Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33362249›Full record

ArticlePloS one2020

Variation in the availability and cost of essential medicines for non-communicable diseases in Uganda: A descriptive time series analysis.

Mari Armstrong-Hough, Srish Sharma, Sandeep P Kishore, Ann R Akiteng, Jeremy I Schwartz

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
19citing papers in PubMed
4.9field-weighted citation impact, top 4% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

19 citing papers in PubMed, 25 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.

Mari Armstrong-HoughSchool of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY, United States of America.ORCID 0000-0001-6947-4528
Srish SharmaWake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States of America.
Sandeep P KishoreArnhold Institute for Global Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America.
Ann R AkitengUganda Initiative for Integrated Management of Non-Communicable Diseases, Kampala, Uganda.
Jeremy I SchwartzUganda Initiative for Integrated Management of Non-Communicable Diseases, Kampala, Uganda.
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · USNew York University · USUganda Institute of Information & Communications Technology · UGWake Forest University · USYale University · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAvailability of essential medicines for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is poor in low- and middle-income countries. Availability and cost are conventionally assessed using cross-sectional data. However, these characteristics may vary over time.

methodsWe carried out a prospective, descriptive analysis of the availability and cost of essential medicines in 23 Ugandan health facilities over a five-week period. We surveyed facility pharmacies in-person up to five times, recording availability and cost of 19 essential medicines for NCDs and four essential medicines for communicable diseases.

resultsAvailability of medicines varied substantially over time, especially among public facilities. Among private-for-profit facilities, the cost of the same medicine varied from week to week. Private-not-for-profit facilities experienced less dramatic fluctuations in price.

conclusionsWe conclude that there is a need for standardized, continuous monitoring to better characterize the availability and cost of essential medicines, understand demand for these medicines, and reduce uncertainty for patients.

Indexed as

Drug CostsCommunicable DiseasesDrugs, EssentialHealth FacilitiesHealth Services AccessibilityHumansNoncommunicable DiseasesPrivate SectorProspective StudiesPublic SectorSurveys and QuestionnairesTime FactorsUgandaDrugs, Essential

Identifiers

PMID33362249
PMCPMC7757794
OpenAlexW3117503529

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.