Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37737179›Full record

Trial reportBMC health services research2023

Medium-to-long term sustainability of a health systems intervention to improve service readiness and quality of non-communicable disease (NCD) patient care and experience at primary care settings in Uganda.

David Katende, Ivan Kasamba, Isaac Sekitoleko, Kevin Nakuya, Caleb Kusilika, Allan Buyinza, Michael Charles Mubiru, Gerald Mutungi, Moffat Nyirenda, Heiner Grosskurth and 1 more

Open access · goldAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC health services research, 2023. 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
1.8field-weighted citation impact, top 14% 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

6 citing papers in PubMed, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
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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

11 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

David KatendeLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Bloomsbury, London, UK. david.katende@lshtm.ac.uk.
Ivan KasambaMRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda.
Isaac SekitolekoLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Bloomsbury, London, UK.
Kevin NakuyaMRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda.
Caleb KusilikaMRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda.
Allan BuyinzaMRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda.
Michael Charles MubiruMRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda.
Gerald MutungiMinistry of Health Uganda, Kampala, Uganda.
Moffat NyirendaLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Bloomsbury, London, UK.
Heiner GrosskurthLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Bloomsbury, London, UK.
Kathy BaisleyLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Bloomsbury, London, UK.
Uganda Virus Research Institute · UGLondon School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine · GBMinistry of Health · UG

Funding

Medical Research Council MC_UP_1204/16Medical Research Council MC_UU_00033/3
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWith the double burden of rising chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and persistent infectious diseases facing sub-Saharan Africa, integrated health service delivery strategies among resource-poor countries are needed. Our study explored the post-trial sustainability of a health system intervention to improve NCD care, introduced during a cluster randomised trial between 2013 and 2016 in Uganda, focusing on hypertension (HT) and type-2 diabetes mellitus (DM) services. In 2020, 19 of 38 primary care health facilities (HFs) that constituted the trial's original intervention arm until 2016 and 3 of 6 referral HFs that also received the intervention then, were evaluated on i) their facility performance (FPS) through health worker knowledge, and service availability and readiness (SAR), and ii) the quality-of-patient-care-and-experience (QoCE) received.

methodsCross-sectional data from the original trial (2016) and our study (2020) were compared. FPS included a clinical knowledge test with 222 health workers: 131 (2016) and 91 (2020) and a five-element SAR assessment of all 22 HFs. QoCE assessment was performed among 420 patients: 88 (2016) and 332 (2020). Using a pair-matched approach, FPS and QoCE summary scores were compared. Linear and random effects Tobit regression models were also analysed.

resultsThe mean aggregate facility performance (FPS) in 2020 was lower than in 2016: 70.2 (95%CI = 66.0-74.5) vs. 74.8 (95%CI = 71.3-78.3) respectively, with no significant difference (p = 0.18). Mean scores declined in 4 of 5 SAR elements. Overall FPS was negatively affected by rural or urban HF location relative to peri-urban HFs (p < 0.01). FPS was not independently predicted but patient club functionality showed weak association (p = 0.09). QoCE declined slightly to 8.7 (95%CI = 8.4-91) in 2020 vs 9.5 (95%CI = 9.1-9.9) in 2016 (p = 0.02) while the proportion of patients receiving adequate quality care also declined slightly to 88.2% from 98.5% respectively, with no statistical difference (p = 0.20). Only the parent district weakly predicted QoCE (p = 0.05).

conclusionsFour years after the end of research-related support, overall facility performance had declined as expected because of the interrupted supplies and a decline in regular supervision. However, both service availability and readiness and quality of HT/DM care were surprisingly well preserved. Sustainability of an NCD intervention in similar settings may remain achievable despite the funding instability following a trial's end but organisational measures to prepare for the post-trial phase should be taken early on in the intervention process.

Indexed as

HypertensionNoncommunicable DiseasesCross-Sectional StudiesHumansPatient CarePrimary Health CareUgandaAdherence clubsChronic diseasesEvaluationHealth systemsIntervention trialLong termMedium termNCDSPatient clubsPrimary careSub-Saharan AfricaSustainabilityUganda

Identifiers

PMID37737179
PMCPMC10514956
OpenAlexW4386944369

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.