to claim their entitlements and the duty bearers could not meet their obligations despite their conscious efforts to improve maternal health. In the last study, the results of data envelopment analysis revealed that half of the district hospitals (20) in the study were operating inefficiently.This research establishes a need to give special attention to addressing challenges in the maternal health programmes at the implementation level as well as tackling the social determinants of maternal health. In order to increase the utilization of maternal health services in the state, the need to identify and focus on community- and district- as well as individual level interventions is emphasized. In order to prevent maternal deaths, a need for further concentrated efforts is underlined with a view to honouring human rights elements of maternal health by better community education, women’s empowerment and health system strengthening with the provision of appropriate and timely services including emergency obstetric care of good quality. It also highlights a need to identify the causes of the observed inefficiencies and to take appropriate measures to increase the efficiency of district hospitals.
|
|
| 48. |
- Randive, Bharat, et al.
(författare)
-
Inequalities in institutional delivery uptake and maternal mortality reduction in the context of cash incentive program, Janani Suraksha Yojana : Results from nine states in India
- 2014
-
Ingår i: Social Science and Medicine. - : Elsevier BV. - 0277-9536 .- 1873-5347. ; 123, s. 1-6
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Proportion of women giving birth in health institutions has increased sharply in India since the introduction of cash incentive program, Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) in 2005. JSY was intended to benefit disadvantaged population who had poor access to institutional care for childbirth and who bore the brunt of maternal deaths. Increase in institutional deliveries following the implementation of JSY needs to be analysed from an equity perspective. We analysed data from nine Indian states to examine the change in socioeconomic inequality in institutional deliveries five years after the implementation of JSY using the concentration curve and concentration index (CI). The CI was then decomposed in order to understand pathways through which observed inequalities occurred. Disparities in access to emergency obstetric care (EmOC) and in maternal mortality reduction among different socioeconomic groups were also assessed. Slope and relative index of inequality were used to estimate absolute and relative inequalities in maternal mortality ratio (MMR). Results shows that although inequality in access to institutional delivery care persists, it has reduced since the introduction of JSY. Nearly 70% of the present inequality was explained by differences in male literacy, EmOC availability in public facilities and poverty. EmOC in public facilities was grossly unavailable. Compared to richest division in nine states, poorest division has 135 more maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2010. While MMR has decreased in all areas since JSY, it has declined four times faster in richest areas compared to the poorest, resulting in increased inequalities. These findings suggest that in order for the cash incentive to succeed in reducing the inequalities in maternal health outcomes, it needs to be supported by the provision of quality health care services including EmOC. Improved targeting of disadvantaged populations for the cash incentive program could be considered.
|
|
| 49. |
- Ruano, Ana Lorena, et al.
(författare)
-
'If no one else stands up, you have to' : a story of community participation and water in rural Guatemala
- 2011
-
Ingår i: Global Health Action. - Järfälla, Sweden : CoAction Publishing. - 1654-9716 .- 1654-9880. ; 4, s. Article nr 6412-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Access to water is a right and a social determinant of health that should be provided by the state. However, when it comes to access to water in rural areas, the current trend is for communities to arrange for the service themselves through locally run projects. This article presents a narrative of a single community's process of participation in implementing and running a water project in the village of El Triunfo, Guatemala.METHODS: Using an ethnographic approach, we conducted a series of interviews with five village leaders, field visits, and participant observations in different meetings and activities of the community.FINDINGS: El Triunfo has had a long tradition of community participation, where it has been perceived as an important value. The village has a council of leaders who have worked together in various projects, although water has always been a priority. When it comes to participation, this community has achieved its goals when it collaborated with other stakeholders who provided the expertise and/or the funding needed to carry out a project. At the time of the study, the challenge was to develop a new phase of the water project with the help of other stakeholders and to maintain and sustain the tradition of participation by involving new generations in the process.DISCUSSION: This narrative focuses on the participation in this village's efforts to implement a water project. We found that community participation has substituted the role of the central and local governments, and that the collaboration between the council and other stakeholders has provided a way for El Triunfo to satisfy some of its demand for water.CONCLUSION: El Triunfo's case shows that for a participatory scheme to be successful it needs prolonged engagement, continued support, and successful experiences that can help to provide the kind of stable participatory practices that involves community members in a process of empowered decision-making and policy implementation.
|
|
| 50. |
- Ruano, Ana Lorena, 1981-, et al.
(författare)
-
‘It’s the sense of responsibility that keeps you going’ : stories and experiences of participation from rural community health workers in Guatemala
- 2012
-
Ingår i: Archives of Public Health. - : BioMed Central. - 0778-7367 .- 2049-3258. ; 70, s. 18-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: In 1978, the Alma-Ata declaration on primary health care (PHC) recognized that the world’s healthissues required more than just hospital-based and physician-centered policies. The declaration called for a paradigmchange that would allow governments to provide essential care to their population in a universally acceptablemanner. The figure of the community health worker (CHW) remains a central feature of participation within thePHC approach, and being a CHW is still considered to be an important way of participation within the healthsystem.Methods: This study explores how the values and personal motivation of community health workers influencestheir experience with this primary health care strategy in in the municipality of Palencia, Guatemala. To do this, weused an ethnographic approach and collected data in January-March of 2009 and 2010 by using participantobservation and in-depth interviews.Results: We found that the CHWs in the municipality had a close working relationship with the mobile health teamand with the community, and that their positions allowed them to develop leadership and teamwork skills that mayprove useful in other community participation processes. The CHWs are motivated in their work and volunteerism is akey value in Palencia, but there is a lack of infrastructure and growth opportunities.Conclusion: Attention should be paid to keeping the high levels of commitment and integration within the healthteam as well as keeping up supervision and economic funds for the program.
|
|
