Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42369592›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of integrated care

Implementation Determinants of Integrated Tuberculosis and Diabetes Care in South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Countries: A Systematic Review.

Saima Aleem, Saima Afaq, Suneel Gill, Bilal Ahmad, Zunaira Michael, Rida Zarkaish, Zohaib Khan

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of integrated care. 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

7 authors.

Saima AleemInstitute of Public Health & Social Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1892-3834
Saima AfaqInstitute of Public Health & Social Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9080-2220
Suneel GillInstitute of Public Health & Social Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0009-0470-5271
Bilal AhmadOffice of Research Innovation and Commercialization, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6059-3985
Zunaira MichaelInstitute of Public Health & Social Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0003-0546-199X
Rida ZarkaishOffice of Research Innovation and Commercialization, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-5402-5999
Zohaib KhanOffice of Research Innovation and Commercialization, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1885-8254

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) and diabetes mellitus (DM) represent a growing syndemic in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), particularly across South Asia. The bidirectional relationship between these diseases exacerbates health outcomes and increases system burdens. Although the World Health Organization has advocated for integrated management of TB and DM, implementation remains inconsistent across the SAARC region. This systematic review aims to identify and analyse implementation determinants of integrated TB and DM care in SAARC countries. Methods: We conducted a systematic review following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. searching MEDLINE (via Ovid), EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane CENTRAL, and CINAHL for peer-reviewed studies. Grey literature was sourced from Google Scholar and citation search. Four reviewers independently screened title, abstract and full text using Rayyan. Using a structured Excel form, two reviewers extracted data. Quality assessment was conducted by using Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). A narrative synthesis was conducted in line with SWiM guidelines to categorize implementation determinants as barriers or facilitators. Results: Ten studies met the inclusion criteria and were conducted across five SAARC countries: India (n = 7), Pakistan (n = 1), Bangladesh (n = 1), and Sri Lanka (n = 1). Identified facilitators included political commitment, use of digital tools, and training of healthcare workers. Barriers encompassed inadequate infrastructure and finances, workforce shortages, lack of standardized guidelines and fragmented vertical health systems. Conclusion: Integrated TB-DM care in the SAARC region remains at an early developmental stage, with most efforts limited to pilot projects or small-scale screenings. Despite political and institutional recognition of the dual burden, scale-up is constrained by systemic barriers, resource gaps, and lack of evidence-informed implementation strategies. Future efforts should prioritize system-wide integration guided by implementation frameworks, standardized protocols, and investment in workforce and infrastructure to achieve sustainable impact. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO registration number: CRD42025644263.

Indexed as

barriers and facilitatorscomorbiditydiabetes mellitushealth systemsimplementation determinantsintegrated caretuberculosis

Identifiers

PMID42369592
PMCPMC13308530

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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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.