ArticleBMJ open2026
Process-related determinants of quality of care for individuals with sickle cell disease in a tertiary facility in Ghana.
Article in BMJ open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
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.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveSickle cell disease places a significant burden on health systems in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana, where access to high-quality, patient-centred care remains limited. This study evaluated patient-perceived quality of sickle cell disease care at a tertiary-level facility in Ghana and explored process factors influencing perceived quality of care.
designCross-sectional, questionnaire-based study.
settingA tertiary-level healthcare facility in Accra, Ghana.
participantsA total of 424 individuals with sickle cell disease were recruited using convenience sampling. Data were collected between 4 September and 16 October 2023 using pretested, interviewer-administered questionnaires. First-time clinic attendees and those requiring urgent medical intervention were excluded. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome was patient-perceived quality of care. Secondary outcome measures included socio-demographic and process-related factors influencing patient-perceived care quality.
resultsParticipants' ages ranged from 15 to 66 years, with a median (IQR) age of 32 (27-42) years. Most were female (67.4%), had the SS genotype (51.9%) and 68.6% were on hydroxyurea. Overall, 81.8% of respondents reported receiving good-quality care. Predictors of higher perceived care quality included age (adjusted OR (AOR)=8.9, (95% CI 3.3 to 24.3), p=0.001), hydroxyurea use (AOR=2.3, (95% CI 1.2 to 4.2), p=0.008), good health worker-patient communication (AOR=3.2, (95% CI 1.7 to 6.0), p=0.001), positive provider attitudes (AOR=3.1, (95% CI 1.7 to 5.7), p=0.001), receipt of health education (AOR=2.1, (95% CI 1.1 to 3.9), p=0.030) and shorter waiting times for emergency care (AOR=0.2, (95% CI 0.1 to 0.6), p=0.001).
conclusionThis study provides context-specific evidence on process-level determinants of quality of sickle cell disease care in Ghana. Interventions to improve provider communication, enhance provider attitudes, strengthen patient education and reduce waiting times may improve patient experience and contribute to progress towards Universal Health Coverage in resource-limited settings.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.