Facility-Based Maternal Quality of Care Frameworks: A Systematic Review and Best Fit Framework Analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The World Health Organization has adopted two main strategies to improve the quality of maternal health: increasing the number of deliveries by skilled birth attendants and increasing access to emergency obstetric care. Despite increased access to care, there continue to be high rates of maternal morbidity and mortality in part due to quality of care. This study aims to identify and summarize existing frameworks for measuring quality of maternal care at a facility-level. METHODS: PubMed, Health Systems Evidence, Embase, Global Health, OVID Healthstar, OVID Medline, PsycINFO, and Web of Science were searched for frameworks, tools, theories, or components of frameworks relevant to maternal quality of care in facility-level settings. Title/abstract and full-text screening were completed by two independent reviewers and conflicts resolved through consensus or a third reviewer. RESULTS: An initial search resulted in 3182 studies. Fifty-four studies were included in the qualitative analysis. A best fit framework analysis was done using the updated Hulton framework as the conceptual framework. A facility-based maternal quality of care framework is proposed including the following components, separated into provision and experience of care: (1) human resources; (2) infrastructure; (3) equipment, supplies and medicine; (4) evidence and information; (5) referral and networks of care; (6) cultural competence; (7) clinical practice; (8) financing; (9) leadership and governance; (10) cognition; and 11) respect, dignity, equity, and emotional support.

Despite increased institutional access to care, there continue to be high rates of maternal morbidity and mortality in some low- and middle-income countries. This is in part due to the quality of maternal care once care has been accessed. Several frameworks have been proposed for understanding the complexities surrounding quality of care in maternal health but there has not been a single framework consistently used in the literature for facility-based quality of maternal care. This paper identifies and summarizes existing frameworks and tools, and uses a best fit framework analysis to propose a comprehensive framework for assessing facility-based maternal quality of care.

Limitations of COVID-19 testing and case data for evidence-informed health policy and practice.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) became a pandemic within a matter of months. Analysing the first year of the pandemic, data and surveillance gaps have subsequently surfaced. Yet, policy decisions and public trust in their country's strategies in combating COVID-19 rely on case numbers, death numbers and other unfamiliar metrics. There are many limitations on COVID-19 case counts internationally, which make cross-country comparisons of raw data and policy responses difficult. PURPOSE AND CONCLUSIONS: This paper presents and describes steps in the testing and reporting process, with examples from a number of countries of barriers encountered in each step, all of which create an undercount of COVID-19 cases. This work raises factors to consider in COVID-19 data and provides recommendations to inform the current situation with COVID-19 as well as issues to be aware of in future pandemics.

Health programmes and services addressing the prevention and management of infectious diseases in people who inject drugs in Canada: a systematic integrative review.

OBJECTIVES: People who inject drugs (PWID) experience a high burden of injection drug use-related infectious disease and challenges in accessing adequate care. This study sought to identify programmes and services in Canada addressing the prevention and management of infectious disease in PWID. DESIGN: This study employed a systematic integrative review methodology. Electronic databases (PubMed, CINAHL and Web of Science Core Collection) and relevant websites were searched for literature published between 2008 and 2019 (last search date was 6 June 2019). Eligible articles and documents were required to address injection or intravenous drug use and health programmes or services relating to the prevention or management of infectious diseases in Canada. RESULTS: This study identified 1607 unique articles and 97 were included in this study. The health programmes and services identified included testing and management of HIV and hepatitis C virus (n=27), supervised injection facilities (n=19), medication treatment for opioid use disorder (n=12), integrated infectious disease and addiction programmes (n=10), needle exchange programmes (n=9), harm reduction strategies broadly (n=6), mobile care initiatives (n=5), peer-delivered services (n=3), management of IDU-related bacterial infections (n=2) and others (n=4). Key implications for policy, practice and future research were identified based on the results of the included studies, which include addressing individual and systemic factors that impede care, furthering evaluation of programmes and the need to provide comprehensive care to PWID, involving medical care, social support and harm reduction. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate the need for expanded services across a variety of settings and populations. Our study emphasises the importance of addressing social and structural factors that impede infectious disease care for PWID. Further research is needed to improve evaluation of health programmes and services and contextual factors surrounding accessing services or returning to care. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020142947.