A systematic review of epidemiological patterns and proposed interventions to address pediatric burns in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Unintentional injuries from burns comprise a significant proportion of public health morbidity in Nigeria. In order to understand the type and impact of burns on youth in Low-and-Middle-Income countries, the epidemiology of burns must be adequately assessed. METHODS: This review describes the epidemiological patterns of burn occurrences in the pediatric populations and proposes interventions using the Haddon Matrix to address injuries in specific populations in Nigeria. A literature search was conducted using the Proquest, CINAHL, and PubMed databases at the Johns Hopkins University library (January 1, 1990 to August 14, 2018), on burns or thermal injury among pediatric populations in Nigeria. The review focused on the forms of injury, risk factors and potential interventions. RESULTS: Ten studies were identified and the main risk factors for burns were socioeconomic status, overcrowding, and involving young girls in traditional cooking roles. The main types of injuries include scald injuries (50%) and fire burns (45%) affecting mainly children aged 14 and below with significant regional epidemiological variations. We created a novel intervention to develop countermeasures and reduce the number of pediatric burns based on biological, physical and sociocultural environment.. CONCLUSION: Interventions such as improved supervision of children, improved emergency infrastructure and culturally sensitive first aid education and treatment can help ensure a reduction in morbidity and mortality resulting from burns. Epidemiological studies can provide an accurate depiction of the burden of burn injuries in different regions of Nigeria.

Health Care Workers' Perspectives of the Influences of Disrespectful Maternity Care in Rural Kenya.

While disrespectful treatment of pregnant women attending health care facilities occurs globally, it is more prevalent in low-resource countries. In Kenya, a large body of research studied disrespectful maternity care (DMC) from the perspective of the service users. This paper examines the perspective of health care workers (HCWs) on factors that influence DMC experienced by pregnant women at health care facilities in rural Kisii and Kilifi counties in Kenya. We conducted 24 in-depth interviews with health care workers (HCWs) in these two sites. Data were analyzed deductively and inductively using NVIVO 12. Findings from HCWs reflective narratives identified four areas connected to the delivery of disrespectful care, including poor infrastructure, understaffing, service users' sociocultural beliefs, and health care workers' attitudes toward marginalized women. Investments are needed to address health system influences on DMC, including poor health infrastructure and understaffing. Additionally, it is important to reduce cultural barriers through training on HCWs' interpersonal communication skills. Further, strategies are needed to affect positive behavior changes among HCWs directed at addressing the stigma and discrimination of pregnant women due to socioeconomic standing. To develop evidence-informed strategies to address DMC, a holistic understanding of the factors associated with pregnant women's poor experiences of facility-based maternity care is needed. This may best be achieved through an intersectional approach to address DMC by identifying systemic, cultural, and socioeconomic inequities, as well as the structural and policy features that contribute and determine peoples' behaviors and choices.

Client satisfaction in a faith-based health network: findings from a survey in Uganda.

BACKGROUND: Client satisfaction surveys are important in evaluating quality of the healthcare processes and contribute to health service improvements by assisting health program managers to develop appropriate strategies. The goal of this study was to assess clients' level of satisfaction with services provided by private-not-for-profit member health facilities affiliated to Uganda Protestant Medical Bureau. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study using an interviewer-administered questionnaire conducted in 254/278 (91%) of UPMB member health facilities between 27th April and 14th July 2014 among 927 clients. The tool measured ten dimensions of the care-seeking experience namely; health facility access; waiting time; health providers; support staff; rights; payments; facilities and environment; consent; confidentiality; and the overall care seeking experience. Logistic regression was utilised for multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Overall client satisfaction was found to be high within the UPMB network (84.2%). Most of the client satisfaction dimensions were rated above 70% except payments and rights. There was evidence of association with marital status; single/never married were 3.05 times more likely to be dissatisfied compared to widowed. Clients attending HCIII were less likely to be dissatisfied compared to those attending HCII (OR=0.51, 95% CI: 0.25-1.05). Post-secondary education (OR=1.79; 95% CI 1.01-3.17), being formally employed (OR=2.78, 95% CI: 0.91-8.48) or unemployed (OR=3.34, 95% CI: 1.00-11.17), attendance at a hospital (OR=2.15, 95% CI: 1.36- 3.41) were also associated with high dissatisfaction levels with payments. CONCLUSION: This study found a high level of satisfaction with services in the UPMB network but recorded low client satisfaction with the dimensions of rights and payments. Health workers should take time to explain rights and entitlement as well as charges levied to clients.

Assessment of community mobilization and home-based HIV counselling and testing offered by health facilities in rural Uganda.

Home-based HIV counselling and testing (HBHCT) and community mobilization have been proven to be effective in increasing the number of people linked to HIV care and treatment. An assessment was conducted in 18 health facilities in Uganda to evaluate the availability and extent of home based testing services and community mobilization activities in underserved communities. The performance of the health facilities was assessed using a checklist with indicators of HBHCT and community mobilization. While most of the health facilities (72.2%) had active community mobilization, only 12.2% had HBHCT services and this might have affected universal access to HIV prevention, care and treatment. The health facilities did not accompany their intensive community mobilization activities with HBHCT yet this provided the ideal entry point and opportunity to improve linkage to HIV treatment and care.