Re-engagement and retention in HIV care after preventive default tracking in a cohort of HIV-infected patients in rural Malawi: A mixed-methods study

Loss-to-follow-up (LTFU) in the era of test-and-treat remains a universal challenge, especially in rural areas. To mitigate LTFU, the HIV program in Neno District, Malawi, utilizes a preventive default tracking strategy named Tracking for Retention and Client Enrollment (TRACE). We utilized a mixed-methods descriptive study of the TRACE program on patient's re-engagement and retention in care (RiC). In the quantitative arm, we utilized secondary data of HIV-infected patients in the TRACE program from January 2018 to June 2019 and analyzed patients' outcomes at 6-, 12-, and 24-months post-tracking. In the qualitative arm, we analyzed primary data from 25 semi-structured interviews. For the study period, 1028 patients were eligible with median age was 30 years, and 52% were women. We found that after tracking, 982 (96%) of patients with a 6-week missed appointment returned to care. After returning to care, 906 (88%), 864 (84%), and 839 (82%) were retained in care respectively at 6-,12-, and 24-months. In the multivariate analysis, which included all the covariates from the univariate analysis (including gender, BMI, age, and the timing of ART initiation), the results showed that RiC at 6 months was linked to WHO stage IV at the start of treatment (with an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 0.18; 95% confidence interval (CI) of 0.06-0.54) and commencing ART after the test-and-treat recommendation (aOR of 0.08; 95% CI: 0.06-0.18). RiC after 12 months was associated with age between 15 and 29 years (aOR = 0.18; 95%CI: 0.03-0.88), WHO stage IV (aOR = 0.12; 95%CI: 0.04-0.16) and initiating ART after test-and-treat recommendations (aOR = 0.08; 95%CI: 0.04-0.16). RiC at 24 months post-tracking was associated with being male (aOR = 0.61; 95%CI: 0.40-0.92) and initiating ART after test-and-treat recommendations (aOR = 0.16; 95%CI:0.10-0.25). The qualitative analysis revealed that clarity of the visit's purpose, TRACE's caring approach changed patient's mindset, enhanced sense of responsibility and motivated patients to resume care. We recommend integrating tracking programs in HIV care as it led to increase patient follow up and patient behavior change.

Perspectives of community and facility stakeholders on community health workers in rural Malawi

BACKGROUND

Community health workers (CHWs) bridge the primary health care (PHC) system and communities by providing care in the household. In Malawi, few studies have examined the perspective of users of household-level CHW services, in remote areas, to understand CHW's role in community-based PHC.

AIM

To explore perspectives of community and facility stakeholders on the enablers and challenges of the CHW role in community-based PHC in Neno District.

SETTING

The study was conducted in the Neno District health facilities, namely, Ligowe, Dambe, Chifunga, and Zalewa.

METHODS

We conducted eight focus group discussions (FGDs) with purposively sampled community members and conveniently sampled facility stakeholders. Data were transcribed and analysed thematically through an adapted COM-B model of behaviour change.

RESULTS

Three main themes of perceived behaviour change within the CHW role were identified: (1) capacity - the CHW programme aids health education and promotion within the community; (2) opportunity - the CHW programme facilitates community-based PHC and linkage to the facility; and (3) motivation - the CHW programme enablers and challenges in providing community-based PHC.

CONCLUSION

Community health workers enrich community-based PHC delivery through health education, timely access to care, and linking communities to the facility. Optimising workload and programme support is critical for the help of CHWs. Further studies are required to address programme and cultural challenges to enhance positive health-seeking behaviours.Contribution: This study provides contextual knowledge for further research on bringing together spiritual and formal health practices and considering the cultural background when planning for health interventions in remote areas.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Among Adults in Neno District, Malawi: A Cross-Sectional Analytical Study

Introduction

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) continues to pose a global public health challenge. However, literature is scarce on the burden of COPD in Malawi. We assessed the prevalence and risk factors for COPD among adults in Neno, Malawi.

Methodology

We conducted a population-based analytical cross-sectional study in Neno District between December 2021 and November 2022. Using a multi-stage sampling technique, we included 525 adults aged≥40 years. All participants underwent spirometry according to the American Thoracic Society (ATS) guidelines and were interviewed using the IMPALA questionnaire. For this study, we utilized the definition of COPD as a post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC <0.70. We collected data using Kobo collect, exported to Microsoft Excel, and analysed using R software. We used descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis; a p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

Out of 525 participants, 510 participants were included in the final analysis. Fifty-eight percent of the participants were females (n=296), and 62.2% (n=317) were between 40 and 49 years with a median (IQR) age of 46 (40-86). For patient characteristics, 15.1% (n=77) were current smokers, and 4.1% (n=21) had a history of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). Cough was the most commonly reported respiratory symptom (n=249, 48.8%). The prevalence of COPD was 10.0% (n=51) and higher (15.0%) among males compared to females (6.4%). Factors significantly associated with COPD were age 60 years and above (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.27, 95% CI: 1.48-7.34, p<0.004), ever smoked (aOR = 6.17, 95% CI:1.89-18.7, p<0.002), current smoker (aOR = 17.6, 95% CI: 8.47-38.4, p<0.001), and previous PTB (aOR = 4.42, 95% CI: 1.16-15.5, p<0.023).

Conclusion

The cross-sectional prevalence of COPD in rural Malawi is high, especially among males. Factors significantly associated were older age (60 years and above), cigarette smoking, and previous PTB. Longitudinal studies are needed to better understand disease etiology and progression in this setting.

Introduction of a novel neonatal warming device in Malawi: an implementation science study

BACKGROUND

Neonatal hypothermia significantly contributes to infant morbidity and mortality in low-resource settings like Malawi. Kangaroo mother care (KMC) is essential but faces challenges in providing continuous thermal support. The Dream Warmer is a neonatal warming device that was developed to complement KMC. We studied its implementation outside a research environment.

METHODS

Using an implementation science approach, we conducted a prospective interventional cohort study in two hospitals and four health centres in Malawi. Through audits and surveys, we assessed the effect of the Dream Warmer on neonatal hypothermia as well as healthcare provider (HCP) and parent attitudes regarding thermoregulation and related issues.

RESULTS

The Dream Warmer raised no safety concerns and effectively treated hypothermia in 90% of uses. It was positively received by HCPs and parents, who reported it had a favourable effect on the care of small and sick newborns. Challenges identified included a scarcity of water and electricity, lack of availability of the device and HCPs forgetting to prepare it in advance of need or to use it when indicated. Feedback for future training was obtained. The Dream Warmer's strong safety and effectiveness performance is consistent with results from strict research studies. Training materials can be adapted to optimize integration into daily practice and provide educational content for parents.

CONCLUSIONS

The Dream Warmer is a safe and effective device to treat neonatal hypothermia, particularly when KMC is insufficient. We gained an understanding of how to optimize implementation through robust HCP and family education to help combat hypothermia.

Depressive disorder at the household level: prevalence and correlates of depressive symptoms among household members

BACKGROUND

Globally, an estimated five percent of adults have major depressive disorder. However, little is known about the relationship between these individuals' depressive symptoms and their household members' mental health and well-being.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to investigate the prevalence and predictors of depressive symptoms among adult household members of patients living with major depressive disorder in Neno District, Malawi.

METHODS

As part of a cluster randomized controlled trial providing depression care to adults with major depressive disorder, we conducted surveys with patients' household members (n = 236) and inquired about their overall health, depressive symptoms, disability, and social support. We calculated prevalence rates of depressive disorder and conducted multivariable linear regression and multivariable logistic regression analyses to assess correlates of depressive symptom severity and predictors of having depressive disorder (PHQ-9), respectively, among household members.

RESULTS

We observed that roughly one in five household members (19%) screened positive for a depressive disorder (PHQ-9 > 9). More than half of household members endorsed six or more of the nine symptoms, with 68% reporting feeling 'down, depressed, or hopeless' in the prior two weeks. Elevated depression symptom severity was associated with greater disability (β = 0.17, p < 0.001), less social support (β = -0.04, p = 0.016), and lower self-reported overall health (β = 0.54, p = 0.001). Having depressive disorder was also associated with greater disability (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR] = 1.12, p = 0.001) and less social support (aOR = 0.97, p = 0.024).

CONCLUSIONS

In the Malawian context, we find that depressive disorder and depression symptoms are shared attributes among household members. This has implications for both screening and treatment, and it suggests that mental health should be approached from the vantage point of the broader social ecology of the household and family unit.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04777006) - March 2, 2021.

Prevalence and correlates of internalized stigma among adults with HIV and major depressive disorder in rural Malawi

Internalized stigma is common among individuals with sexually transmitted infections such as HIV and among those with mental health conditions such as major depressive disorder (MDD). As part of a cluster randomized trial, we investigated the prevalence and correlates of internalized stigma among adults living with comorbid HIV and MDD in rural Malawi (n = 339). We found heightened stigma toward HIV and mental illness among those in the cohort: more than half of respondents (54%) endorsed negative perceptions associated with each health condition. Internalized HIV-related stigma was higher among those with no education (p = 0.04), younger adults (p = 0.03), and those with less social support (p = 0.001). Mental illness-related stigma was elevated among those with no source of income (p = 0.001), and it was also strongly associated with HIV-related stigma (p < 0.001). Our findings highlight potential avenues for reducing internalized stigma associated with high-prevalence health conditions in Malawi.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04777006.

Evaluating the uptake and effect of Surgical Safety Checklist implementation in a rural hospital, Neno District, Malawi

BACKGROUND

The WHO introduced the Surgical Safety Checklist (SSC) in 2008, which has been proven to enhance collaboration and patient safety before, during and after surgical procedures. However, the impact of using SSC has not been assessed in a rural setting in Malawi. We aimed to evaluate the uptake of SSC in Neno District, Malawi.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional hospital-based retrospective chart review of 468 surgical cases from July 2021 to March 2022 in two hospitals in Neno District. We collected data using Excel and used R software for analysis. We used descriptive statistics to characterise the surgeries. We used χ2 test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test to test the association between SSC use and independent variables. We fitted logistic regression to assess predictors of SSC use and complications.

RESULTS

Of 468 surgical cases, 92% (n=431) were done as emergency procedures. The median age was 23 years (IQR: 19-29) and 94% (n=439) were female. Overall, 38% of surgeries (n=176) used the SSC and of these, 98% were in emergency procedures. We found an association between the use of SSC and the age of the client (p=0.018), type of procedure, name of the procedure, healthcare worker cadre, time procedure performed and complications (p<0.001). However, no association was observed between SSC use and outcome (p>0.05). The odds of using SSC were higher in emergency surgeries, surgeries performed at night; however, they were lower among temporary employees and anaesthetists with a diploma (p<0.001). The odds of experiencing complications were 1.71 times greater when using SSC compared with surgeries without SSC (p=0.029).

CONCLUSIONS

The use of an SSC in a rural area was promising, despite its fluctuating use and this needs programme improvement. Further studies are highly recommended to understand the fluctuation in the use of the SSC.

Experiences and practices of traditional healers on snakebite treatment and prevention in rural Malawi

Snakebite envenoming remains a public health threat in many tropical countries including Malawi. Traditional healers (THs) have been consulted by victims of snakebites as primary caregivers for millennia. There are no studies in Malawi to understand this phenomenon, therefore, our study aimed to explore the experiences and practices of THs regarding snakebite treatment and prevention in rural Malawi. Between August and September 2022, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 16 THs who were purposefully selected from various locations across Neno District, Malawi. We analysed the interview data using Dedoose software, where we generated codes and grouped them into themes. Out of the 16 THs interviewed, 68.8% (n = 11) were male, and 43.8% were aged between 40 and 60 years. Our study identified five themes: THs' knowledge of snakes and treatment, the continuum of care they provide, payment procedures, snakebite prevention, and their relationship with health facilities. They claimed a good understanding of the snakes in their area, including the seasons with more snakebites, and were confident in their ability to provide treatment, however, this was not scientifically proven. They offered a comprehensive care package, including diagnosis, first aid, main treatment, and follow-up care to monitor the victim's condition and adjust treatment as needed. THs provide free treatment for snakebites or use a "pay later" model of service delivery. All THs claimed a "vaccine" for snakebites that could prevent bites or neutralize the venom. However, no formal relationship existed between THs and Health Care Workers (HCWs). We recommend collaboration between HCWs and THs, establishing clear referral pathways for snakebite victims and educating THs on identifying danger signs requiring prompt referral to healthcare facilities.

A time-motion study of community health workers delivering community-based primary health care in Neno District, Malawi

INTRODUCTION

Community health workers (CHWs) are vital resources in delivering community-based primary health care, especially in low-and-middle-income countries (LMIC). However, few studies have investigated detailed time and task assessments of CHW's work. We conducted a time-motion study to evaluate CHWs' time on health conditions and specific tasks in Neno District, Malawi.

METHODS

We conducted a descriptive quantitative study utilizing a time observation tracker to capture time spent by CHWs on focused health conditions and tasks performed during household visits. We observed 64 CHWs between 29 June and 20 August 2020. We computed counts and median to describe CHW distribution, visit type, and time spent per health condition and task. We utilized Mood's median test to compare the median time spent at a household during monthly visits with the program design standard time. We used pairwise median test to test differences in median time duration for health conditions and assigned tasks.

RESULTS

We observed 660 CHW visits from 64 CHWs, with 95.2% (n = 628) of the visits as monthly household visits. The median time for a monthly household visit was 34 min, statistically less than the program design time of 60 min (p < 0.001). While the CHW program focused on eight disease areas, pretesting with the observation tool showed that CHWs were engaged in additional health areas like COVID-19. Of the 3043 health area touches by CHWs observed, COVID-19, tuberculosis, and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) had the highest touches (19.3%, 17.6%, and 16.6%, respectively). The median time spent on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and NCDs was statistically higher than in other health areas (p < 0.05). Of 3813 tasks completed by CHWs, 1640 (43%) were on health education and promotion. A significant difference was observed in the median time spent on health education, promotion, and screening compared to other tasks (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that CHWs spend the most time on health education, promotion, and screening per programmatic objectives but, overall, less time than program design. CHWs deliver care for a broader range of health conditions than the programmatic design indicates. Future studies should examine associations between time spent and quality of care delivery.

COVID-19-Related Testing, Knowledge and Behaviors among Severe and Chronic Non-Communicable Disease Patients in Neno District, Malawi: A Prospective Cohort Study

COVID-19-related knowledge and behaviors remain essential for controlling the spread of disease, especially among vulnerable patients with advanced, chronic diseases. We prospectively assessed changes over 11 months in COVID-19-related testing, knowledge, and behaviors among patients with non-communicable diseases in rural Malawi using four rounds of telephone interviews between November 2020 to October 2021. The most commonly reported COVID-19-related risks among patients included visiting health facilities (35-49%), attending mass gatherings (33-36%), and travelling outside the district (14-19%). Patients reporting having experienced COVID-like symptoms increased from 30% in December 2020 to 41% in October 2021. However, only 13% of patients had ever received a COVID-19 test by the end of the study period. Respondents answered 67-70% of the COVID-19 knowledge questions correctly, with no significant changes over time. Hand washing, wearing face masks and maintaining a safe distance were the most frequently reported strategies to prevent the spreading of COVID-19. Wearing face masks significantly improved over time (p < 0.001). Although the majority reported accurate knowledge about COVID-19 and enhanced adherence to infection prevention measures over time, patients commonly visited locations where they could be exposed to COVID-19. Government and other stakeholders should increase COVID-19 testing accessibility to primary and secondary facilities.

The role of community health workers in influencing social connectedness using the household model: a qualitative case study from Malawi

BACKGROUND

Community health workers (CHWs) play a vital role in facilitating social connectedness, building trust, decrease stigma, and link communities to essential healthcare and social support services. More studies are needed to understand the factors facilitating these interactions among CHWs, clients, and community members.

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the CHW role and relationships between CHWs, communities, and health facilities that promote trust, positive relationships, and social connectedness.

METHODS

In 2016, the CHW program in Neno District, Malawi, was transitioned to a household-level assignment of CHWs to provide screening, linkage to care, and psychosocial and chronic disease support from a disease-based program. We employed an exploratory qualitative study with thematic analysis linked to Fredrickson's broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions through focus group discussions (FGDs) and in-depth interviews (IDIs) to understand the impact of the household assignment. We purposively sampled community stakeholders, CHWs, health service providers, and clients (total N = 180) from October 2018 through March 2020. All interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, translated, coded, and analyzed.

RESULTS

Participants reported decreased stigma and discrimination with increased trust and confidence in CHWs with household-level assignment. Positive relationships between CHWs in their households, community members, and health facility staff fostered health knowledge, individual agency, and personal resources for the community members to access health services. Community members' personal resources of increased health knowledge, trust, gratitude, and social support improved social connectedness and subjective wellbeing. Areas to improve positive relationships include CHWs maintaining confidentiality and caring for pregnant women.

CONCLUSION

Our study findings demonstrate that by building solid relationships as a community chosen, well informed, and household-level workforce, CHWs can develop positive relationships with communities and the health-care facility staff through building knowledge, trust, gratitude, and hope. Further work is needed in maintaining CHW confidentiality and new ways to approach culturally sensitive health areas.

Lessons from an eight-country community health data harmonization collaborative

Background: Community health workers (CHWs) are individuals who are trained and equipped to provide essential health services to their neighbors and have increased access to healthcare in communities worldwide for more than a century. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) Guideline on Health Policy and System Support to Optimize Community Health Worker Programmes reveals important gaps in the evidentiary certainty about which health system design practices lead to quality care. Routine data collection across countries represents an important, yet often untapped, opportunity for exploratory data analysis and comparative implementation science. However, epidemiological indicators must be harmonized and data pooled to better leverage and learn from routine data collection.Methods: This article describes a data harmonization and pooling Collaborative led by the organizations of the Community Health Impact Coalition, a network of health practitioners delivering community-based healthcare in dozens of countries across four WHO regions.Objectives: The goals of the Collaborative project are to; (i) enable new opportunities for cross-site learning; (ii) use positive and negative outlier analysis to identify, test, and (if helpful) propagate design practices that lead to quality care; and (iii) create a multi-country ‘brain trust’ to reinforce data and health information systems across sites.Results: This article outlines the rationale and methods used to establish a data harmonization and pooling Collaborative, early findings, lessons learned, and directions for future research.

Experiences from Cyclone Anna and Cyclone Dumako: A short report

In the third week of January 2022, the southern districts of Malawi were hit by Cyclone Ana. The worst affected areas were Chikwawa and Nsanje. Four weeks following Cyclone Ana, a rather smaller cyclone, Dumako, hit the same areas, causing more damage. The Partners in Health or Abwenzi Pa Za Umoyo, an international humanitarian nongovernmental organisation that provides primary health care (PHC), organised teams to join Chikwawa District Council - Health, providing PHC assistance in the most affected district (Chikwawa); these teams were joined by three senior residents in family medicine from Kamuzu University of Health Sciences.Contribution: From the experiences of the interventions reported here, it was learnt that a multidisciplinary team of PHC providers is the key to the success of the emergency PHC programmes in times of natural disasters. While immediate PHC may be important at the actual time of disaster, it was learnt that PHC is also very important for continuation of care for chronic conditions, antenatal clinics and other clinics that are interrupted by the disaster. The experiences emphasised the importance of involving the PHC physicians and other PHC cadres in planning PHC programmes in natural disaster-prone areas.

Health care workers' knowledge on identification, management and treatment of snakebite cases in rural Malawi: A descriptive study

Snakebite envenoming remains a public health threat in many African countries, including Malawi. However, there is a shortage of literature on the knowledge of Health Care Workers (HCWs) and the prevalence of snakebite cases in Malawi. We interviewed HCWs in Neno District to assess their knowledge of snake identification and management of snakebites. We further reviewed patient registers from 2018 to 2021 in all 15 health facilities in the district. We used descriptive statistics to characterize the survey population, knowledge, snake antivenom (SAV) administration, and snake identification. Using "shapefiles" from Open Street Maps, we mapped villages with snakebite cases. Of the 105 HCWs interviewed, 58% were males, and 60% had worked for less than five years. The majority (n = 93, 89%) reported that snakebite envenoming was a problem in the district. Among the clinicians, 42% said they had prescribed SAV previously, while among nurses, only 26% had ever administered SAV. There were discrepancies among clinicians regarding the dosing of snake antivenom. Significant gaps in knowledge also existed regarding snake identification. While two-thirds of HCWs could correctly name and identify venomous snake species, most (> 90%) failed for non-venomous snakes. Most (n = 100, 95%) reported that snakebite victims visit traditional healers more than the hospital. Between 2018 and 2021, the Neno District registered 185 snakebites with a yearly average of 36 cases per 100,000 population. Fifty-two percent (n = 97) were treated as an inpatient; of these cases, 72% were discharged in less than three days, and two died. More snakebite cases were recorded in the eastern part of the district. Significant knowledge gaps exist among HCWs in Neno regarding prescription and administration of SAV and snake identification, which likely challenges the quality of services offered to snakebite victims.

Continuity of community-based healthcare provision during COVID-19: a multicountry interrupted time series analysis

BACKGROUND

Pandemics often precipitate declines in essential health service utilisation, which can ultimately kill more people than the disease outbreak itself. There is some evidence, however, that the presence of adequately supported community health workers (CHWs), that is, financially remunerated, trained, supplied and supervised in line with WHO guidelines, may blunt the impact of health system shocks. Yet, adequate support for CHWs is often missing or uneven across countries. This study assesses whether adequately supported CHWs can maintain the continuity of essential community-based health service provision during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Interrupted time series analysis. Monthly routine data from 27 districts across four countries in sub-Saharan Africa were extracted from CHW and facility reports for the period January 2018-June 2021. Descriptive analysis, null hypothesis testing, and segmented regression analysis were used to assess the presence and magnitude of a possible disruption in care utilisation after the earliest reported cases of COVID-19.

RESULTS

CHWs across all sites were supported in line with the WHO Guideline and received COVID-19 adapted protocols, training and personal protective equipment within 45 days after the first case in each country. We found no disruptions to the coverage of proactive household visits or integrated community case management (iCCM) assessments provided by these prepared and protected CHWs, as well as no disruptions to the speed with which iCCM was received, pregnancies were registered or postnatal care received.

CONCLUSION

CHWs who were equipped and prepared for the pandemic were able to maintain speed and coverage of community-delivered care during the pandemic period. Given that the majority of CHWs globally remain unpaid and largely unsupported, this paper suggests that the opportunity cost of not professionalising CHWs may be larger than previously estimated, particularly in light of the inevitability of future pandemics.

Syndromic surveillance with monthly aggregate health systems information data for COVID-19 pandemic response in Neno, Malawi: a monitoring study

Background

In the context of diminutive COVID-19 screening and testing, syndromic surveillance can be used to identify areas with higher-than-expected SARS-CoV-2 symptoms for targeted public health interventions. We used syndromic surveillance to monitor potential SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks in 14 health facilities in the Neno district of rural Malawi.

Methods

We monitored three indicators identified as potential symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection: the proportion of outpatient visits for fast-breathing cases in children under 5 years (FBC<5); the proportion of suspected malaria cases confirmed as non-malaria in children under 5 years (NMC<5); and the same indicator in individuals aged 5 years and older (NMC≥5). We extracted data aggregated by month and at the health facility-level from the District Health Information System. With data from January, 2016, to February, 2020, as a baseline, we used a linear model with a negative binomial distribution to estimate expected proportions for the indicators in absence of the COVID-19 pandemic with 95% prediction intervals (PI) for March, 2020, to July, 2021. We compared the observed proportions to the expected rates, focusing on the first two waves of infections (June to July, 2020, and January to March, 2021).

Findings

The proportion of FBC<5 was consistently higher than expected, with a peak in May, 2020, when 2·5% of outpatient visits were fast breathing cases in children younger than 5 years of age (compared with the expected rate of 0·8% [95% PI 0·4–1·5]). NMC<5 was as expected throughout the study period. The NMC≥5 indicator remained as expected, except for increases in suspected cases tested negative for malaria, to 31·3% (from the expected 18·6% [95% PI 12·3–28·7]) in November, 2020, and to 32·5% (from the expected 21·7% [95% PI 14·2–32·2]) in July, 2021.

Interpretation

An increase in FBC<5 and NMC≥5 before observed COVID-19 waves might indicate SARS-CoV-2 infections that were missed before robust testing. This tendency was not seen in NMC<5, which can represent differences in symptomatology leading to decreased health-seeking behaviours for this age group. Syndromic surveillance can allow for real-time responses at facilities, including increased and focused testing and screening to identify potential SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Funding

Supported by Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Qualitative assessment of community health workers' perspective on their motivation in community-based primary health care in rural Malawi

BACKGROUND

Community Health Workers (CHWs) have a positive impact on the provision of community-based primary health care through screening, treatment, referral, psychosocial support, and accompaniment. With a broad scope of work, CHW programs must balance the breadth and depth of tasks to maintain CHW motivation for high-quality care delivery. Few studies have described the CHW perspective on intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to enhance their programmatic activities.

METHODS

We utilized an exploratory qualitative study design with CHWs employed in the household model in Neno District, Malawi, to explore their perspectives on intrinsic and extrinsic motivators and dissatisfiers in their work. Data was collected in 8 focus group discussions with 90 CHWs in October 2018 and March-April 2019 in seven purposively selected catchment areas. All interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, coded, and analyzed using Dedoose.

RESULTS

Themes of complex intrinsic and extrinsic factors were generated from the perspectives of the CHWs in the focus group discussions. Study results indicate that enabling factors are primarily intrinsic factors such as positive patient outcomes, community respect, and recognition by the formal health care system but can lead to the challenge of increased scope and workload. Extrinsic factors can provide challenges, including an increased scope and workload from original expectations, lack of resources to utilize in their work, and rugged geography. However, a positive work environment through supportive relationships between CHWs and supervisors enables the CHWs.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated enabling factors and challenges for CHW performance from their perspective within the dual-factor theory. We can mitigate challenges through focused efforts to limit geographical distance, manage workload, and strengthen CHW support to reinforce their recognition and trust. Such programmatic emphasis can  focus on enhancing motivational factors found in this study to improve the CHWs' experience in their role. The engagement of CHWs, the communities, and the formal health care system is critical to improving the care provided to the patients and communities, along with building supportive systems to recognize the work done by CHWs for the primary health care systems.

Outcomes of decentralizing hypertension care from district hospitals to health centers in Rwanda, 2013-2014

Setting

Three district hospitals (DHs) and seven health centers (HCs) in rural Rwanda.

Objective

To describe follow-up and treatment outcomes in stage 1 and 2 hypertension patients receiving care at HCs closer to home in comparison to patients receiving care at DHs further from home.

Design

A retrospective descriptive cohort study using routinely collected data involving adult patients aged ⩾18 years in care at chronic non-communicable disease clinics and receiving treatment for hypertension at DH and HC between 1 January 2013 and 30 June 2014.

Results

Of 162 patients included in the analysis, 36.4% were from HCs. Patients at DHs travelled significantly further to receive care (10.4 km vs. 2.9 km for HCs, P < 0.01). Odds of being retained were significantly lower among DH patients when not adjusting for distance (OR 0.11, P = 0.01). The retention effect was consistent but no longer significant when adjusting for distance (OR 0.18, P = 0.10). For those retained, there was no significant difference in achieving blood pressure targets between the DHs and HCs.

Conclusion

By removing the distance barrier, decentralizing hypertension management to HCs may improve long-term patient retention and could provide similar hypertension outcomes as DHs.

Leveraging community health worker system to map a mountainous rural district in low resource setting: a low-cost approach to expand use of geographic information systems for public health

Background

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have become an important tool in monitoring and improving health services, particularly at local levels. However, GIS data are often unavailable in rural settings and village-level mapping is resource-intensive. This study describes the use of community health workers’ (CHW) supervisors to map villages in a mountainous rural district of Northern Rwanda and subsequent use of these data to map village-level variability in safe water availability.

Methods

We developed a low literacy and skills-focused training in the local language (Kinyarwanda) to train 86 CHW Supervisors and 25 nurses in charge of community health at the health center (HC) and health post (HP) levels to collect the geographic coordinates of the villages using Global Positioning Systems (GPS). Data were validated through meetings with key stakeholders at the sub-district and district levels and joined using ArcMap 10 Geo-processing tools. Costs were calculated using program budgets and activities’ records, and compared with the estimated costs of mapping using a separate, trained GIS team. To demonstrate the usefulness of this work, we mapped drinking water sources (DWS) from data collected by CHW supervisors from the chief of the village. DWSs were categorized as safe versus unsafe using World Health Organization definitions.

Result

Following training, each CHW Supervisor spent five days collecting data on the villages in their coverage area. Over 12 months, the CHW supervisors mapped the district’s 573 villages using 12 shared GPS devices. Sector maps were produced and distributed to local officials. The cost of mapping using CHW supervisors was $29,692, about two times less than the estimated cost of mapping using a trained and dedicated GIS team ($60,112). The availability of local mapping was able to rapidly identify village-level disparities in DWS, with lower access in populations living near to lakes and wetlands (p < .001).

Conclusion

Existing national CHW system can be leveraged to inexpensively and rapidly map villages even in mountainous rural areas. These data are important to provide managers and decision makers with local-level GIS data to rapidly identify variability in health and other related services to better target and evaluate interventions.

Assessing predictors of delayed antenatal care visits in Rwanda: a secondary analysis of Rwanda demographic and health survey 2010

Background

Early initiation of antenatal care (ANC) can reduce common maternal complications and maternal and perinatal mortality. Though Rwanda demonstrated a remarkable decline in maternal mortality and 98% of Rwandan women receive antenatal care from a skilled provider, only 38% of women have an ANC visit in their first three months of pregnancy. This study assessed factors associated with delayed ANC in Rwanda.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study using data collected during the 2010 Rwanda DHS from 6,325 women age 15–49 that had at least one birth in the last five years. Factors associated with delayed ANC were identified using a multivariable logistic regression model using manual backward stepwise regression. Analysis was conducted in Stata v12 applying survey commands to account for the complex sample design.

Results

Several factors were significantly associated with delayed ANC including having many children (4–6 children, OR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.22, 1.65; or more than six children, OR = 1.57, 95% CI: 1.24, 1.99); feeling that distance to health facility is a problem (OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.38); and unwanted pregnancy (OR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.26, 1.58). The following were protective against delayed ANC: having an ANC at a private hospital or clinic (OR = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.15, 0.56); being married (OR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.75, 0.96), and having public mutuelle health insurance (OR = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.71, 0.92) or another type of insurance (OR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.23, 0.46).

Conclusion

This analysis revealed potential barriers to ANC service utilization. Distance to health facility remains a major constraint which suggests a great need of infrastructure and decentralization of maternal ANC to health posts and dispensaries. Interventions such as universal health insurance coverage, family planning, and community maternal health system are underway and could be part of effective strategies to address delays in ANC.

Local use of geographic information systems to improve data utilisation and health services: mapping caesarean section coverage in rural Rwanda

OBJECTIVES

To show the utility of combining routinely collected data with geographic location using a Geographic Information System (GIS) in order to facilitate a data-driven approach to identifying potential gaps in access to emergency obstetric care within a rural Rwandan health district.

METHODS

Total expected births in 2009 at sub-district levels were estimated using community health worker collected population data. Clinical data were extracted from birth registries at eight health centres (HCs) and the district hospital (DH). C-section rates as a proportion of total expected births were mapped by cell. Peri-partum foetal mortality rates per facility-based births, as well as the rate of uterine rupture as an indication for C-section, were compared between areas of low and high C-section rates.

RESULTS

The lowest C-section rates were found in the more remote part of the hospital catchment area. The sector with significantly lower C-section rates had significantly higher facility-based peri-partum foetal mortality and incidence of uterine rupture than the sector with the highest C-section rates (P < 0.034).

CONCLUSIONS

This simple approach for geographic monitoring and evaluation leveraging existing health service and GIS data facilitated evidence-based decision making and represents a feasible approach to further strengthen local data-driven decisions for resource allocation and quality improvement.