Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41120171›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2025

Global prioritised indicators for measuring WHO's quality-of-care standards for small and/or sick newborns in health facilities: development, global consultation and expert consensus.

Louise T Day, Lara M E Vaz, Katherine E A Semrau, Sarah Moxon, Susan Niermeyer, Neena Khadka, Tamar Chitashvili, Gregory C Valentine, Mary Drake, Danielle E Y Ehret and 9 more

Abstract readConsensus Statement
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

19 authors.

Louise T DayDepartment of Infectious Disease Epidemiology and International Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK Louise-Tina.Day@lshtm.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0038-0002
Lara M E VazDepartment of Health Behavior, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9072-8091
Katherine E A SemrauAriadne Labs, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8360-1391
Sarah MoxonDepartment of Infectious Disease Epidemiology and International Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6600-6147
Susan NiermeyerDepartment of Pediatrics, Section of Neonatology, University of Colorado School of Medicine and Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, Colorado, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6310-8519
Neena KhadkaGlobal Health, Save the Children Federation, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Tamar ChitashviliJohn Snow International, Arlington, Virginia, USA.
Gregory C ValentineUniversity of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3055-2987
Mary DrakeJhpiego Corporation, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5197-9157
Danielle E Y EhretVermont Oxford Network, Burlington, Vermont, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1215-1124
Ashley SheffelDepartment of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Sch Publ Hlth, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6561-7085
Emma SacksDepartment of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Sch Publ Hlth, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0743-7208
Leah GreenspanPublic Health Institute contractor with the United States Agency for International Development, Washington, Virginia, USA.
Theresa R ShaverPublic Health Institute contractor with the United States Agency for International Development, Washington, Virginia, USA.
Lily KakPublic Health Institute contractor with the United States Agency for International Development, Washington, Virginia, USA.
Tedbabe Degefie HailegebrielHealth Section, UNICEF, New York, New York, USA.
Gagan GuptaHealth Section, UNICEF, New York, New York, USA.
Kathleen HillJhpiego Corporation, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Debra JacksonDepartment of Infectious Disease Epidemiology and International Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8808-0639

Funding

Prevention of Developmental Delay and Xylitol (PDDaX) StudyK23HD105929 · NICHD · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · PI Gregory Charles Valentine · 2022 to 2026
$798k
Gates Foundation INV-001378NICHD NIH HHS K23 HD105929
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThe aim of this study was to prioritise a set of indicators to measure World Health Organization (WHO) quality-of-care standards for small and/or sick newborns (SSNB) in health facilities. The hypothesis is that monitoring prioritised indicators can support accountability mechanisms, assess and drive progress, and compare performance in quality-of-care (QoC) at subnational levels.

designProspective, iterative, deductive, stepwise process to prioritise a list of QoC indicators organised around the WHO

settingThe indicators are prioritised for inpatient newborn care (typically called level 2 and 3 care) in high mortality/morbidity settings, where most preventable poor neonatal outcomes occur.

participantsThe TWG included 24 technical experts and leaders in SSNB QoC programming selected by WHO. Global perspectives were synthesised from an online survey of 172 respondents who represented different countries and levels of the health system, and a wide range of perspectives, including ministries of health, research institutions, technical and implementing partners, health workers and independent experts.

resultsThe 30 prioritised SSNB QoC indicators include 27 with metadata and 3 requiring further development; together, they cover all eight standard domains of the WHO quality framework. Among the established indicators, 10 were adopted from existing indicators and 17 adapted. The list contains a balance of indicators measuring inputs (n=6), processes (n=12) and outcome/impact (n=9).

conclusionsThe prioritised SSNB QoC indicators can be used at health facility, subnational and national levels, depending on the maturity of a country's health information system. Their use in implementation, research and evaluation across diverse contexts has the potential to help drive action to improve quality of SSNB care. WHO and others could use this list for further prioritisation of a core set.

Indexed as

Health FacilitiesQuality Indicators, Health CareQuality of Health CareGlobal HealthHumansInfant, NewbornProspective StudiesWorld Health OrganizationHealth ServicesNEONATOLOGYPatient Reported Outcome MeasuresQuality in health care

Identifiers

PMID41120171
PMCPMC12542562

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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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.