Assessment of monitoring systems in the management of severe acute malnutrition in northern Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: In northern Nigeria, UNICEF has supported introduction of a short message service (SMS) system for data transmission in the Community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) programme. The SMS system operates in parallel to the traditional paper-based system, and weekly data are transmitted directly from the health facilities to the federal level. For the paper system, monthly data summaries are passed through all levels of government. We assessed the data quality and performance of both CMAM information systems. METHODS: We undertook a contextualised study in one state in north-west Nigeria, with additional analysis of secondary data from five states. Fieldwork methods included: observation of the data system in nine selected facilities in three local government areas; recounting of data for admissions, exits, and ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) utilisation; and interviews with health workers and government officials. RESULTS: While the small number of facilities does not enable robust generalisation of the quantitative findings, the strengths and weaknesses detected pertain to the whole programme, as they relate to how the system was designed and is operated. We found that the accuracy and reliability of CMAM data were deficient to a similar extent in the paper-based and SMS systems. For the audited month, we found large discrepancies between recounted data and paper records in regard to admissions, exits and RUTF cartons consumed in the majority of facilities visited. There was also a large discrepancy in the reported percentage of "deaths or defaulters" (6.5%) compared to 22% based on a recount of outpatient cards. Errors are mainly introduced during data collection and when completing tallies at facility level. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate the need for improvements in the design of the monitoring system, training and supervision of data management, and communication of results; as well as clear evidence on how measures to improve data quality may affect performance of individual CMAM clinics. The CMAM default and death rates currently reported in Nigeria are likely to be under-estimates, and therefore provide a misleadingly good impression of CMAM programme performance.

Chinese herbal medicine for treating menopausal symptoms in London women: developing a good practice protocol via the factor analysis of prescribing patterns in a clinical study.

The objective of the study described in this paper was to define Chinese medicine formula patterns for the treatment of menopausal women in London. These formula patterns are intended to inform the development of best practice guidelines for a future pragmatic randomised controlled trial, with the ultimate goal of evaluating the possibility of integrating Chinese medicine treatment strategies for menopausal symptoms into the UK National Health Service. Data from a clinical study that had demonstrated the effectiveness and safety of Chinese medicine in treating 117 perimenopausal women at the Westminster University Polyclinic in London were analysed for symptom occurrence and herb use. The frequency of occurrence of different presenting symptoms and the frequency of use of individual herbs is described, the patterns of combined herb use were analysed by means of factor analysis, and the correlations between these patterns and the presenting symptoms were analysed using the chi square test. Treating the emergent use patterns as Chinese herbal medicine formulas, five distinctive formula patterns emerged in the course of this study. While there is some overlap between these formulas and their associated symptom patterns and those described in Chinese medicine textbooks and guidelines, some formula patterns appear to be unique to London women. This indicates that best practice guidelines for the Chinese medicine treatment of menopausal symptoms, which have been shown to vary cross-culturally, need to be derived from local clinical practice.

What influences quality of life in older people living with HIV?

BACKGROUND: People with HIV with access to treatment are growing older and living healthier lives than in the past, and while health improvements and increased survival rates are welcome, the psychological and social consequences and quality of life of ageing are complex for this group. Understanding how ageing, HIV and quality of life intersect is key to developing effective interventions to improve QoL. METHODS: One hundred people with HIV over the age of 50 (range 50-87, mean 58), were recruited through HIV community organizations, and clinics, and included men who have sex with men (MSM), and Black African and White heterosexual men and women. The WHOQOL-HIV BREF was used, as well as the Every Day Memory Questionnaire, and additional questions on anxiety and depression to supplement the WHOQOL. RESULTS: While most rated their quality of life (QoL) positively, bivariate analysis showed that better QoL (total score and most domains) was strongly associated with being a man; in a relationship; in paid employment; having higher level of income; not on benefits, and to a lesser degree with being MSM, having higher level of education, and diagnosed after the age of 40. Multivariate analysis showed that not being on benefits was the variable most consistently associated with better quality of life, as was being partnered. Concerns about everyday memory difficulties, and anxiety and depression scores were strong predictors of poorer quality of life. CONCLUSION: While the cross-sectional nature of the investigation could not establish that the associations were causal, the findings indicate that concerns about memory difficulties, anxiety and depression, as well as gender, ethnicity, financial factors, and relationship status, are important contributors to QoL in this group. These findings point towards the need for further research to clarify the mechanisms through which the factors identified here affect QoL, and to identify possible interventions to improve the QoL of older people living with HIV.

Methods of nutrition surveillance in low-income countries.

BACKGROUND: In 1974 a joint FAO/UNICEF/WHO Expert Committee met to develop methods for nutrition surveillance. There has been much interest and activity in this topic since then, however there is a lack of guidance for practitioners and confusion exists around the terminology of nutrition surveillance. In this paper we propose a classification of data collection activities, consider the technical issues for each category, and examine the potential applications and challenges related to information and communication technology. ANALYSIS: There are three major approaches used to collect primary data for nutrition surveillance: repeated cross-sectional surveys; community-based sentinel monitoring; and the collection of data in schools. There are three major sources of secondary data for surveillance: from feeding centres, health facilities, and community-based data collection, including mass screening for malnutrition in children. Surveillance systems involving repeated surveys are suitable for monitoring and comparing national trends and for planning and policy development. To plan at a local level, surveys at district level or in programme implementation areas are ideal, but given the usually high cost of primary data collection, data obtained from health systems are more appropriate provided they are interpreted with caution and with contextual information. For early warning, data from health systems and sentinel site assessments may be valuable, if consistent in their methods of collection and any systematic bias is deemed to be steady. For evaluation purposes, surveillance systems can only give plausible evidence of whether a programme is effective. However the implementation of programmes can be monitored as long as data are collected on process indicators such as access to, and use of, services. Surveillance systems also have an important role to provide information that can be used for advocacy and for promoting accountability for actions or lack of actions, including service delivery. CONCLUSION: This paper identifies issues that affect the collection of nutrition surveillance data, and proposes definitions of terms to differentiate between diverse sources of data of variable accuracy and validity. Increased interest in nutrition globally has resulted in high level commitments to reduce and prevent undernutrition. This review helps to address the need for accurate and regular data to convert these commitments into practice.

Chinese medicine treatment for menopausal symptoms in the UK health service: is a clinical trial warranted?

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this pilot study were to evaluate treatment effects, ascertain safety and formulate best practice Chinese medicine protocols relevant for London women suffering from menopausal symptoms. STUDY DESIGN: This clinical pilot study employed a case series design within a wider action-based research project. 117 perimenopausal women between 45 and 55 years of age recruited from the general population were treated for menopausal symptoms by six experienced practitioners of Chinese medicine at the Polyclinic of the University of Westminster. Practitioners were instructed to treat as near to their usual practice style as possible. This involved using Chinese herbal medicine and/or acupuncture along with dietary and lifestyle advice. A maximum of 12 treatments over 6 months was allowed per patient. OUTCOME MEASURES: The menopause specific quality of life questionnaire (MenQoL), the Greene climacteric scale, and flushing diaries were used to evaluate treatment outcomes. Liver and kidney function tests were carried out at intake and after 1, 6 and 12 treatments to evaluate the safety particularly in relation to the use of herbal medicines. RESULTS: Patients showed significant improvement across all domains measured by the MenQoL and Greene climacteric scales. Reduction on the MenQoL scale between first and last visit was from 4.31 to 3.27 (p<0.001) and on the Green climacteric scale from 21.01 to 13.00 (p<0.001). Study participants did not reliably complete their flushing diaries. No adverse events or abnormal liver or kidney function values were observed during the course of the study. CONCLUSIONS: Further research that seeks to investigate the effects observed in more detail and to evaluate them against other forms of treatment and/or no-treatment controls is warranted. This could be achieved by way of a pragmatic randomized controlled trial that evaluated Chinese medicine against orthodox medical care.

Comparing TCM textbook descriptions of menopausal syndrome with the lived experience of London women at midlife and the implications for Chinese medicine research.

Almost without exception clinical research seeking to evaluate the effectiveness of Chinese medicine relies on TCM textbook knowledge - accessed directly or via practitioners' clinical usage - in order to frame its hypotheses. Recent historical research shows that these textbooks, products of a politically directed process of modernisation, constitute complex hybrids of western and Chinese knowledge that are designed to facilitate the integration of Chinese medicine into biomedically dominated contexts of practice. As such they produce a number of unresolved and generally unacknowledged tensions, such as between the emphasis on local illness experience in the Chinese medical tradition and the universality aspired to by biomedical knowledge. To examine the effect of these tensions we have carried out a study that compares local symptom patterns experienced by post-menopausal women in London with the universal patterns described in TCM textbooks. The results of this study confirm our proposition, namely that the TCM textbook descriptions of disease are not always grounded in clinical experience even if that is what textbooks claim. This raises questions about the relation of textbooks to clinical practice, and about the validity of clinical research based on textbooks and textbook derived normative practice. We argue that only a multidisciplinary approach that includes an understanding of the historical construction of contemporary Chinese medical knowledge and its relation to clinical practice can overcome these problems and enable a meaningful evaluation and utilisation of Chinese medicine in the context of 21st century evidence-based healthcare.

Case-control analysis of the health and nutrition of orphan schoolchildren in Ethiopia.

OBJECTIVES: To undertake a case-control analysis of the health, nutrition and caring practices of orphans enrolled in primary schools in Ethiopia. METHODS: Pupils of both sexes aged 7-17 who were randomly selected from Grades 3 and 4 of primary school during a national survey of schoolchildren in Ethiopia and who were classified as an orphan were matched by age, sex and school with non-orphans. Logistic regression was used to compare children in terms of indicators of anthropometric and nutritional status, chronic infections, personal hygiene, diet, caring practices and self-reported sensory disability. RESULTS: Of the 7752 children in the national survey, 1283 (16.9%) had lost either both parents or one parent. Of these orphans, 1048 were uniquely pair matched for the case-control analysis. About 60% of orphans had lost their father, and about 20% each had lost their mother or both parents. Orphans had better anthropometric measurements and indices than non-orphans, although the differences were small, and they were less likely to have a goitre (OR = 0.68, P = 0.011). There were no differences in the odds of infections. Orphans were less likely than non-orphans to have eaten breakfast or fruit and vegetables on the previous day and were more likely to report having trouble seeing and hearing. CONCLUSION: Orphans were slight better nourished than non-orphans, but this could have been a result of asystematic bias in underestimating the age of orphans. The indicators suggested that orphans were less well cared for than non-orphans, but the differences were small.

Individualised and complex experiences of integrative cancer support care: combining qualitative and quantitative data.

OBJECTIVES: The widespread use of complementary therapies alongside biomedical treatment by people with cancer is not supported by evidence from clinical trials. We aimed to use combined qualitative and quantitative data to describe and measure individualised experiences and outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In three integrative cancer support centres (two breast cancer only) in the UK, consecutive patients completed the individualised outcome questionnaire Measure Yourself Concerns and Wellbeing (MYCaW) before and after treatment. MYCaW collects quantitative data (seven-point scales) and written qualitative data and the qualitative data were analysed using published categories. RESULTS: Seven hundred eighty-two participants, 92% female, mean age 51 years, nominated a wide range of concerns. Psychological and emotional concerns predominated. At follow-up, the mean change (improvement) in scores (n = 588) were: concern 1, 2.06 (95% CI 1.92-2.20); concern 2, 1.74 (95% CI 1.60-1.90); and well-being, 0.64 (95% CI 0.52-0.75). The most common responses to 'what has been the most important aspect for you?' were 'receiving complementary therapies on an individual or group basis' (26.2%); 'support and understanding received from therapists' (17.1%) and 'time spent with other patients at the centres' (16.1%). Positive (61.5%) and negative (38.5%) descriptions of 'other things affecting your health' correlated with larger and smaller improvement in concerns and well-being, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In a multicentre evaluation, the MYCaW questionnaire provides rich data about patient experience, changes over time and perceptions of what was important to each individual with cancer within that experience. It is unlikely that meaningful evaluations of this complex intervention could be carried out by quantitative methods alone.

A review and meta-analysis of the impact of intestinal worms on child growth and nutrition.

More than a half of the world's population are infected with one or more species of intestinal worms of which the nematodes Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and the hookworms are the most common and important in terms of child health. This paper: (1) introduces the main species of intestinal worms with particular attention to intestinal nematodes; (2) examines how such worms may affect child growth and nutrition; (3) reviews the biological and epidemiological factors that influence the effects that worms can have on the growth and nutrition of children; (4) considers the many factors that can affect the impact of treatment with anthelmintic drugs; (5) presents the results of a meta-analysis of studies of the effect of treating worm infections on child growth and nutrition; (6) discusses the results in terms of what is reasonable to expect that deworming alone can achieve; (7) describes some important characteristics of an ideal study of the effects of deworming; and (8) comments on the implications for programmes of recommendations concerning mass deworming.