Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39084601›Full record

ArticlePLOS global public health2024

The prioritisation of curable sexually transmitted infections among pregnant women in Zambia and Papua New Guinea: Qualitative insights.

Lisa M Vallely, Kelvin Kapungu, Alice Mengi, Mike Chaponda, R Matthew Chico, Michaela A Riddell, Andrew J Vallely, William Pomat, Eva Cignacco, Nicola Low and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PLOS global public health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

11 authors.

Lisa M VallelyPapua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8247-7683
Kelvin KapunguTropical Diseases Research Centre, Ndola, Zambia.
Alice MengiPapua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea.
Mike ChapondaTropical Diseases Research Centre, Ndola, Zambia.
R Matthew ChicoDepartment of Disease Control, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1795-7100
Michaela A RiddellPapua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8852-0569
Andrew J VallelyPapua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1558-4822
William PomatPapua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2640-9640
Eva CignaccoBern University of Applied Sciences, School of Health Professions, Midwifery Division, Bern, Switzerland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6773-4015
Nicola LowInstitute of Social and Preventative Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4817-8986
Angela Kelly-HankuPapua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0152-2954

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Curable sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are neglected in public health policy, services and society at large. Effective interventions are available for some STI but seem not to be prioritised at global, regional or local levels. Zambia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) have a high burden of STIs among pregnant women but little is known about the prioritisation of STI treatment and care among this group. We undertook a qualitative study to explore how STIs are prioritised among pregnant women in local health systems in Zambia and PNG. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 key informants-health care workers providing antenatal care, and policy and programme advisers across the two countries. Audio recordings were transcribed and translated into English and stored, managed, and coded in NVivo v12. Analysis used deductive and inductive thematic analysis. Findings were coded against the World Health Organization health system building blocks. Participants spoke about the stigma of STIs at the community level. They described a broad understanding of morbidity associated with undiagnosed and untreated STIs in pregnant women. The importance of testing and treating STIs in pregnancy was well recognised but many spoke of constraints in providing these services due to stock outs of test kits for HIV and syphilis and antibiotics. In both settings, syndromic management remains the mainstay for treating curable STIs. Clinical practice and treatment were not in alignment with current STI guidelines in either country, with participants recognising the need for mentorship and in-service training, as well as the availability of commodities to support their clinical practice. Local disruptions to screening and management of syphilis, HIV and other curable STIs were widely reported in both countries. There is a need to galvanise priority at national and regional levels to ensure ongoing access to supplies needed to undertake STI testing and treatment.

Identifiers

PMID39084601
PMCPMC11290942

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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.