Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37370073›Full record

ArticleMalaria journal2023

Promptness in seeking treatment from Village Health workers for children under five years with malaria, diarrhoea and pneumonia in rural southwestern Uganda.

Edgar Mulogo, Stephen Baguma, Moses Ntaro, Shem Bwambale, Michael Matte, Andrew Wesuta, David Ayebare, Fred Bagenda, Peter Kawungezi

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Malaria journal, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. 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

9 authors.

Edgar MulogoDepartment of Community Health, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 1410, Mbarara, Uganda. emulogo2000@gmail.com.
Stephen BagumaBugoye Community Health Collaboration, P.O. Box 149, Kasese, Uganda.
Moses NtaroDepartment of Community Health, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 1410, Mbarara, Uganda.
Shem BwambaleBugoye Health Centre, Kasese District Local Government, P.O. Box 149, Kasese, Uganda.
Michael MatteBugoye Community Health Collaboration, P.O. Box 149, Kasese, Uganda.
Andrew WesutaBugoye Community Health Collaboration, P.O. Box 149, Kasese, Uganda.
David AyebareDepartment of Community Health, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 1410, Mbarara, Uganda.
Fred BagendaDepartment of Community Health, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 1410, Mbarara, Uganda.
Peter KawungeziDepartment of Community Health, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 1410, Mbarara, Uganda.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundVillage Health Workers (VHWs) in Uganda provide treatment for the childhood illness of malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhoea through the integrated community case management (iCCM) strategy. Under the strategy children under five years receive treatment for these illnesses within 24 h of onset of illness. This study examined promptness in seeking treatment from VHWs by children under five years with malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhoea in rural southwestern Uganda.

methodsIn August 2022, a database containing information from the VHWs patient registers over a 5-year study period was reviewed (2014-2018). A total of 18,430 child records drawn from 8 villages of Bugoye sub-county, Kasese district were included in the study. Promptness was defined a caregiver seeking treatment for a child from a VHW within 24 h of onset of illness.

resultsSixty-four percent (64%) of the children included in the study sought treatment promptly. Children with fever had the highest likelihood of seeking prompt treatment (aOR = 1.93, 95% CI 1.80-2.06, p < 0.001) as compared to those with diarrhoea (aOR = 1.43, 95% CI 1.32-1.52, p < 0.001) and pneumonia (aOR = 1.33, 95% CI 1.24-1.42, p < 0.001).

conclusionThe findings provide further evidence that VHWs play a critical role in the treatment of childhood illness in rural contexts. However, the proportion of children seeking prompt treatment remains below the target set at the inception of the iCCM strategy, in Uganda. There is a need to continually engage rural communities to promote modification of health-seeking behaviour, particularly for children with danger signs. Evidence to inform the design of services and behaviour change communication, can be provided through undertaking qualitative studies to understand the underlying reasons for decisions about care-seeking in rural settings. Co-design with communities in these settings may increase the acceptability of these services.

Indexed as

MalariaPneumoniaChildChild, PreschoolCommunity Health WorkersDiarrheaHumansInfantRural PopulationUgandaChildhood illnessCommunity health workerPromptnessTreatment

Identifiers

PMID37370073
PMCPMC10294330

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.