Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35820742›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2022

Evaluation of needs and supply of emergency care in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo: a cross-sectional household survey.

Ken Diango, John Yangongo, Vera Sistenich, Peter Hodkinson, Eric Mafuta, Lee Wallis

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing 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

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Emergency triage in coastal Kenya: a survey of public Emergency Departments.African journal of emergency medicine : Revue africaine de la medecine d'urgence · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Implementation and evaluation of a pilot WHO community first aid responder training in Kinshasa, DR Congo: A mixed method study.African journal of emergency medicine : Revue africaine de la medecine d'urgence · 2023
    Article
  6. 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

6 authors.

Ken DiangoDivision of Emergency Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa k.d.ngoy@gmail.com.ORCID 0000-0003-1714-6674
John YangongoEcole de Santé Publique, Université de Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Vera SistenichDepartment of Emergency Medicine, St George Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Peter HodkinsonDivision of Emergency Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Eric MafutaEcole de Santé Publique, Université de Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Lee WallisDivision of Emergency Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0003-2711-3139

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveEmergency care can address over half of deaths occurring each year in low-income countries. A baseline evaluation of the specific needs and gaps in the supply of emergency care at community level could help tailor suitable interventions in such settings. This study evaluates access to, utilisation of, and barriers to emergency care in the city of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

designA cross-sectional, community-based household survey.

setting12 health zones in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

participantsThree-stage randomised cluster sampling was used to identify approximately 100 households in each of the 12 clusters, for a total of 1217 households. The head of each household or an adult representative responded on behalf of the household. Additional 303 respondents randomly selected in the households were interviewed regarding their personal reasons for not accessing emergency care. PRIMARY OUTCOME: Availability and utilisation of emergency care services.

resultsIn August 2021, 1217 households encompassing 6560 individuals were surveyed (response rate of 96.2%). Most households were economically disadvantaged (70.0% lived with <US$100 per person per month) and had no health insurance (98.4%) in a country using a fee-for-service healthcare payment system. An emergency visit in the last 12 months was reported in 52.6% of households. Ambulance utilisation was almost non-existent (0.2%) and access to health facilities for emergencies was mostly by walking (60.6% and 56.7% by day and night, respectively). Death in the last 12 months was reported in 12.8% of households, of which 20.6% occurred out-of-hospital with no care received within 24 hours prior to death. Self-medication (71.3%) and the expected high cost of care (19.5%) were the main reasons for unmet emergency care needs.

conclusionThere is a substantial gap in the supply of emergency care in Kinshasa, with several unmet needs and reasons for poor access identified.

Indexed as

Emergency Medical ServicesAdultCross-Sectional StudiesDemocratic Republic of the CongoEmergency TreatmentFamily CharacteristicsHumansaccident & emergency medicineorganisation of health servicespublic health

Identifiers

PMID35820742
PMCPMC9277375

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

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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.