Increasing Access to Tuberculosis Services in Ethiopia: Findings From a Patient-Pathway Analysis.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Fekadu L
PROVIDER: S-EPMC5853928 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:In Cameroon, in 2019, tuberculosis (TB) treatment coverage was estimated at 53%, indicating that almost half of all people sick with TB were not diagnosed or linked to care. To inform strategies to improve access to TB services, we conducted an evaluation of the alignment between patient-initiated care-seeking behavior and spatial and institutional allocation of TB services. Data sources included the Cameroon Demographic and Health Survey (2018), the Health Facility List (2017), and routinely collected TB surveillance data. Data visualization was performed in Tableau and QGIS. The pathway analysis showed that only an estimated 9% of people attended a health facility providing TB services at initial care-seeking, with access varying from <3% to 16% across the ten regions of the country. While 72% of government and 56% of private hospitals (Level 2 facilities) provide TB services, most Cameroonians (87%) initially chose primary care (Level 1) or informal private sector sites (Level 0) without TB services. The gaps were greatest in regions with the highest prevalence of poverty, a significant determinant for TB. These results indicate that access may be improved by expanding TB services at both public and private facilities across the country, prioritizing regions with the greatest gaps.
| S-EPMC8544654 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundDespite the expansion of health services and community-based interventions in Ethiopia, limited evidence exists about the distribution of and access to health facilities and their relationship with the performance of tuberculosis (TB) control programmes. We aim to assess the geographical distribution of and physical accessibility to TB control services and their relationship with TB case notification rates (CNRs) and treatment outcome in the Sidama Zone, southern Ethiopia.DesignWe carried out an ecological study to assess physical accessibility to TB control facilities and the association of physical accessibility with TB CNRs and treatment outcome. We collected smear-positive pulmonary TB (PTB) cases treated during 2003-2012 from unit TB registers and TB service data such as availability of basic supplies for TB control and geographic locations of health services. We used ArcGIS 10.2 to measure the distance from each enumeration location to the nearest TB control facilities. A linear regression analysis was employed to assess factors associated with TB CNRs and treatment outcome.ResultsOver a decade the health service coverage (the health facility-to-population ratio) increased by 36% and the accessibility to TB control facilities also improved. Thus, the mean distance from TB control services was 7.6 km in 2003 (ranging from 1.8 to 25.5 km) between kebeles (the smallest administrative units) and had decreased to 3.2 km in 2012 (ranging from 1.5 to 12.4 km). In multivariate linear regression, as distance from TB diagnostic facilities (b-estimate=-0.25, p<0.001) and altitude (b-estimate=-0.31, p<0.001) increased, the CNRs of TB decreased, whereas a higher population density was associated with increased TB CNRs. Similarly, distance to TB control facilities (b-estimate=-0.27, p<0.001) and altitude (b-estimate=-0.30, p<0.001) were inversely associated with treatment success (proportion of treatment completed or cured cases).ConclusionsAccessibility to TB control services improved despite the geographic variations. TB CNRs were higher in areas where people had better access to diagnostic and treatment centres. Community-based interventions also played an important role for the increased CNRs in most areas.
| S-EPMC4655224 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveTo understand and compare the primary barriers households face when accessing treatment for cases of childhood severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in different cultural settings with different types of implementing agencies.DesignThe study presents a comparative qualitative analysis of two SAM treatment services, selected to include: (i) one programme implemented by a non-governmental organization and one by a Ministry of Health; and (ii) programmes considered to be successful, defined as either coverage level achieved or extent of integration within government infrastructure. Results from individual interviews and group discussions were recorded and analysed for themes in barriers to access.SettingSindh Province, Pakistan; Tigray Region, Ethiopia.SubjectsBeneficiary communities and staff of SAM treatment services in two countries.ResultsCommon barriers were related to distance, high opportunity costs, knowledge of services, knowledge of malnutrition and child's refusal of ready-to-use foods. While community sensitization mechanisms were generally strong in these well-performing programmes, in remote areas with less programme exposure, beneficiaries experienced barriers to remaining in the programme until their children recovered.ConclusionsHouseholds experienced a number of barriers when accessing SAM treatment services. Integration of SAM treatment with other community-based interventions, as the UN recommends, can improve access to life-saving services. Efforts to integrate SAM treatment into national health systems should not neglect the community component of health systems and dedicated funding for the community component is needed to ensure access. Further research and policy efforts should investigate feasible mechanisms to effectively reduce barriers to access and ensure equitable service delivery.
| S-EPMC10271649 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Civil conflict began in Ethiopia in November 2020 and has reportedly caused major disruptions in access to health services, food, and related critical services, in addition to the direct impacts of the conflict on health and well-being. However, the population-level impacts of the conflict have not yet been systematically quantified. We analyze high frequency phone surveys conducted by the World Bank, which included measures of access to basic services, to estimate the impact of the first phase of the war (November 2020 to May 2021) on households in Tigray. After controlling for sample selection, a difference-in-differences approach is used to estimate causal effects of the conflict on population access to health services, food, and water and sanitation. Inverse probability weighting is used to adjust for sample attrition. The conflict has increased the share of respondents who report that they were unable to access needed health services by 35 percentage points (95% CI: 14–55 pp) and medicine by 8 pp (95% CI:2–15 pp). It has also increased the share of households unable to purchase staple foods by 26 pp (95% CI:7–45 pp). The share of households unable to access water did not increase, although the percentage able to purchase soap declined by 17 pp (95% CI: 1–32 pp). We document significant heterogeneity across population groups, with disproportionate effects on the poor, on rural populations, on households with undernourished children, and those living in communities without health facilities. These significant disruptions in access to basic services likely underestimate the true burden of conflict in the affected population, given that the conflict has continued beyond the survey period, and that worse-affected households may have higher rates of non-response. Documented spatial and household-level heterogeneity in the impact of the conflict may help guide rapid post-conflict responses.
| S-EPMC10021679 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundDelay in the diagnosis of Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major challenge against achieving effective TB prevention and control. Though a number of studies with inconsistent findings were conducted in Ethiopia; unavailability of a nationwide study determining the median time of patient delays to TB diagnosis is an important research gap. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the pooled median time of the patient delay to TB diagnosis and its determinants in Ethiopia.MethodsWe followed PRISMA checklist to present this study. We searched from Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library databases for studies. The comprehensive search for relevant studies was done by two of the authors (MA and LY) up to the 10th of October 2019. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale adapted for observational studies. Data were pooled and a random effect meta-analysis model was fitted to provide the overall median time of patient delay and its determinants in Ethiopia. Furthermore, subgroup analyses were conducted to investigate how the median time of patient delay varies across different groups of studies.ResultsTwenty-four studies that satisfied the eligibility criteria were included. Our meta-analysis showed that the median time of the patient delay was 24.6 (95%CI: 20.8-28.4) days. Living in rural area (OR: 2.19, 95%CI: 1.51-3.18), and poor knowledge about TB (OR: 2.85, 95%CI: 1.49-5.47) were more likely to lead to prolonged delay. Patients who consult non-formal health providers (OR: 5.08, 95%CI: 1.56-16.59) had a prolonged delay in the diagnosis of TB. Moreover, the narrative review of this study showed that age, educational level, financial burden and distance travel to reach the nearest health facility were significantly associated with a patient delay in the diagnosis of TB.ConclusionsIn conclusion, patients are delayed more-than three weeks in the diagnosis of TB. Lack of awareness about TB, consulting non-formal health provider, and being in the rural area had increased patient delay to TB diagnosis. Increasing public awareness about TB, particularly in rural and disadvantaged areas could help to early diagnosis of TB.
| S-EPMC7590610 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND:Cancer control programs have added patient navigation to improve effectiveness in underserved populations, but research has yielded mixed results about their impact on patient satisfaction. This study focuses on three related research questions in a U.S. state cancer screening program before and after a redesign that added patient navigators and services for chronic illness: Did patient diversity increase; Did satisfaction levels improve; Did socioeconomic characteristics or perceived barriers explain improved satisfaction. METHODS:Representative statewide patient samples were surveyed by phone both before and after the program design. Measures included satisfaction with overall health care and specific services, as well as experience of eleven barriers to accessing health care and self-reported health and sociodemographic characteristics. Multiple regression analysis is used to identify independent effects. RESULTS:After the program redesign, the percentage of Hispanic and African American patients increased by more than 200% and satisfaction with overall health care quality rose significantly, but satisfaction with the program and with primary program staff declined. Sociodemographic characteristics explained the apparent program effects on overall satisfaction, but perceived barriers did not. Further analysis indicates that patients being seen for cancer risk were more satisfied if they had a patient navigator. CONCLUSIONS:Health care access can be improved and patient diversity increased in public health programs by adding patient navigators and delivering more holistic care. Effects on patient satisfaction vary with patient health needs, with those being seen for chronic illness likely to be less satisfied with their health care than those being seen for cancer risk. It is important to use appropriate comparison groups when evaluating the effect of program changes on patient satisfaction and to consider establishing appropriate satisfaction benchmarks for patients being seen for chronic illness.
| S-EPMC7059366 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundCommunity health centers (CHCs) provide comprehensive primary and preventive care to medically underserved, low-income, and racially/ethnically diverse populations. CHCs also offer enabling services, non-clinical assistance to reduce barriers to healthcare due to unmet social and material needs, to improve access to healthcare and reduce health disparities. For patients with modifiable cardiometabolic risk factors, including obesity, hypertension, and diabetes, enabling services may provide additional support to improve disease management. However, little is known about the relationship between enabling services and healthcare accessibility and utilization among patients with cardiometabolic risk factors.MethodsThis study uses data from the 2014 Health Center Patient Survey to examine the relationship between enabling services use and delayed/foregone care, routine check-ups, and emergency room visits, among adult community health center patients in the United States with cardiometabolic risk factors (N = 2358). Outcomes of enabling services users were compared to nonusers using doubly robust propensity score matching methods and generalized linear regression models.ResultsOverall, enabling service users were 15.4 percentage points less likely to report delayed/foregone care and 29.4 percentage points more likely to report routine check-ups than nonusers. Enabling service users who lived in urban areas, younger and middle-aged adults, and those with two cardiometabolic risk factors were also less likely to report delayed/foregone care and/or more likely to report routine check-ups in comparison with nonusers. However, among adults with three or more cardiometabolic risk factors, enabling services use was associated with a 41.3 percentage point increase in emergency room visits and a 7.6 percentage point decrease in routine check-ups.ConclusionsThe findings highlight the value in utilizing enabling services to improve timeliness and receipt of care among CHC patients with heightened cardiometabolic risk. There is a need for targeting high-risk populations with additional enabling services to support management of multiple chronic conditions.
| S-EPMC8922912 | biostudies-literature
Project description:As part of federal and local efforts to increase access to high quality, clinical preventive services (CPS) in underserved populations, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH) partnered with six local health system and community organization partners to promote the use of team care for CPS delivery. Although these partners were at different stages of organizational capacity, post-program review suggests that each organization advanced team care in their clinical or community environments, potentially affecting >250,000 client visits per year. Despite existing infrastructure and DPH's funding support of CPS integration, partner efforts faced several challenges. They included lack of sustainable funding for prevention services; limited access to community resources that support disease prevention; and difficulties in changing health-care provider behavior. Although team care can serve as a catalyst or vehicle for delivering CPS, downstream sustainability of this model of practice requires further state and national policy changes that prioritize prevention. Public health is well positioned to facilitate these policy discussions and to assist health system and community organizations in strengthening CPS integration.
| S-EPMC5809468 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundTuberculosis (TB) is a major global health threat and the leading infectious disease cause of death worldwide. Access to and retention in TB care remains a challenge for patients, particularly those living in rural and remote settings. This qualitative study explored barriers and facilitators to accessing and maintaining contact with TB care services in communities in Xigaze (Shigatse) prefecture, Xizang Autonomous Region (Tibet Autonomous Region), China from the perspective of persons impacted by TB.MethodsWe conduced in-depth interviews with 23 participants impacted by TB in four rural districts in Xigaze prefecture, Xizang Autonomous Region, China between April 2019 and November 2020. Interviews were conducted in Tibetan and Mandarin, transcribed in Mandarin and translated into English. Transcripts were checked against recordings by native Tibetan and Mandarin speakers. QSR NVivo12 software was used for framework analysis guided by an access to care conceptual framework by Levesque et al. RESULTS: Overall patients reported low awareness of and an indifferent attitude towards TB, although all reported understanding the need to adhere to treatment. Participants reported complex pathways to care, often requiring visits to multiple healthcare facilities. Some participants reported visiting traditional Tibetan medicine (TTM) providers. Participants reported various barriers to accessing care including challenges physically reaching care, out-of-pocket payments for tests, diagnostics and transport. Barriers to maintaining care included medication side effects and worry about treatment effectiveness. Enablers to accessing care identified included knowledge or past experience with TB, integrated models of TTM and western care, supportive village doctors who conducted home visits, free TB treatment and other subsidies, as well as having family support with care and social support as barriers and facilitators to maintaining treatment.ConclusionsWe identified barriers and facilitators to accessing services in rural communities in Xigaze from the perspective of persons impacted by TB. Challenges include complex pathways to care, travel distances, wait times and low awareness. Tuberculosis care in the region could be strengthened by ongoing culturally tailored educational campaigns to increase awareness, partnerships with TTM providers, providing comprehensive treatment subsidies and strengthening the role of family members in comprehensive TB care.
| S-EPMC8451167 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Tuberculosis occurs in all populations, but with higher prevalence in poor contexts. Vulnerable groups, including individuals with disability, run a particular risk due to poorer access to information and health services. Studying access to tuberculosis services for vulnerable groups in poor contexts may provide useful insight into the quality of such services in low-income contexts. This article aims to present a contextual understanding of access to tuberculosis services for people with disabilities in one district in southern Malawi. A qualitative method with semi-structured interviews and site observations was applied. In all, 89 participants were interviewed: 47 persons with disability, 11 parents/guardians of youths with disability, and the remaining 31 comprising eight health workers, four community rehabilitation assistants and volunteers, and 19 leaders in the community.Our main findings are that lack of information and knowledge, and considerable confusion related to tuberculosis, its cause and how to protect oneself, are major barrier to accessing services. Disease awareness and personal risk perception are key factors in this regard. Further findings concerns the pathways to tuberculosis related health services, in particular having a test and completing the treatment. The combination of lack of knowledge and barriers in accessing tests implies substantial availability and access problems.It is of importance to understand the combined impact of individual, social, contextual, and systems barriers to fully address the complexity of accessing tuberculosis services for vulnerable groups in poor populations. Lack of disability specific strategies in the local health services may be part of the reason why individuals with disability to not access such services.
| S-EPMC4382312 | biostudies-literature