Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35777927›Full record

ArticleBMJ global health2022

Exploring the availability of specialist health workforce education in East and Southern Africa: a document analysis.

James Avoka Asamani, Christmal Dela Christmals, Champion N Nyoni, Juliet Nabyonga-Orem, Jennifer Nyoni, Sunny C Okoroafor, Adam Ahmat

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ global health, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
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

7 authors.

James Avoka AsamaniHealth Workforce Unit, Universal Health Coverage Life - Course Cluster, World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo Asamanij@who.int.ORCID 0000-0003-0620-6010
Christmal Dela ChristmalsCentre for Health Professions Education, North-West Unversity, Potchefstroom, North West, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0003-1811-0008
Champion N NyoniSchool of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa.
Juliet Nabyonga-OremCentre for Health Professions Education, Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University - Potchefstroom Campus, Potchefstroom, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0002-1061-8678
Jennifer NyoniIndependent Health Workforce Consultant, Lusaka, Zambia.
Sunny C OkoroaforHealth Workforce Unit, Universal Health Coverage Life - Course Cluster, World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo.
Adam AhmatHealth Workforce Unit, Universal Health Coverage Life - Course Cluster, World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo.

Funding

World Health Organization 001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSpecialist health professionals improve health outcomes. Most low-income and middle-income countries do not have the capacity to educate and retain all types of specialists across various health professions. This study sought to explore and describe the opportunities available for specialist health professions education and the pathways to becoming a specialist health professional in East and Southern Africa (ESA). Understanding the regional capacity for specialist education provides opportunities for countries to apply transnational education models to create prospects for specialist education.

methodsA document analysis on specialist training programmes for health professionals was conducted in twenty countries in ESA to establish the capacity of specialist education for health professionals. Data were collected from policy documents, grey literature and websites at the country and institution levels.

findingsWe found 288 specialist health professions education programmes across ten professional categories in 157 health professions education institutions from 18 countries in the ESA are reported. Medical and Nursing specialist programmes dominate the list of available specialist programmes in the region, while Kenya, South Africa and Ethiopia have the highest number of specialist programmes. Most included specialist programmes were offered at the Master's level or as postgraduate diplomas. There is a general uneven distribution of specialist health professions education programmes within the ESA region despite sharing almost similar sociogeographical context and disease patterns. Current national priorities may be antecedent to the diversity and skewed distribution of specialist health professions programmes.

conclusionAttention must be paid to countries with limited capacity for specialist education and to professions that are severely under-represented. Establishing regional policies and platforms that nurture collaborations towards specialist health professions education may be a proximal solution for increased regional capacity for specialist education.

Indexed as

Health OccupationsHealth WorkforceSpecializationAfrica, EasternAfrica, SouthernHumansHealth policies and all other topicsReview

Identifiers

PMID35777927
PMCPMC9252186

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
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.