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Multimorbidity-associated emergency hospital admissions: a “screen and link” strategy to improve outcomes for high-risk patients in sub-Saharan Africa: a prospective multicentre cohort study protocol

Spencer, Stephen ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8451-7514, Rutta, Alice, Hyuha, Gimbo, Banda, Treighcy, Choko, Augustine, Dark, Paul, Hertz, Julian, Mbaga, Blandina, Mfinanga, Juma, Mijumbi, Rhona, Muula, Adamson, Nyirenda, Mulinda, Laura, Rosu, Rubach, Matthew, Salimu, Sangwani, Sakita, Francis, Salima, Charity, Sawe, Hendry, Simiyu, Ibrahim, Taegtmeyer, Miriam ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5377-2536, Urasa, Sarah, White, Sarah ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5535-8075, Yongolo, Nateiya, Rylance, Jamie, Morton, Ben ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6164-2854, Worrall, Eve ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9147-3388 and Limbani, Felix (2024) 'Multimorbidity-associated emergency hospital admissions: a “screen and link” strategy to improve outcomes for high-risk patients in sub-Saharan Africa: a prospective multicentre cohort study protocol'. NIHR Open Research, Vol 4, Issue 2.

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Abstract

Background
The prevalence of multimorbidity (the presence of two or more
chronic health conditions) is rapidly increasing in sub–Saharan Africa.
Hospital care pathways that focus on single presenting complaints do
not address this pressing problem. This has the potential to
precipitate frequent hospital readmissions, increase health system
and out-of-pocket expenses, and may lead to premature disability and
death. We aim to present a description of inpatient multimorbidity in a
multicentre prospective cohort study in Malawi and Tanzania.

Primary objectives
Clinical: Determine prevalence of multimorbid disease among adult medical admissions and measure patient outcomes. Health Economic: Measure economic costs incurred and changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) at 90 days post-admission. Situation analysis: Qualitatively describe pathways of patients with multimorbidity through the health system.

Secondary objectives
Clinical: Determine hospital readmission free survival and markers of disease control 90 days after admission. Health Economic: Present economic costs from patient and health system perspective, sub-analyse costs and HRQoL according to presence of different diseases. Situation analysis: Understand health literacy related to their own diseases and experience of care for patients with multimorbidity and their caregivers.

Methods
This is a prospective longitudinal cohort study of adult (≥18 years) acute medical hospital admissions with nested health economic and situation analysis in four hospitals: 1) Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi; 2) Chiradzulu District Hospital, Malawi; 3) Hai District Hospital, Boma Ng’ombe, Tanzania; 4) Muhimbili National Hospital, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. Follow-up duration will be 90 days from hospital admission. We will use consecutive recruitment within 24 hours of emergency presentation and stratified recruitment across four sites. We will use point-of-care tests to refine estimates of disease pathology. We will conduct qualitative interviews with patients, caregivers, healthcare providers and policymakers; focus group discussions with patients and caregivers, and observations of hospital care pathways.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: WA Public Health > Preventive Medicine > WA 110 Prevention and control of communicable diseases. Transmission of infectious diseases
WA Public Health > WA 30 Socioeconomic factors in public health (General)
WA Public Health > WA 4 Works on general hygiene
Faculty: Department: Clinical Sciences & International Health > Clinical Sciences Department
Digital Object Identifer (DOI): https://doi.org/10.3310/nihropenres.13512.1
Depositing User: Christy Littlejohn
Date Deposited: 15 Feb 2024 15:44
Last Modified: 16 Feb 2024 16:08
URI: https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/23814

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