TY - JOUR
T1 - Adherence to the test, treat and track strategy for malaria control among prescribers, Mfantseman Municipality, Central Region, Ghana
AU - Agbemafle, Ernestina Esinam
AU - Addo-Lartey, Adolphina
AU - Odikro, Magdalene Akos
AU - Frimpong, Joseph Asamoah
AU - Kubio, Chrysantus
AU - Ameme, Donne Kofi
AU - Sackey, Samuel Oko
AU - Bonful, Harriet Affran
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright: © 2023 Agbemafle 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.
PY - 2023/2
Y1 - 2023/2
N2 - Background The test, treat, and track (T3) strategy is directed at ensuring diagnosis and prompt treatment of uncomplicated malaria cases. Adherence to T3 strategy reduces wrong treatment and prevents delays in treating the actual cause of fever that may otherwise lead to complications or death. Data on adherence to all three aspects of the T3 strategy is sparse with previous studies focusing on the testing and treatment aspects. We determined adherence to the T3 strategy and associated factors in the Mfantseman Municipality of Ghana. Methods We conducted a health facility based cross-sectional survey in Saltpond Municipal Hospital and Mercy Women’s Catholic Hospitals in Mfantseman Municipality of the Central Region, Ghana in 2020. We retrieved electronic records of febrile outpatients and extracted the testing, treatment and tracking variables. Prescribers were interviewed on factors associated with adherence using a semi-structured questionnaire. Data analyses was done using descriptive statistics, bivariate, and multiple logistic regression. Results Of 414 febrile outpatient records analyzed, 47 (11.3%) were under five years old. About 180 (43.5%) were tested with 138 (76.7%) testing positive. All positive cases received antimalarials and 127 (92.0%) were reviewed after treatment. Of 414 febrile patients, 127 (30.7%) were treated according to the T3 strategy. Higher odds of adherence to T3 were observed for patients aged 5–25 years compared to older patients (AOR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.27–4.87, p = 0.008). Adherence was low among physician assistants compared to medical officers (AOR 0.004, 95% CI 0.004–0.02, p<0.001). Prescribers trained on T3 had higher adherence (AOR: 99.33 95% CI: 19.53–505.13, p<0.000). Conclusion Adherence to T3 strategy is low in Mfantseman Municipality of the Central Region of Ghana. Health facilities should perform RDTs for febrile patients at the OPD with priority on low cadre prescribers during the planning and implementation of interventions to improve T3 adherence at the facility level.
AB - Background The test, treat, and track (T3) strategy is directed at ensuring diagnosis and prompt treatment of uncomplicated malaria cases. Adherence to T3 strategy reduces wrong treatment and prevents delays in treating the actual cause of fever that may otherwise lead to complications or death. Data on adherence to all three aspects of the T3 strategy is sparse with previous studies focusing on the testing and treatment aspects. We determined adherence to the T3 strategy and associated factors in the Mfantseman Municipality of Ghana. Methods We conducted a health facility based cross-sectional survey in Saltpond Municipal Hospital and Mercy Women’s Catholic Hospitals in Mfantseman Municipality of the Central Region, Ghana in 2020. We retrieved electronic records of febrile outpatients and extracted the testing, treatment and tracking variables. Prescribers were interviewed on factors associated with adherence using a semi-structured questionnaire. Data analyses was done using descriptive statistics, bivariate, and multiple logistic regression. Results Of 414 febrile outpatient records analyzed, 47 (11.3%) were under five years old. About 180 (43.5%) were tested with 138 (76.7%) testing positive. All positive cases received antimalarials and 127 (92.0%) were reviewed after treatment. Of 414 febrile patients, 127 (30.7%) were treated according to the T3 strategy. Higher odds of adherence to T3 were observed for patients aged 5–25 years compared to older patients (AOR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.27–4.87, p = 0.008). Adherence was low among physician assistants compared to medical officers (AOR 0.004, 95% CI 0.004–0.02, p<0.001). Prescribers trained on T3 had higher adherence (AOR: 99.33 95% CI: 19.53–505.13, p<0.000). Conclusion Adherence to T3 strategy is low in Mfantseman Municipality of the Central Region of Ghana. Health facilities should perform RDTs for febrile patients at the OPD with priority on low cadre prescribers during the planning and implementation of interventions to improve T3 adherence at the facility level.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85148403251&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0279712
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0279712
M3 - Article
C2 - 36802396
AN - SCOPUS:85148403251
SN - 1932-6203
VL - 18
JO - PLoS ONE
JF - PLoS ONE
IS - 2 February
M1 - e0279712
ER -
