-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Background
In Mali and Senegal, over 1% of women die giving birth in hospital. At some hospitals, over a third of infants are stillborn. Many deaths are due to substandard medical practices. Criterion-based clinical audits (CBCA) are increasingly used to measure and improve obstetrical care in resource-limited settings, but their measurement properties have not been formally evaluated. In 2011, we published a systematic review of obstetrical CBCA highlighting insufficient considerations of validity and reliability. The objective of this study is to develop an obstetrical CBCA adapted to the West African context and assess its reliability and validity. This work was conducted as a sub-study within a cluster randomized trial known as QUARITE.Methods
Criteria were selected based on extensive literature review and expert opinion. Early 2010, two auditors applied the CBCA to identical samples at 8 sites in Mali and Senegal (n = 185) to evaluate inter-rater reliability. In 2010--11, we conducted CBCA at 32 hospitals to assess construct validity (n = 633 patients). We correlated hospital characteristics (resource availability, facility perinatal and maternal mortality) with mean hospital CBCA scores. We used generalized estimating equations to assess whether patient CBCA scores were associated with perinatal mortality.ResultsResults demonstrate substantial (ICC = 0.67, 95% CI 0.54; 0.76) to elevated inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.84, 95% CI 0.77; 0.89) in Senegal and Mali, respectively. Resource availability positively correlated with mean hospital CBCA scores and maternal and perinatal mortality were inversely correlated with hospital CBCA scores. Poor CBCA scores, adjusted for hospital and patient characteristics, were significantly associated with perinatal mortality (OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.01-3.34).Conclusion
Our CBCA has substantial inter-rater reliability and there is compelling evidence of its validity as the tool performs according to theory.Trial registrationCurrent Controlled Trials ISRCTN46950658.
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 10/2012; 12(1):118. · 2.83 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Two years after implementing the free-CS policy, we assessed the non-financial factors associated with caesarean section (CS) in women managed by referral hospitals in Senegal and Mali METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey nested in a cluster trial (QUARITE trial) in 41 referral hospitals in Senegal and Mali (10/01/2007--10/01/2008). Data were collected regarding women's characteristics and on available institutional resources. Individual and institutional factors independently associated with emergency (before labour), intrapartum and elective CS were determined using a hierarchical logistic mixed model. RESULTS: Among 86 505 women, 14% delivered by intrapartum CS, 3% by emergency CS and 2% by elective CS. For intrapartum, emergency and elective CS, the main maternal risk factors were, respectively: previous CS, referral from another facility and suspected cephalopelvic-disproportion (adjusted Odds Ratios from 2.8 to 8.9); vaginal bleeding near full term, hypertensive disorders, previous CS and premature rupture of membranes (adjusted ORs from 3.9 to 10.2); previous CS (adjusted OR=19.2 [17.2-21.6]). Access to adult and neonatal intensive care, a 24-h/day anaesthetist and number of annual deliveries per hospital were independent factors that affected CS rates according to degree of urgency. The presence of obstetricians and/or medical-anaesthetists was associated with an increased risk of elective CS (adjusted ORs [95%CI] = 4.8 [2.6-8.8] to 9.4 [5.1-17.1]). CONCLUSIONS: We confirm the significant effect of well-known maternal risk factors affecting the mode of delivery. Available resources at the institutional level and the degree of urgency of CS should be taken into account in analysing CS rates in this context.
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 10/2012; 12(1):114. · 2.83 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: In the context of rapid changes regarding practices related to delivery in Africa, we assessed maternal and perinatal adverse outcomes associated with the mode of delivery in 41 referral hospitals of Mali and Senegal.
Cross-sectional survey nested in a randomised cluster trial (1/10/2007-1/10/2008). The associations between intended mode of delivery and (i) in-hospital maternal mortality, (ii) maternal morbidity (transfusion or hysterectomy), (iii) stillbirth or neonatal death before Day 1 and (iv) neonatal death between 24 hours after birth and hospital discharge were examined. We excluded women with immediate life threatening maternal or fetal complication to avoid indication bias. The analyses were performed using hierarchical logistic mixed models with random intercept and were adjusted for women's, newborn's and hospitals' characteristics.
Among the 78,166 included women, 2.2% had a pre-labor cesarean section (CS) and 97.8% had a trial of labor. Among women with a trial of labor, 87.5% delivered vaginally and 12.5% had intrapartum CS. Pre-labor CS was associated with a marked reduction in the risk of stillbirth or neonatal death before Day 1 as compared with trial of labor (OR = 0.2 [0.16-0.36]), though we did not show that maternal mortality (OR = 0.3 [0.07-1.32]) and neonatal mortality after Day 1 (OR = 1.3 (0.66-2.72]) differed significantly between groups. Among women with trial of labor, intrapartum CS and operative vaginal delivery were associated with higher risks of maternal mortality and morbidity, and neonatal mortality after Day 1, as compared with spontaneous vaginal delivery.
In referral hospitals of Mali and Senegal, pre-labor CS is a safe procedure although intrapartum CS and operative vaginal delivery are associated with increased risks in mothers and infants. Further research is needed to determine what aspects of obstetric care contribute to a delay in the provision of intrapartum interventions so that practices may be made safer when they are needed.
PLoS ONE 01/2012; 7(10):e47352. · 4.09 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: An adequate uncontaminated blood supply is an essential element of an effective health care system. A regional blood transfusion policy was defined in 2004 by the Direction of Health in Bamako, Mali. The objective of this study is to analyse the coverage of transfusion needs at the Fifth District health Center in Bamako after the implementation of this policy.
This prospective study, conducted from December 2006 through May 2007, included 134 patients for whom transfusion orders were recorded in the laboratory. The coverage rate of transfusion needs was estimated by dividing the number of units transfused by the number of units that health professionals requested.
The blood supply was regular (46 units per month, on average) and consistent with demand (59 units per month on average). Overall, 75% of the transfusions were required for obstetric complications. All patients received at least one 450-mL unit of whole blood. The coverage of transfusion needs has reached 65% of the total number of units required (95% CI = 60-70%).
The implementation of a functioning system of blood transfusion is complex. In Bamako, a system based on a centralized transfusion center met a high proportion of the needs in a reference hospital where demand was high while ensuring a high level of patient safety. Further studies are needed to guide the implementation of feasible and sustainable strategies for providing sufficient quantities of safe blood in other contexts and to assess the impact of these different strategies on global health, and on maternal health in particular.
Sante (Montrouge, France) 06/2011; 21(1):33-40.
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: To determine the changes in maternal mortality rates over the 19-year period from 1985 to 2003 at Point G National Hospital, Bamako, Mali.
Data on all pregnant women admitted from January 1, 1985 to December 31, 2003 were collected from all hospital services. Records were entered into a database, and maternal mortality rates and cause-specific fatality rates were analyzed.
Significant declines in the fatality rates due to uterine rupture (odds ratio [OR] 0.086; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.011-0.70) and postpartum infection (OR 0.22; 95% CI, 0.085-0.55) were noted when the period from 1985-1987 was compared with 2001-2003. Overall, there was a significant reduction in the odds of maternal death in the period between 1985-1987 and 2001-2003 (OR 0.529; 95% CI, 0.341-0.821), when adjustments were made for cesarean delivery, complications, and patient age.
Although the crude maternal mortality rate remained high, shifts in the patient population that led to more patients with complications being admitted masked improvements in the odds of death for obstetric patients.
International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics 11/2009; 108(3):194-8. · 1.41 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: In 1990, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada joined the international movement for safe motherhood by adapting its ALARM programme to the needs of low-resource countries. The goal of the QUARITE (QUAlité des soins, gestion du RIsque et TEchniques obstétricales) trial is to evaluate the efficiency of the ALARM International programme in terms of maternal mortality reduction in 46 referral hospitals in Senegal and Mali.
Evaluate the implementation of maternal death audits in the 23 hospitals that are part of the QUARITE trial's intervention group.
Ten follow-up indicators have been identified to evaluate the implementation of maternal death audits. This article describes and analyzes these follow-up indicators during a 5-month implementation period, from September 23, 2008, to January 30, 2009. Data was gathered during a supervision visit at the end of that period with a standardized follow-up questionnaire and checklist. Key participants were interviewed. The programme's documents (procedure manual, meeting and supervision minutes, and logbook) were analyzed. An implementation score (on a scale from 1 to 10) was calculated for each centre.
The 23 centres we visited yielded a mean implementation score of 7.5 (minimum=4 and maximum=10). In each health structure, there is a multidisciplinary, functional subcommittee-maternal death audit committee whose members have been trained on the subject of maternal death audits. Overall, these subcommittees use the management tools but some of the forms are not well understood: thus, we must pinpoint the causes of this problem and eliminate them. Maternal death audit sessions had a slow start due to several factors: maternity personnel's workload, lack of confidence of local leaders, lack of cohesion within teams and lack of personnel availability.
Data analysis indicates that the process of implementing maternal death audits is slow but real and that quarterly supervision makes it possible to eliminate difficulties and to reinforce the skills of audit subcommittee members.
Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology Canada: JOGC = Journal d'obstetrique et gynecologie du Canada: JOGC 10/2009; 31(10):936-44.
-
Alexandre Dumont,
Pierre Fournier,
William Fraser,
Slim Haddad, Mamadou Traore,
Idrissa Diop,
Mouhamadou Gueye,
Alioune Gaye,
François Couturier,
Jean-Charles Pasquier,
François Beaudoin,
André Lalonde,
Marie Hatem,
Michal Abrahamowicz
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Maternal and perinatal mortality are major problems for which progress in sub-Saharan Africa has been inadequate, even though childbirth services are available, even in the poorest countries. Reducing them is the aim of two of the main Millennium Development Goals. Many initiatives have been undertaken to remedy this situation, such as the Advances in Labour and Risk Management (ALARM) International Program, whose purpose is to improve the quality of obstetric services in low-income countries. However, few interventions have been evaluated, in this context, using rigorous methods for analyzing effectiveness in terms of health outcomes. The objective of this trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of the ALARM International Program (AIP) in reducing maternal mortality in referral hospitals in Senegal and Mali. Secondary goals include evaluation of the relationships between effectiveness and resource availability, service organization, medical practices, and satisfaction among health personnel. METHODS/DESIGN: This is an international, multi-centre, controlled cluster-randomized trial of a complex intervention. The intervention is based on the concept of evidence-based practice and on a combination of two approaches aimed at improving the performance of health personnel: 1) Educational outreach visits; and 2) the implementation of facility-based maternal death reviews. The unit of intervention is the public health facility equipped with a functional operating room. On the basis of consent provided by hospital authorities, 46 centres out of 49 eligible were selected in Mali and Senegal. Using randomization stratified by country and by level of care, 23 centres will be allocated to the intervention group and 23 to the control group. The intervention will last two years. It will be preceded by a pre-intervention one-year period for baseline data collection. A continuous clinical data collection system has been set up in all participating centres. This, along with the inventory of resources and the satisfaction surveys administered to the health personnel, will allow us to measure results before, during, and after the intervention. The overall rate of maternal mortality measured in hospitals during the post-intervention period (Year 4) is the primary outcome. The evaluation will also include cost-effectiveness.
Trials 09/2009; 10:85. · 2.02 Impact Factor
