Publications by authors named "Joanna Brown"

Background The objective of this study was to investigate the barriers to follow-up of women with cervical lesions suspicious of cancer who were ineligible for primary-level treatment and needed, but did not receive, hospital-level care in Loreto, Peru. Methods In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 HPV-positive women requiring hospital-level follow-up care for cervical lesions suspicious of cancer but for whom there was no documentation of completion of treatment. After thematically analyzing these patient interviews, interview findings were presented to seven doctors and five nurse-midwives at both the hospital and the primary levels for comments and suggestions regarding barriers to treatment.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The objective of this study was to understand health care providers' perspectives regarding the facilitators of and barriers to the success of the former Pap and VIA-based cervical cancer program in Iquitos, Peru, using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to inform the transition to the HPV screen-and-treat intervention. By exploring the pre-implementation organizational context, or inner setting, through the opinions of those who would implement the HPV-based intervention at the patient care level, this research lays the foundation to assess readiness before implementation and understand what's necessary to design contextually appropriate and sustainable interventions in LMIC settings.

Methods: We conducted 19 semi-structured interviews with health professionals (12 nurse-midwives, 4 doctors, and 3 laboratory technicians) who administered the former Pap- and VIA-based cervical cancer EDT program.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Cervical cancer is a preventable cancer; however, decreasing its prevalence requires early detection and treatment strategies that reduce rates of loss to follow-up. This study explores factors associated with loss to follow-up among HPV-positive women after implementation of a new HPV-based screen-and-treat approach for cervical cancer prevention in Iquitos, Peru.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with "obstetras" (i.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the vulnerability of adolescents and young adults (AYAs) who face economic disadvantage, depend on social safety net resources, have politically targeted identities, are geopolitically displaced, and/or are racially or ethnically marginalized. A rapid change in social safety net policies has impacts that reverberate throughout interrelated domains of AYA health, especially for vulnerable AYAs. The authors analyze policy-related changes in mental health, climate change, and bodily autonomy to offer a paradigm for an equitable path forward.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Cervical cancer is preventable with vaccination and early detection and treatment programs. However, for these programs to work as intended, stigma related to HPV and cervical cancer must be understood and addressed. We explored pre-existing stigma associated with HPV and cervical cancer in the public healthcare system and community of a low-resource setting prior to implementation of an HPV screen-and-treat program.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Vector-borne diseases continue to impose a major health burden on Peru and neighboring countries. The challenge of addressing vector-borne disease is compounded by changing social, economic, and climatic conditions. Peri-urban Arequipa is an important region to study insect infestations because of ongoing challenges with disease vectors such as triatomines and a variety of other insects.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Cervical cancer is preventable with vaccination and early detection and treatment programs. However, in order for these programs to work as intended, stigma related to HPV and cervical cancer must be understood and addressed. We explored pre-existing stigma associated with HPV and cervical cancer in the public healthcare system of a low-resource setting prior to implementation of an HPV screen-and-treat program.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Cervical cancer is a preventable cancer; however, decreasing its prevalence requires early detection and treatment strategies that reduce rates of loss to follow-up. This study explores factors associated with loss to follow-up among HPV-positive women after implementation of a screen-and-treat approach with visual triage and ablative therapy for cervical cancer prevention in Iquitos, Peru.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with nurse-midwives (n = 15) working in cervical cancer prevention and women (n = 24) who were recorded as lost to follow-up after positive HPV results.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The study's objective was to explore the factors associated with loss to follow-up among women with abnormal cervical cancer screening results in Iquitos, Peru from women's perspectives.

Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 screen-positive women who were referred for follow-up care but for whom evidence of follow-up was not found. Interview transcripts were thematically analyzed inductively, and the codes were then categorized using the Health Care Access Barriers Model for presentation of results.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The objective of this study was to explore women's experiences of a screen-and-treat approach with ablative therapy (referred to by the Spanish acronym TVT-TA) as a method of treatment following a positive HPV test in Iquitos, Peru.

Methods: A total of 111 in-depth interviews were conducted with 47 HPV positive women who attended the TVT-TA procedure at a primary-level healthcare facility. Interviews were conducted immediately before, immediately after, and six-weeks after TVT-TA.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) is an ideal primary care model for patients across the lifespan. Family Medicine (FM) practice and training often address adults more than children/adolescents. Few studies describe the efficacy of education programs seeking to enhance PCMH-based care of children/adolescents.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • * The paper discusses Africa's current situation regarding imaging quality and safety, factors driving interest in these areas, and how COVID-19 has impacted progress while referencing the Bonn Call for Action framework.
  • * Key achievements in the past decade include enhanced radiation safety awareness and training, but challenges like limited resources, low imaging prioritization, and a developing safety culture remain, necessitating comprehensive solutions across the healthcare system.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The current body of research on insecticide use in Peru deals primarily with application of insecticides offered through Ministry of Health-led campaigns against vector-borne disease. However, there is a gap in the literature regarding the individual use, choice and perceptions of insecticides which may influence uptake of public health-based vector control initiatives and contribute to the thousands of deaths annually from acute pesticide poisoning in Peru.

Methods: Residents (n = 49) of the Alto Selva Alegre and CC districts of peri-urban Arequipa participated in seven focus group discussions (FGD).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Integration of primary and secondary care for the management of respiratory disease is a long-held ambition. Here, we describe how respiratory specialists at a large NHS trust, working with primary care clinicians in the area, set up a GP hotline and respiratory support service in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the aim of enhancing delivery of care to patients in this unprecedented time. Working across traditional organisational boundaries in this way confers benefits to patients and clinicians, illustrating the value of new, integrated models of care.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

While the PCMH is the primary care model of choice for many healthcare systems, it is a relatively new area for college communities. The college health setting provides an important and challenging primary care platform because of developmental milestones that young adults face at this time of their lives. The Brown Primary Care Transformation Initiative (BPCTI) facilitated PCMH practice transformation efforts within a university center from 2013-2015.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A canine rabies epidemic started in early 2015 in Arequipa, Peru and the rabies virus continues to circulate in the dog population. Some city residents who suffer dog bites do not seek care or do not complete indicated post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) regimens, increasing the risk of human rabies. The objectives of our study are to qualitatively assess knowledge about rabies, and preventive practices, such as rabies vaccine administration, following a dog bite.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: To analyze the distribution of patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs) among US adolescents, and to examine whether disparities exist among subgroups.

Study Design: Data on adolescents ages 12-17 years (n = 34 601) from the 2011-2012 National Survey of Children's Health were used in this cross-sectional study to determine what proportion had access to a PCMH. Multivariable logistic regression was used to calculate the odds of having a PCMH, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and special health care needs.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: Patient-centered medical home transformation initiatives for enhancing team-based, patient-centered primary care are widespread in the United States. However, there remain large gaps in our understanding of these efforts. This article reports findings from a contextual, whole system evaluation study of a transformation intervention at eight primary care teaching practice sites in Rhode Island.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Canine rabies was reintroduced to the city of Arequipa, Peru in March 2015. The Ministry of Health has conducted a series of mass dog vaccination campaigns to contain the outbreak, but canine rabies virus transmission continues in Arequipa's complex urban environment, putting the city's 1 million inhabitants at risk of infection. The proximate driver of canine rabies in Arequipa is low dog vaccination coverage.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF