Global Health Research and Policy最新文献

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) represent a major global health burden, which necessitate effective frameworks to identify potential risk factors and estimate the corresponding direct economic disease burden. In this article, we proposed a framework designed to address these needs through a case study conducted in a Tuberculosis (TB) hospital in Hubei Province, China, using data from 2018 to 2019. A comprehensive multistep procedure was developed, including ethical application, participant inclusion, risk factor identification, and direct economic disease burden estimation. In the case study, ethical approval was obtained, and patient data were anonymized to ensure privacy. All TB hospitalized patients over the study period were included and classified into groups with and without HAIs after screening the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Key risk factors, including gender, age, and invasive procedure were identified through univariate and multivariate analyses. Then, propensity score matching was employed to select the balanced groups with similar characteristics. Comparisons of medical expenditures (total medical expenditure, medicine expenditure, and antibiotics expenditure) and hospitalization days between the balanced groups were calculated as the additional direct economic disease burden measures caused by HAIs. This framework can serve as a tool for not only hospital management and policy-making, but also implementation of targeted infection prevention and control measures. Moreover, it has the potential to be applied in various healthcare settings at local, regional, national, and international levels to identify high-risk areas, optimize resource allocation, and improve hospital management and governance, as well as inter-organizational learning. Challenges to implement the framework are also raised, such as data quality, regulatory compliance, considerations on unique nature of communicable diseases and other diseases, and training need for professionals.

Background: With the aging population, the increasing prevalence of chronic non-communicable diseases, and the diversified needs for primary health care (PHC) medicines, it is necessary to rethink the functional role of the supply of PHC medicines. This study aims to evaluate the supply of PHC medicines and the status of meeting PHC medicine needs.

Methods: The mixed-methods study was conducted to evaluate the supply of PHC medicines in Shandong Province. In the quantitative study, survey questionnaires were distributed to county hospitals, township hospitals, and patients, and a prescription review was performed in township hospitals. In the qualitative study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with the pharmacy managers, physicians, and patients in county hospitals, township hospitals, and village clinics. A senior pharmacist from a tertiary hospital who has rich experience on the indications for medicine use, accompanied us on a visit to inspect the PHC pharmacies to survey medicine equipment with a professional perspective.

Results: Quantitative analysis revealed that 211 county hospitals and 1,581 township hospitals participated in the survey, revealing the median annual frequency of medicine shortages of 5.0 times for county hospitals and 2.0 times for township hospitals. Of the 6,323 patient medication surveys, after excluding 152 patients not involved in medication use, 945 (15.3%) indicated medicine shortages, with half of these attributable to institutions lacking required medicines (52.8%). On average, the prescription qualified rate of 37 township hospitals was 72.2%. Four final themes emerged during the qualitative data analysis: (1) Supply of PHC medicines; (2) Solutions to the shortage of off-list medicines; (3) Appropriateness of PHC medicines list; (4) Pharmacist workforce development and pharmacy services.

Conclusions: The discrepancy between patients' need for PHC medicine and present medicine supply is noteworthy. It is suggested that governments should optimize the existing lists to adequately meet patient medicine needs and prioritize medicines for chronic diseases, which is also particularly important for developing countries. Integrated health care may be a novel strategy to establish unified medicines list and achieve uniform pharmaceutical services in PHC.

Background: Although national policies in China are comprehensive and instructive, a wide disparity exists between different cities. The current status of public mental health services by region in China remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate policies related to public mental health services, the contact coverage of public mental health services and outcomes of service users.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in Southern China, between April 2021 and March 2022.  Considering the geographical location, socioeconomic development levels, and prevalence of severe mental illness, four cities including Wuhan, Changsha, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen were selected. Relevant service providers were asked to report data on mental health policies and facility-related information, including mental health resources, registration rates of patients, management rates of patients, and medication rates of patients. Eligible patients were invited to report service user-related data, including contact coverage of public mental health services and their outcomes. SPSS 26.0 was used for data analysis.

Results: The four cities in Southern China have made different efforts to develop public mental health services, primarily focusing on socio-economically disadvantaged individuals. Community health centers in Guangzhou and Shenzhen reported having more professional human resources on mental health and higher mental health budgets for patients. The contact coverage rates of most public mental services were higher than 80%. Patients in Changsha (B = 0.3; 95%CI: 0.1-0.5), Guangzhou (B = 0.2; 95%CI: 0.1-0.3), and Shenzhen (B = 0.3; 95%CI: 0.1-0.4) who received social medical assistance services reported higher levels of medication adherence. Patients in Wuhan (B = -6.5; 95%CI: -12.9--0.1), Guangzhou (B = -2.8; 95%CI: -5.5--0.1), and Shenzhen who received community-based rehabilitation services reported lower levels of disability (B = -2.6; 95%CI: -4.6--0.5).

Conclusions: There have been advances in public mental health services in the four Southern cities. The contact coverage rates of most public mental health services were higher than 80%. Patients' utilization of public mental services was associated with better health outcomes. To improve the quality of public mental health services, the government should try to engage service users, their family members, and supporters in the design, delivery, operationalization, and evaluation of these public mental health services in the future.

Background: Air pollution poses a significant threat to global public health. While broad mitigation policies exist, an understanding of the economic consequences, both in terms of health benefits and mitigation costs, remains lacking. This study systematically reviewed the existing economic implications of air pollution control strategies worldwide.

Methods: A predefined search strategy, without limitations on region or study design, was employed to search the PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, and CEA registry databases for studies from their inception to November 2023 using keywords such as "cost-benefit analyses", "air pollution", and "particulate matter". Focus was placed on studies that specifically considered the health benefits of air pollution control strategies. The evidence was summarized by pollution control strategy and reported using principle economic evaluation measurements such as net benefits and benefit-cost ratios.

Results: The search yielded 104 studies that met the inclusion criteria. A total of 75, 21, and 8 studies assessed the costs and benefits of outdoor, indoor, and mixed control strategies, respectively, of which 54, 15, and 3 reported that the benefits of the control strategy exceeded the mitigation costs. Source reduction (n = 42) and end-of-pipe treatments (n = 15) were the most commonly employed pollution control methodologies. The association between particulate matter (PM) and mortality was the most widely assessed exposure-effect relationship and had the largest health gains (n = 42). A total of 32 studies employed a broader benefits framework, examining the impacts of air pollution control strategies on the environment, ecology, and society. Of these, 31 studies reported partially or entirely positive economic evidence. However, despite overwhelming evidence in support of these strategies, the studies also highlighted some policy flaws concerning equity, optimization, and uncertainty characterization.

Conclusions: Nearly 70% of the reviewed studies reported that the economic benefits of implementing air pollution control strategies outweighed the relative costs. This was primarily due to the improved mortality and morbidity rates associated with lowering PM levels. In addition to health benefits, air pollution control strategies were also associated with other environmental and social benefits, strengthening the economic case for implementation. However, future air pollution control strategy designs will need to address some of the existing policy limitations.

Background: Childhood morbidity and mortality continue to be major public health challenges. Malnutrition increases the risk of morbidity and mortality from illnesses such as acute respiratory infections, diarrhoea, fever, and perinatal conditions in children. This study explored and estimated the magnitude of the associations between childhood malnutrition forms and child morbidity.

Methods: We performed an individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis and employed propensity score matching to examine crude (unadjusted) and adjusted associations. Our analysis utilized demographic and health datasets from surveys conducted between 2015 and 2020 in 27 low- and middle-income countries. Our objective was to quantify the risk of morbidity in malnourished children and estimate the population-attributable fraction (PAF) using a natural experimental design with a propensity score-matched cohort.

Results: The IPD meta-analysis of child morbidity across three childhood malnutrition forms presented nuanced results. Children with double-burden malnutrition had a 5% greater risk of morbidity, which was not statistically significant. In contrast, wasted children had a 28% greater risk of morbidity. Overweight children exhibited a 29% lower risk of morbidity. Using the matched sample, children with double-burden malnutrition and overweight children had lower morbidity risks (1.7%, RR: 0.983 (95% CI, 0.95 to 1.02) and 20%, RR: 0.80 (95% CI, 0.76 to 0.85), respectively), while wasting was associated with a 1.1 times (RR: 1.094 (95% CI, 1.05 to 1.14)) greater risk of morbidity. Eliminating double-burden malnutrition and wasting in the four and seven countries with significant positive risk differences could reduce the child morbidity burden by an estimated average of 2.8% and 3.7%, respectively.

Conclusions: Our study revealed a correlation between specific childhood malnutrition subtypes-double-burden malnutrition and wasting-and increased risks of morbidity. Conversely, overweight children exhibited a lower risk of immediate morbidity, yet they may face potential long-term health challenges, indicating the necessity for nuanced approaches to childhood nutrition.

Background: The performance evaluation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is crucial for enhancing the quality of public health services. With the ongoing reform of the CDC system in China, the existing performance evaluation system faces challenges. This study used the Delphi method to develop a new performance evaluation system for China's provincial, city, and county-level CDC.

Methods: Following the "Structure-Process-Outcome" model, assessment indicators were systematically collected. Indicators were modified and screened through two Delphi rounds based on CDC responsibilities, health development, and national policies. Twenty-four experts provided ratings and recommendations, and the research team evaluated questionnaire reliability, expert positivity, expert authority, and opinion consistency.

Results: The preliminary index system identified through the literature review and pre-survey included 11 primary, 30 secondary, and 64 tertiary indicators. After the first round of consultation, two secondary indicators and 11 tertiary indicators were removed and 22 tertiary indicators were added. After the second round of consultation, three secondary indicators and 11 tertiary indicators were removed and three tertiary indicators were added, at which point the p-value of the test for Kendall's coefficient of concordance W was < 0.001 and the coefficient of variation was within acceptable limits (< 0.25), so the consultation was concluded. The final index system included 11 primary, 25 secondary, and 67 tertiary indicators.

Conclusions: This study responded to the CDC system reform by developing a comprehensive performance evaluation index system for provincial, city, and county-level CDC in China. The index system is both scientifically grounded and practical, serving as an effective tool for promoting the high-quality work of CDC organizations.

Background: Birth defects are the leading cause of mortality in newborn babies and children under five years old. In response, the Chinese government has implemented a three-tiered prevention strategy, which has brought ethical concerns about fetuses with birth defects. This study aims to explore the attitudes toward fetuses with birth defects among health professionals engaged in maternal and child health services.

Methods: A qualitative study was conducted among 13 health professionals engaged in maternal and child health services in Hunan Province, China. The questions were designed to elicit the participants' work experience and attitudes toward fetuses with birth defects. The data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews, and NVivo 12 was used for data coding and analysis. A thematic analysis approach was employed following the SRQR checklist.

Results: Five themes and 13 attributes were generated regarding health professionals' perspectives on fetuses with birth defects. The five themes included: (1) severity and curability of diseases (two attributes), (2) family relations (four attributes), (3) medical assessments (two attributes), (4) social situations (three attributes), (5) self-value orientations (three attributes). The findings showed that the majority of health professionals held the view that a fetus with a curable disease could be born, whereas a fetus with severe disability and teratogenesis should be terminated. Twelve out of the 13 health professionals believed that parents should be the decision-makers, while only one thought that the family should make a decision together.

Conclusions: Attitudes toward birth defects were influenced by various factors, indicating the complexity of real-world cases identified in this study. The findings highlight the dilemmas faced by both families and health professionals regarding birth defects. Adequate medical knowledge and support from society are crucial to inform decision-making among family members. Additionally, standardized norms and policies for birth defects are needed. Establishing an ethics committee for prenatal diagnosis is necessary to address current ethical issues in this field.

Hypertension poses a significant health burden globally. In Nigeria, hypertension prevalence is on the rise, with low rates of awareness, treatment, and control. This policy brief explores the critical gaps addressed by the Hypertension Treatment in Nigeria (HTN) Program, highlighting its strengths, initial outcomes, and scalability in primary care settings. The HTN Program employs an integrated, multilevel care model based on the World Health Organization's HEARTS technical package, including patient registration and empanelment, team-based care, training and supervision, a standardized treatment protocol, a health information management system, and a drug revolving fund to improve medication accessibility. By December 2023, hypertension treatment and control rates reached surpassing 90% and 50%, respectively, thus underscoring the program's impact. The HTN Program serves as a model for delivering integrated hypertension care in primary care. Results should be leveraged for political commitment and financing to evaluate and manage non-communicable diseases such as hypertension in primary care through federal and state primary health development agencies. Furthermore, incorporating metrics related to hypertension control and treatment into the Integrated Supportive Management Information System can enhance routine monitoring and evaluation.

Global health reciprocal innovation emphasizes the movement of technologies or interventions between high- and low-income countries to address a shared public health problem, in contrast to unidirectional models of "development aid" or "reverse innovation". Evidence-based interventions are frequently adapted from the setting in which they were developed and applied in a new setting, presenting an opportunity for learning and partnership across high- and low-income contexts. However, few clear procedures exist to guide researchers and implementers on how to incorporate equitable and learning-oriented approaches into intervention adaptation across settings. We integrated theories from pedagogy, implementation science, and public health with examples from experience adapting behavioral health interventions across diverse settings to develop a procedure for a bidirectional, equitable process of intervention adaptation across high- and low-income contexts. The Mutual capacity building model for adaptation (MCB-MA) is made up of seven steps: 1) Exploring: A dialogue about the scope of the proposed adaptation and situational appraisal in the new setting; 2) Developing a shared vision: Agreeing on common goals for the adaptation; 3) Formalizing: Developing agreements around resource and data sharing; 4) Sharing complementary expertise: Group originating the intervention supporting the adapting group to learn about the intervention and develop adaptations, while gleaning new strategies for intervention implementation from the adapting group; 5) Reciprocal training: Originating and adapting groups collaborate to train the individuals who will be implementing the adapted intervention; 6) Mutual feedback: Originating and adapting groups share data and feedback on the outcomes of the adapted intervention and lessons learned; and 7) Consideration of next steps: Discuss future collaborations. This evidence-informed procedure may provide researchers with specific actions to approach the often ambiguous and challenging task of equitable partnership building. These steps can be used alongside existing intervention adaptation models, which guide the adaptation of the intervention itself.

Gaps in access to quality essential medicines remain a major impediment to the effective care of children with cancer in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). The World Health Organization reports that less than 30% of LMICs have consistent availability of childhood cancer medicines, compared to over 95% in high-income countries. Information provided within this policy brief is drawn from a review of the literature and a mixed-methods study published in the Lancet Oncology that analyzed determinants of cancer medicine access for children in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda. Three key policy options are presented to guide strategic policy direction and critical health system planning for strengthening access to cancer medicines for children: pooled procurement, evidence-based forecasting, and regional harmonization of regulatory processes. Enhancing regional pooled procurement to address fragmented markets and improve medicine supply, investing in health information systems for improved forecasting and planning of childhood cancer medicine needs, and promoting regulatory harmonization to streamline medicine approval and quality assurance across East Africa are recommended. This policy brief is intended for policymakers, clinicians, and health-system planners involved in the procurement, supply chain management, policy and financing of childhood cancer medicines.