Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40319301›Full record

SynthesisMalaria journal2025

Adherence to anti-malarials among patients diagnosed with malaria in East Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Jackline D Nkoma, Susan F Rumisha, Hamisi S Japhari, Emanuel L Peter

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Malaria journal, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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

4 authors.

Jackline D NkomaMabibo Traditional Medicine Research Centre, National Institute for Medical Research, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. jacklinenkoma@gmail.com.
Susan F RumishaMalaria Atlas Project, East Africa Node, Ifakara Health Institute, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
Hamisi S JaphariMabibo Traditional Medicine Research Centre, National Institute for Medical Research, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
Emanuel L PeterMabibo Traditional Medicine Research Centre, National Institute for Medical Research, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. emmanuel.lyimo@nimr.or.tz.

Funding

Mabibo Traditional Medicine Research Centre (NIMR Mabibo Centre) through a sub-award from Malaria Atlas Project in Perth, Australia RES-62388/ CTR-18258
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEast Africa continues to bear a significant share of the global malaria burden, despite its commitment to the malaria elimination goal of 2030. Furthermore, reported variations in adherence to anti-malarials hamper the regional effort in malaria elimination. Moreover, the region has no comprehensive and comparable adherence estimates for policymakers to set priorities, target control strategies, and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions. Hence, this systematic review synthesized the regional adherence estimate for East Africa.

methodsAuthors searched articles from PubMed, Science Direct, CINHAL, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Two authors independently assessed retrieved studies for eligibility and risk of bias, then the adherence rate was pooled using the random effect model implemented in STATA. Publication bias was assessed using a funnel plot symmetry and the Egger test. Subgroup analysis was performed to explore the effect of the national and types of regimens on the overall estimate. Qualitative analysis was applied to explain factors that influence adherence.

resultsA total of 29 studies with 15 927 participants were included. The overall adherence rate was 70.30% (95% CI 61.93-78.67; 29 studies; I

conclusionOn average, about three-quarters of malaria patients in East Africa adhere to their medications. In light of these findings, further interventional studies are needed to address low adherence to anti-malarials in the region. Moreover, adherence studies with the appropriate method of measurement are still needed to obtain a robust generalizable estimate in East Africa. Trial registration This review was registered at PROSPERO with the registration ID CRD42023410048.

Indexed as

AntimalarialsMalariaMedication AdherenceAfrica, EasternHumansAntimalarialsAdherenceAnti-malarialsEast AfricaMalariaSystematic review

Identifiers

PMID40319301
PMCPMC12049010

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.