Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37734897›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2023

Health data ecosystem in Pakistan: a multisectoral qualitative assessment of needs and opportunities.

Sana Mahmood, Ali Aahil Noorali, Afshan Manji, Noreen Afzal, Saadia Abbas, Javeria Bilal Qamar, Sameen Siddiqi, Zahra Hoodbhoy, Salim S Virani, Zulfiqar A Bhutta and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
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

11 authors.

Sana MahmoodDean's Office, Medical College, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Ali Aahil NooraliDepartment of Medicine, Medical College, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.ORCID 0000-0002-5112-9571
Afshan ManjiDepartment of Medicine, Medical College, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Noreen AfzalDean's Office, Medical College, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Saadia AbbasDepartment of Medicine, Medical College, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Javeria Bilal QamarDepartment of Medicine, Medical College, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Sameen SiddiqiDepartment of Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.ORCID 0000-0001-8289-0964
Zahra HoodbhoyDepartment of Pediatrics and Child Health, Medical College, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.ORCID 0000-0002-0439-8293
Salim S ViraniDepartment of Medicine, Medical College, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Zulfiqar A BhuttaInstitute of Global Health and Development, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.ORCID 0000-0003-0637-599X
Zainab SamadDepartment of Medicine, Medical College, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan samad.zainab@aku.edu.ORCID 0000-0003-2422-3199

Funding

UZIMA-DS: UtiliZing health Information for Meaningful Impact in East Africa through Data ScienceU54TW012089 · FIC · AGA KHAN UNIVERSITY (KENYA) · PI Amina Abubakar Ali, Akbar K Waljee · 2021 to 2026
$7.7M
The Aga Khan University Pakistan Initiative for Non-Communicable Diseases (AKUPI-NCDs) Research Training ProgramD43TW011625 · FIC · AGA KHAN UNIVERSITY (PAKISTAN) · PI Gerald Samuel Bloomfield, Zainab Samad · 2021 to 2026
$1.4M
Department of Health NIHR203248FIC NIH HHS D43 TW011625FIC NIH HHS U54 TW012089
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveData are essential for tracking and monitoring of progress on health-related sustainable development goals (SDGs). But the capacity to analyse subnational and granular data is limited in low and middle-income countries. Although Pakistan lags behind on achieving several health-related SDGs, its health information capacity is nascent. Through an exploratory qualitative approach, we aimed to understand the current landscape and perceptions on data in decision-making among stakeholders of the health data ecosystem in Pakistan.

designWe used an exploratory qualitative study design.

settingThis study was conducted at the Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.

participantsWe conducted semistructured, in-depth interviews with multidisciplinary and multisectoral stakeholders from academia, hospital management, government, Non-governmental organisations and other relevant private entities till thematic saturation was achieved. Interviews were recorded and transcribed, followed by thematic analysis using NVivo.

resultsThematic analysis of 15 in-depth interviews revealed three major themes: (1) institutions are collecting data but face barriers to its effective utilisation for decision-making. These include lack of collection of needs-responsive data, lack of a gender/equity in data collection efforts, inadequate digitisation, data reliability and limited analytical ability; (2) there is openness and enthusiasm for sharing data for advancing health; however, multiple barriers hinder this including appropriate regulatory frameworks, platforms for sharing data, interoperability and defined win-win scenarios; (3) there is limited capacity in the area of both human capital and infrastructure, for being able to use data to advance health, but there is appetite to improve and invest in capacity in this area.

conclusionsOur study identified key areas of focus that can contribute to orient a national health data roadmap and ecosystem in Pakistan.

Indexed as

Data CollectionNeeds AssessmentHumansPakistanReproducibility of ResultsPUBLIC HEALTHQUALITATIVE RESEARCHQuality in health care

Identifiers

PMID37734897
PMCPMC10514666

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.