Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38035740›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2023

Moving forward through consensus: a national Delphi approach to determine the top research priorities in prostate cancer in Uganda.

Andrew Sentoogo Ssemata, Richard Muhumuza, Janet Seeley, Dorothy Chilambe Lombe, Monde Mwamba, Susan Msadabwe, Amos Deogratius Mwaka, Ajay Aggarwal

Open access · goldAbstract 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
0.6field-weighted citation impact, top 22% 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

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. 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

8 authors at 7 institutions in 7 countries.

Andrew Sentoogo SsemataSocial Aspects of Health Across the Lifecourse, MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Wakiso, Uganda andrewssemata@yahoo.co.uk.ORCID 0000-0003-0060-0842
Richard MuhumuzaSocial Aspects of Health Across the Lifecourse, MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Wakiso, Uganda.ORCID 0000-0002-9931-7600
Janet SeeleySocial Aspects of Health Across the Lifecourse, MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Wakiso, Uganda.ORCID 0000-0002-0583-5272
Dorothy Chilambe LombeRadiation Oncology, MidCentral District Health Board, Palmerston North, New Zealand.ORCID 0000-0002-5083-1801
Monde MwambaUniversity of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.ORCID 0000-0003-3158-7724
Susan MsadabweCancer Diseases Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia.ORCID 0000-0003-3887-3790
Amos Deogratius MwakaDepartment of Internal Medicine, Mulago Hospital/Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.ORCID 0000-0001-7952-2327
Ajay AggarwalHealth Services Research & Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine · GBChest Diseases Hospital · KWGulu University · UGKing's College London · GBPalmerston North Hospital · NZUganda Virus Research Institute · UGUniversity of Zambia · ZM

Funding

Medical Research Council MC_UU_00033/3Wellcome Trust
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo identify key areas for research in prostate cancer (PC) in the Ugandan context by establishing the major health system, socioeconomic and clinical barriers to seeking, reaching and receiving high-quality cancer care.

designModified Delphi Technique.

settingGovernment and private-not-for-profit hospitals.

methodsWe applied a two-stage modified Delphi technique to identify the consensus view across cancer experts. In round 1, experts received a questionnaire containing 21 statements drawn from a systematic review identifying the reason for the delay in accessing cancer care. Each statement was scored out of 20. Statements scoring ≥15 from over 70% of participants were prioritised for inclusion while statements for which <30% of participants gave a score of ≥15 were excluded. Sixteen statements were included in round 2 as they did not receive consensus for inclusion or exclusion.

resultsWe found that the top six research priority areas arise from challenges including: (1) lack of diagnostic services-ultrasound, laboratory tests and biopsy facilities; (2) high costs of services, for example, surgery, radiotherapy, hormone therapy are unaffordable to most patients, (3) lack of essential medicines, (4) limited radiotherapy capacity, (5) lack of awareness of cancer as a disease and low recognition of symptoms, (6) low healthcare literacy. The lack of critical surgical supplies, high diagnostic and treatment costs were ranked highest in order of importance in round 1. Round 2 also revealed lack of diagnostic services, unavailability of critical medicines, lack of radiotherapy options, high costs of treatments and lack of critical surgical supplies as the top priorities.

conclusionThese research priority areas ought to be addressed in future research to improve prompt PC diagnosis and care in Uganda. There is need to improve the supply of high-quality affordable anticancer medicines for PC patients so as to improve the survivorship from the cancer.

Indexed as

Prostatic NeoplasmsDelivery of Health CareDelphi TechniqueHumansMaleResearchSurvivorshipSystematic Reviews as TopicUgandaHealth ServicesONCOLOGYPrimary Health CareProstateProstate diseaseQuality in health care

Identifiers

PMID38035740
PMCPMC10689405
OpenAlexW4389210696

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.