Search

Early adolescents (ages 10-14) living in low- and middle-income countries have heightened vulnerability to psychosocial risks, but available evidence from these settings is limited. This study used data from the Global Early Adolescent Study to characterize prototypical patterns of emotional and behavioral problems among 10,437 early adolescents (51% female) living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Malawi, Indonesia, and China, and explore the extent to which these patterns varied by country and sex. LCA was used to identify and classify patterns of emotional and behavioral problems separately by country. Within each country, measurement invariance by sex was evaluated. LCA supported a four-class solution in DRC, Malawi, and Indonesia, and a three-class solution in China. Across countries, early adolescents fell into the following subgroups: Well-Adjusted (40-62%), Emotional Problems (14-29%), Behavioral Problems (15-22%; not present in China), and Maladjusted (4-15%). Despite the consistency of these patterns, there were notable contextual differences. Further, tests of measurement invariance indicated that the prevalence and nature of these classes differed by sex. Findings can be used to support the tailoring of interventions targeting psychosocial adjustment, and suggest that such programs may have utility across diverse cross-national settings.

Background: Malaria morbidity and mortality increase in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) may be the consequence of the low utilization rate of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) resulting from poor compliance due to adverse events (AEs). This study aimed at determining the prevalence and predictors of AEs following the mass distribution of LLINs in the Kisantu Health Zone (KHZ), a high malaria-endemic region in the DRC., Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study embedded was conducted within a randomized controlled trial (RCT) after the mass distribution of LLINs in 30 villages located in DRC KHZ. A three-stage sampling method was used without replacement to select 1790 children. Data was collected on adverse events (AEs) using a reporting form and information on demographics, nutritional status, and house characteristics. This was done using a structured questionnaire administered to household heads. Logistic regression models were used to identify predictors of AEs following the mass distribution of LLINs., Result: In a total of 1790 children enrolled, 17.8% (95% CI 16.1-19.7) experienced AEs. The most common AEs were respiratory-related (61%). Around 60% of AEs occurred within 24 h of use, and 51% were resolved without treatment. Sleeping under deltamethrin LLINs (Adjusted OR, 95% CI 5.5 [3.8-8.0]) and zinc roofing (Adjusted OR, 95% CI 1.98 [1.1-3.57]) were associated with the risk of reporting an AE following the mass distribution of LLINs., Conclusion: Approximately 1 out of 5 children had an AE within 24 h following LLIN use. These adverse events were often respiratory-related. LLINs and roofing types were associated with a higher risk of reporting AEs. However, further research using a robust study design is needed to confirm these findings. Future studies should design and implement interventions aiming to reduce AEs and improve compliance with LLINs., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: There has been increasing awareness about the importance of type 1 diabetes (T1D) globally. Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a life-threatening complication of T1D in low-income settings. Little is known about health system capacity to manage DKA in low- and lower-middle income countries (LLMICs). As such, we describe health system capacity to diagnose and manage DKA across nine LLMICs using data from Service Provision Assessments., Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we used data from Service Provision Assessment (SPA) surveys, which are part of the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) Program. We defined an item set to diagnose and manage DKA in higher-level (tertiary or secondary) facilities, and a set to assess and refer patients presenting to lower-level (primary) facilities. We quantified each item's availability by service level in Bangladesh (Survey 1: May 22 2014-Jul 20 2014; Survey 2: Jul 2017-Oct 2017), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) (Oct 16 2017-Nov 24 2017 in Kinshasha; Aug 08 2018-Apr 20 2018 in rest of country), Haiti (Survey 1: Mar 05 2013-Jul 2013; Survey 2: Dec 16 2017-May 09 2018), Ethiopia (Feb 06 2014-Mar 09 2014), Malawi (Phase 1: Jun 11 2013-Aug 20 2013; Phase 2: Nov 13 2013-Feb 7 2014), Nepal (Phase 1: Apr 20 2015-Apr 25 2015; Phase 2: Jun 04 2015-Nov 05 2015), Senegal (Survey 1: Jan 2014-Oct 2014; Survey 2: Feb 09 2015-Nov 10 2015; Survey 3: Feb 2016-Nov 2016; Survey 4: Mar 13 2017-Dec 15 2017; Survey 5: Apr 15 2018-Dec 31 2018; Survey 6: Apr 15 2019-Feb 28 2020), Tanzania (Oct 20 2014-Feb 21 2015), and Afghanistan (Nov 1 2018-Jan 20 2019). Variation in secondary facilities' capacity and trends over time were also explored., Findings: We examined data from 2028 higher-level and 7534 lower-level facilities. Of these, 1874 higher-level and 6636 lower-level facilities' data were eligible for analysis. Availability of all item sets were low at higher-level facilities, where less than 50% had the minimal set of supplies, less than 20% had the full minimal set, and less than 15% had the ideal set needed to diagnose and manage DKA. Across countries in lower-level facilities, less than 14% had the minimal set of supplies and less than 9% the full set of supplies for diagnosis and transfer of DKA patients. No country had more than 20% of facilities with the minimal set of items needed to assess or manage DKA. Where data were available for more than one survey (Bangladesh, Senegal, and Haiti), changes in availability of the minimal set and ideal set of items did not exceed 15%. Tertiary facilities performed best in Haiti, Ethiopia, Malawi, Nepal, Senegal, Tanzania, and Afghanistan. Secondary facilities that were rural, public, and had fewer staff had lower capacity., Interpretation: Health system capacity to manage DKA was low across these nine LLMICs. Although efforts are underway to strengthen health systems, a specific focus on DKA management is still needed., Funding: Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Ltd., Competing Interests: All authors declare no competing interests., (© 2022 The Authors.)

The Democratic Republic of Congo has implemented reforms to its national routine health information system (RHIS) to improve timeliness, completeness, and use of quality data. However, outbreaks can undermine efforts to strengthen it. We assessed the functioning of the RHIS during the 2018-2020 outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) to identify opportunities for future development. We conducted a qualitative study in North Kivu, from March to May 2020. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 34 key informants purposively selected from among the personnel involved in the production of RHIS data. The topics discussed included RHIS functioning, tools, compilation, validation, quality, sharing, and the use of data. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis was used to study the interviewees' lived experience. The RHIS retained its structure, tools, and flow during the outbreak. The need for other types of data to inform the EVD response created other parallel systems to the RHIS. This included data from Ebola treatment centers, vaccination against Ebola, points of entry surveillance, and safe and dignified burial. The informants indicated that the availability of weekly surveillance data had improved, while timeliness and quality of monthly RHIS reporting declined. The compilation of data was late and validation meetings were irregular. The upsurge of patients following the implementation of the free care policy, the departure of healthcare workers for better-paid jobs, and the high prioritization of the outbreak response over routine activities led to RHIS disruptions. Delays in decision-making were one of the consequences of the decline in data timeliness. Adequate allocation of human resources, equitable salary policy, coordination, and integration of the response with local structures are necessary to ensure optimal functioning of the RHIS during an outbreak. Future research should assess the scale of data quality changes during outbreaks., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2022 Kyomba et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: The first COVID-19 case in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was reported on 10 March 2020 in Kinshasa, prompting the government to promote internationally agreed non-pharmacological interventions for infection prevention and control. Public compliance to these measures is critical and depends on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of communities regarding COVID-19, for which there was no data. This study aimed to bridge that gap., Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Kinshasa in June 2020, during the emergency state, following a four-stage sampling process. Master's students from the Kinshasa School of Public Health conducted the survey. Descriptive and regression analyses were performed., Results: The study enrolled 726 women and 600 men (mean age: 43; SD 16-85). Nearly everyone heard about COVID-19 (mainly through television, radio, and street reports), but only 17% were highly knowledgeable about its transmission modes, signs and symptoms, and preventive measures. More than 80% of participants believed in the disease's seriousness; however, only 21% found the total lockdown acceptable. Nonetheless, 86% reported regular hand cleaning and mask-wearing followed by physical distancing (72%). Poorer, younger, and non-Catholic participants were overall markedly less knowledgeable and had comparatively lower levels of health-protective attitudes, acceptance, and practices. The education level and household size did not matter. Female participants tended to show fewer enabling attitudes and practices toward COVID-19 prevention measures compared to men., Conclusion: Adequate public health information to improve the population's KAP related to COVID-19 is critical and must be designed with and delivered to the community-considering the specific needs of diverse sub-groups and contexts. Studies in Kinshasa and similar settings are necessary to understand the barriers to and enablers of acquiring, applying, and maintaining the optimal population's KAP for COVID-19 prevention and control., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Context and Objectives: Non-communicable diseases and injuries (NCDIs) comprise a large share of mortality and morbidity in low-income countries (LICs), many of which occur earlier in life and with greater severity than in higher income settings. Our objective was to assess availability of essential equipment and medications required for a broad range of acute and chronic NCDI conditions., Design: Secondary analysis of existing cross-sectional survey data., Setting: We used data from Service Provision Assessment surveys in Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Malawi, Nepal, Senegal and Tanzania, focusing on public first-referral level hospitals in each country., Outcome Measures: We defined sets of equipment and medications required for diagnosis and management of four acute and nine chronic NCDI conditions and determined availability of these items at the health facilities., Results: Overall, 797 hospitals were included. Medication and equipment availability was highest for acute epilepsy (country estimates ranging from 40% to 95%) and stage 1-2 hypertension (28%-83%). Availability was low for type 1 diabetes (1%-70%), type 2 diabetes (3%-57%), asthma (0%-7%) and acute presentations of diabetes (0%-26%) and asthma (0%-4%). Few hospitals had equipment or medications for heart failure (0%-32%), rheumatic heart disease (0%-23%), hypertensive emergencies (0%-64%) or acute minor surgical conditions (0%-5%). Data for chronic pain were limited to only two countries. Availability of essential medications and equipment was lower than previous facility-reported service availability., Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate low availability of essential equipment and medications for diverse NCDIs at first-referral level hospitals in eight LICs. There is a need for decentralisation and integration of NCDI services in existing care platforms and improved assessment and monitoring to fully achieve universal health coverage., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is characterized by a high prevalence of hypertension (HTN) and a high proportion of uncontrolled HTN, which is indicative of poor HTN management. Effective management of HTN in the African region is challenging due to limited resources, particularly human resources for health. To address the shortage of health workers, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends task shifting for better disease management and treatment. Although task shifting from doctors to nurses is being implemented in the DRC, there are no studies, to the best of our knowledge, that document the association between task shifting and HTN control. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between task shifting and HTN control in Kinshasa, DRC., Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in Kinshasa from December 2015 to January 2016 in five general referral hospitals (GRHs) and nine health centers (HCs). A total of 260 hypertensive patients participated in the study. Sociodemographic, clinical, health care costs and perceived health care quality assessment data were collected using a structured questionnaire. To examine the association between task shifting and HTN control, we assessed differences between GRH and HC patients using bivariate and multivariate analyses., Results: Almost half the patients were female (53.1%), patients' mean age was 59.5 ± 11.4 years. Over three-fourths of patients had uncontrolled HTN. There was no significant difference in the proportion of GRH and HC patients with uncontrolled HTN (76.2% vs 77.7%, p = 0.771). Uncontrolled HTN was associated with co-morbidity (OR = 10.3; 95% CI: 3.8-28.3) and the type of antihypertensive drug used (OR = 4.6; 95% CI: 1.3-16.1). The mean healthcare costs in the GRHs were significantly higher than costs in the HCs (US$ 34.2 ± US$3.34 versus US$ 7.7 ± US$ 0.6, respectively)., Conclusion: Uncontrolled HTN was not associated with the type of health facility. This finding suggests that the management of HTN at primary healthcare level might be just as effective as at secondary level. However, the high proportion of patients with uncontrolled HTN underscores the need for HTN management guidelines at all healthcare levels.

Background: In the Democratic Republic of the Congo the control of hypertension is poor, characterized by an increasing number of reported cases of hypertension related complications. Poor control of hypertension is associated with non-adherence to antihypertensive medication. It is well established that the use of complementary and alternative medicine is one of the main factors of non-adherence to antihypertensive medication. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence and factors associated with the use of complementary and alternative medicine., Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out at the Kinshasa Primary Health-care (KPHC) facilities network in November 2014. A structured interview questionnaire was administrated to a total of 280hypertensive patients. Complementary and alternative medicine were defined according to the National Institute of Health classification as a group of diverse medical and healthcare systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine. Data were summarized using proportion and mean (with standard deviation). The student's t test and χ 2 test were used respectively for mean and proportion comparison. Logistic regression analysis identified determinants of the use of complementary and alternative medicine., Results: The prevalence of use of complementary and alternative medicine was 26.1% (95% CI: 20.7% - 31.8%).Determinants of use of complementary and alternative medicine included misperception about hypertension curability (OR = 2.1; 95%CI: 1.1-3.7) and experience of medication side effects (OR = 2.9; 95%CI: 1.7-5.1)., Conclusion: The use of CAM for hypertensive patients is a major problem; antihypertensives with fewer side effects must be emphasized. Religious leaders must become involved in the communication for behavioral change activities to improve the quality of life for hypertensive patients.

Background: Obesity is one of the main risk factors of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) worldwide, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. The use of Cyproheptadine increases body weight and the risk of becoming obese. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of Cyproheptadine misuse in the Kinshasa population and to describe its characteristics., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in two town sectors of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), over a 4 month period (May 2011 to August 2011). Data from 499 participants, aged between 13 and 55 years were collected and analyzed. Mean and standard deviation were used for quantitative variables and frequency and percentage for categorical variables. In order to determine the relationship between socio-demographic status and Cyproheptadine use the Chi-square test was conducted. Student's t-test was used to compare means age of Cyproheptadine users and non-users. Logistic regression was used to determine predictors of Cyproheptadine use. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant., Results: Overall, 499 participants were enrolled (352 females, 147 males, mean age ± standard deviation 24.9 ± 9.7 years) in the study. The majority of the study participants (72.9 %) had used Cyproheptadine as an appetite stimulant. Females were 11 times more likely to use Cryproheptadine (OR = 11.9; 95 % CI: 7.1-20.1) than males. People aged between 36 and 55 were three times less likely to use Cryproheptadine (OR = 0.3; 95 % CI: 0.2-0.8) compared to teenagers. More than half of the participants (69.0 %) declared to take daily Cyproheptadine. Half of the study participants (50.0 %) used Cyproheptadine for more than a year and also declared to combine it with Dexamethasone (87.6 %)., Conclusion: This study shows that the Kinshasa population is significantly misusing Cyproheptadine and is highly exposed to its risk, including obesity.

Background: Hypertension-related complications have become more diagnosed at secondary and tertiary care levels, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), probably indicative of poor management of hypertensive patients at primary health care level. This study aimed to assess the management of hypertension in primary health care settings by using guidelines of the International Forum for Prevention and Control of HTN in Africa (IFHA)., Methods: A multi-center cross-sectional study was carried out in primary health care settings. A total of 102 nurses were surveyed using a structured interview. Mean and proportion comparisons were performed using the t Student test and the Chi-square test respectively. The Kinshasa Primary Health Care network facilities were compared with non-Kinshasa Primary Health Care network facilities., Results: From the 102 nurses surveyed; 52.9% were female with a mean age of 41.1, (SD = 10) years, merely 9.5% benefited from in-job training on cardiovascular diseases or their risk factors, and 51.7% had guidelines on the management of hypertension. Less than a quarter of the nurses knew the cut-off values of hypertension, diabetes and obesity. Merely 14.7% knew the therapeutic goals for uncomplicated hypertension. Several of the indicators for immediate referral recommended by IFHA were unmentioned. The content of patient education was lacking, avoiding stress being the best advice provided to hypertensive patients. The antihypertensive most used were unlikely to be recommended by the IFHA., Conclusions: This study showed a considerable gap of knowledge and practices in the management of hypertensive patients at primary health care facilities in Kinshasa pertaining to the IFHA guidelines. We think that task-shifting for management of hypertension is feasible if appropriate guidelines are provided and nurses trained.

Background: Hypertension remains a public health challenge worldwide. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, its prevalence has increased in the past three decades. Higher prevalence of poor blood pressure control and an increasing number of reported cases of complications due to hypertension have also been observed. It is well established that non-adherence to antihypertensive medication contributes to poor control of blood pressure. The aim of this study is to measure non-adherence to antihypertensive medication and to identify its predictors., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Kinshasa Primary Health-care network facilities from October to November 2013. A total of 395 hypertensive patients were included in the study. A structured interview was used to collect data. Adherence to medication was assessed using the Morisky Medication Scale. Covariates were defined according to the framework of the World Health Organization. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors of non-adherence., Results: A total of 395 patients participated in this study. The prevalence of non-adherence to antihypertensive medication and blood pressure control was 54.2 % (95 % CI 47.3-61.8) and 15.6 % (95 % CI 12.1-20.0), respectively. Poor knowledge of complications of hypertension (OR = 2.4; 95 % CI 1.4-4.4), unavailability of antihypertensive drugs in the healthcare facilities (OR = 2.8; 95 % CI 1.4-5.5), lack of hypertensive patients education in the healthcare facilities (OR = 1.7; 95 % CI 1.1-2.7), prior experience of medication side effects (OR = 2.2; 95 % CI 1.4-3.3), uncontrolled blood pressure (OR = 2.0; 95 % CI 1.1-3.9), and taking non-prescribed medications (OR = 2.2; 95 % CI 1.2-3.8) were associated with non-adherence to antihypertensive medication., Conclusion: This study identified predictors of non-adherence to antihypertensive medication. All predictors identified were modifiable. Interventional studies targeting these predictors for improving adherence are needed.

Background: Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is experiencing an increase in the morbi-mortality related to Non Communicable Diseases (NCD). The reform of DRC health system, based on Health District model, is needed in order to tackle this public issue. This article used 2006 International Diabetes Federation (IDF)'s guidelines to assess the capacities of health facilities belonging to Kinshasa Primary Health Care Network (KPHCN) in terms of equipments, as well as the knowledge, and the practice of their health providers related to type 2 diabetes care., Methods: A multicentric cross-sectional study was carried in 18 Health Facilities (HF) of KPHCN in charge of the follow-up of diabetic patients. The presence of IDF recommended materials and equipment was checked and 28 health providers were interviewed about their theoretical knowledge about patients' management and therapeutic objectives during recommended visits. Chi square test or Fisher exact test was used to compare proportions and the Student t-test to compare means., Results: The integration of NCD healthcare in the KPHC network is feasible. The majority of HF possessed IDF recommended materials except for the clinical practice guidelines, urinary test strips, and monofilament, available in only one, two and four HF, respectively. KPHCN referral facilities had required materials for biochemical analyses, the ECG and for the fundus oculi test. Patients' management is characterized by a lack of attention on the impairment of renal function during the first visits and a poor respect of recommended practices during quarterly and annual visits. A poor knowledge of the reduction of cardiovascular risk factors-related therapeutic objectives has been also reported., Conclusion: The capacities, knowledge, and practice of T2D care were poor among HF of KPHCN. The lack of equipment and training of healthcare professionals should be supplied even to those who are not medical doctors. Special attention must to be put on the clinical practice guidelines formulation and sensitization and on supervision.