TY - JOUR
T1 - Quality of healthcare for children with severe acute malnutrition in a refugee setting
T2 - Cross-sectional study in West Nile Region, Uganda
AU - Lazzerini, Marzia
AU - Wanzira, Humphrey
AU - Lochoro, Peter
AU - Ndunguste, Amos
AU - Ictho, Jerry
AU - Katungi, Ambrose
AU - Mariani, Ilaria
AU - Putoto, Giovanni
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.
Copyright:
Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2020/6/11
Y1 - 2020/6/11
N2 - Objectives 5.0 million annual deaths in low-income and middle-income countries are due to poor quality of care (QOC). We evaluated the QOC provided to malnourished children in West Nile Region in Uganda. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting West Nile Region, an area hosting over one million refugees. Participants Among 148 facilities providing nutritional services, 30 randomly selected facilities (20%) and the records of 1467 children with severe acute malnutrition (100% of those attending the 30 facilities during last year) were assessed. Outcomes The national Nutrition Service Delivery Assessment (NSDA) tool was used to assess capacity areas related to QOC. Case management, data quality and health outcomes were assessed from official health records. Multivariate analysis was performed to explore factors significantly associated with better cure rates. Results Of 305 NSDA scores allocated to 30 participating centres, 201 (65.9%) were 'good' or 'excellent'. However, 20 (66.7%) facilities had 'poor' 'quality improvement mechanisms' and 13 (43.3%) had 'poor' 'human resources'. Overall data quality in official records was poor, while recorded quality of case management was overall fair. Average cure rate was significantly lower than international Sphere standards (50.4% vs 75% p<0.001) with a higher default rate (23.2% vs 15% p<0.001). Large heterogeneity among facilities was detected for all indicators. Refugee-hosting and non-refugee-hosting facilities had a similar cure rate (47.1% vs 52.1%) though transfer rates were higher for those hosting refugees (21.5% vs 1.9%, p<0.001) despite better 'equipment and supplies'. 'Good/excellent' 'equipment' and 'store management' were significantly associated with better cure rates in outpatient therapeutic centres (+55.9, p<0.001; +65.4, p=0.041, respectively) in multivariate analysis. Conclusions Though most NSDA capacity areas were rated good or excellent, health outcomes of malnourished children in West Nile Region, both in refugee-hosting and non-refugee-hosting facilities, are significantly below international standards. Effective and sustainable approaches to improve malnourished child health outcomes are needed.
AB - Objectives 5.0 million annual deaths in low-income and middle-income countries are due to poor quality of care (QOC). We evaluated the QOC provided to malnourished children in West Nile Region in Uganda. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting West Nile Region, an area hosting over one million refugees. Participants Among 148 facilities providing nutritional services, 30 randomly selected facilities (20%) and the records of 1467 children with severe acute malnutrition (100% of those attending the 30 facilities during last year) were assessed. Outcomes The national Nutrition Service Delivery Assessment (NSDA) tool was used to assess capacity areas related to QOC. Case management, data quality and health outcomes were assessed from official health records. Multivariate analysis was performed to explore factors significantly associated with better cure rates. Results Of 305 NSDA scores allocated to 30 participating centres, 201 (65.9%) were 'good' or 'excellent'. However, 20 (66.7%) facilities had 'poor' 'quality improvement mechanisms' and 13 (43.3%) had 'poor' 'human resources'. Overall data quality in official records was poor, while recorded quality of case management was overall fair. Average cure rate was significantly lower than international Sphere standards (50.4% vs 75% p<0.001) with a higher default rate (23.2% vs 15% p<0.001). Large heterogeneity among facilities was detected for all indicators. Refugee-hosting and non-refugee-hosting facilities had a similar cure rate (47.1% vs 52.1%) though transfer rates were higher for those hosting refugees (21.5% vs 1.9%, p<0.001) despite better 'equipment and supplies'. 'Good/excellent' 'equipment' and 'store management' were significantly associated with better cure rates in outpatient therapeutic centres (+55.9, p<0.001; +65.4, p=0.041, respectively) in multivariate analysis. Conclusions Though most NSDA capacity areas were rated good or excellent, health outcomes of malnourished children in West Nile Region, both in refugee-hosting and non-refugee-hosting facilities, are significantly below international standards. Effective and sustainable approaches to improve malnourished child health outcomes are needed.
KW - nutrition
KW - nutrition & dietetics
KW - paediatrics
KW - public health
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U2 - 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-034738
DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-034738
M3 - Article
C2 - 32532769
AN - SCOPUS:85086601814
VL - 10
JO - BMJ Open
JF - BMJ Open
SN - 2044-6055
IS - 6
M1 - 034738
ER -