Publications by authors named "Annie Willetts"
Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a top global health problem and its transmission rate among contacts is higher when they are cohabiting with a person who is sputum smear-positive. Our study aimed to describe the prevalence of TB among student contacts in the university and determine factors associated with TB transmission.
Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study with an active contact case finding approach among students receiving treatment at Kilifi County Hospital from January 2016 to December 2017.
Article Synopsis
- The World Health Organization's criteria allow for diagnosing TB based on clinical signs without lab confirmation, especially in resource-limited settings like Kenya.
- A study evaluated treatment outcomes for TB patients in Kenya, comparing those diagnosed clinically versus those with bacteriological confirmation, analyzing data from 2012 to 2018.
- Among 12,856 patients, results showed similar treatment success rates (82% for clinical vs 83% for bacteriological diagnoses), but higher mortality in clinically diagnosed patients (9.9%).
Article Synopsis
- In 2016, TB caused 1.7 million deaths globally, prompting a study in Kilifi County, Kenya, to analyze all-cause mortality rates and associated features among TB patients from 2012 to 2016.
- The analysis involved 10,717 patients, revealing a 5.5% mortality rate, which increased from 7.8 to 17.7 deaths per 100 person-years over the study period, with most deaths occurring within the first three months post-treatment initiation.
- Significant risk factors for mortality included age, gender, type of TB, malnutrition, HIV status, and the year of diagnosis, highlighting the need for further research into the underlying causes of increasing mortality rates among TB patients.
Background: The increasing investment in malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) to differentiate malarial and non-malarial fevers, and an awareness of the need to improve case management of non-malarial fever, indicates an urgent need for high quality evidence on how best to improve prescribers' practices.
Methods: A three-arm stratified cluster-randomised trial was conducted in 36 primary healthcare facilities from September 2010 to March 2012 within two rural districts in northeast Tanzania where malaria transmission has been declining. Interventions were guided by formative mixed-methods research and were introduced in phases.
Many countries are using the strategy of international recruitment to make up for shortages of health professionals to the detriment of health systems in the poorest parts of the world. This study reviewed the potential impact of eight national level and international codes of practice or similar instruments that are being introduced to encourage ethical recruitment in order to protect these countries. Whilst effective dissemination of the instruments is generally in place, support systems, incentives and sanctions and monitoring systems necessary for effective implementation and sustainability are currently weak or have not been planned.
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