Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37993157›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2023

Health system barriers to timely routine measles vaccinations in rural southwest China: a qualitative study on the perspectives of township vaccination professionals and village doctors.

Man Cheng, Tao Lan, Alan Geater, Qiu-Yun Deng, Yue-Dong Lin, Long-Yan Jiang, Ning Chen, Man-Tong Zhu, Qiao Li, Xian-Yan Tang

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
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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

10 authors.

Man Cheng *Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
Tao Lan *Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
Alan GeaterEpidemiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Thailand.
Qiu-Yun DengInstitute of Vaccination, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning, Guangxi, China tangxianyan0746@163.com liqiao_medistats@163.com lym_dqy@163.com.
Yue-Dong LinDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
Long-Yan JiangDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
Ning ChenDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
Man-Tong ZhuDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
Qiao LiDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China tangxianyan0746@163.com liqiao_medistats@163.com lym_dqy@163.com.
Xian-Yan TangDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China tangxianyan0746@163.com liqiao_medistats@163.com lym_dqy@163.com.ORCID 0000-0001-6448-0355

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesA well-functioning health system ensures timely routine measles vaccinations for age-appropriate children, minimising measles risk. However, there is limited knowledge about the impact of the performance of immunisation programmes in health systems on the timeliness of measles vaccination. This study aimed to identify health system barriers to timely routine measles vaccination in rural southwest China, integrating the perspectives of township vaccination professionals and village doctors. DESIGN, SETTING AND

participantsQualitative study among township vaccination professionals and village doctors in rural Guangxi, southwest China.

methods20 focus group discussions (FGDs) at township level and 120 in-depth interviews (IDIs) at village level, based on a four-theme framework. We used convenience sampling to recruit 60 township vaccination professionals and 120 village doctors in 2015. Instruments used were a semistructured questionnaire and interview outlines. We collected township and village-level data focusing on themes of health resources allocation, pattern of vaccination services, management and supervision of vaccination services, and perceptions of vaccination policy. The FGDs and IDIs were audio-recorded and transcribed. Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis approach was adopted to synthesise findings into meaningful subthemes, narrative text and illustrative quotations.

resultsThe health system barriers to timely routine vaccinations were explored across four themes. Barriers in the health resources allocation theme comprised (1) inadequacy of vaccination-related human resources (eg, lack of township vaccination professionals and lack of young village doctors), and (2) incompatible and non-identical information system of vaccination services across regions. Barriers in the pattern of vaccination services theme included inflexible vaccination services models, for example, routine vaccination services being offered monthly on fixed vaccination days, limited numbers of vaccination days per month, vaccination days being set on non-local market days, vaccination days being clustered into a specific period and absence of formal vaccination appointments. Ineffective economic incentive mechanism was identified as a barrier in the management and supervision of vaccination services theme. Low-degree participation of village doctors in routine vaccination services was identified as a barrier in the perceptions of vaccination policy theme.

conclusionsWe encourage policymakers and stakeholders to apply these findings to improve the timeliness of routine vaccination. Barriers to timely routine vaccination include inadequate allocation of vaccination-related resources and inflexible vaccination service delivery models. Financial and non-financial incentives should be used to retain and recruit vaccination professionals and village doctors. Strengthening information systems with unified data standards enables cross-regional data exchange. Optimising immunisation services and rationalising vaccination days could eliminate health system barriers and improve vaccination timeliness in rural China.

Indexed as

MeaslesPhysiciansRural Health ServicesChildChinaHumansVaccinationEPIDEMIOLOGYHealth policyPublic health

Identifiers

PMID37993157
PMCPMC10668328

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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.