Browsing 4. EI Fellow Publications and Resources by Title
Now showing items 71-90 of 110
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Perceptions and management of postpartum haemorrhage among remote communities in Lao PDR
(2020-01-10)
Introduction: In Lao People’s Democratic Republic, despite a policy to provide free maternal health services in healthcare facilities, many rural women continue to deliver at home, without a skilled birth attendant. These women are at high risk of postpartum haemorrhage, the leading cause of maternal mortality in the country. While women in remote areas continue to be unable to access facility-based birthing, interventions to reduce postpartum haemorrhage are a priority. This requires an understanding of how women and their families recognise ... -
Political economy of Thailand's tax-financed universal coverage scheme
(2019-08-13)
Problem: The challenge of implementing contributory health insurance among populations in the informal sector was a barrier to achieving universal health coverage (UHC) in Thailand. Approach: UHC was a political manifesto of the 2001 election campaign. A contributory system was not a feasible option to honour the political commitment. Given Thailand’s fiscal capacity and the moderate amount of additional resources required, the government legislated to use general taxation as the sole source of financing for the universal coverage ... -
The Political Economy of UHC Reform in Thailand: Lessons for Low- and Middle-Income Countries
(2019-08-13)
Thailand achieved full population coverage of financial protection for health care in 2002 with successful implementation of the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS). The three public health insurance schemes covered 98.5% of the population by 2015. Current evidence shows a high level of service coverage and financial risk protection and low level of unmet healthcare need, but the path toward UHC was not straightforward. Applying the Political Economy of UHC Reform Framework and the concept of path dependency, this study reviews how these factors ... -
The Politics of Drug Rehabilitation in the Philippines
(2022-06)
The international consensus to end compulsory drug treatments and close forced rehabilitation facilities needs urgent transformation to country policies. In the Philippines, as with other countries in Asia, rehabilitation can be compulsory and is seen as the humane alternative to the “war on drugs.” In this paper, we present the landscape of rehabilitation and narrate the ways in which people who use drugs are forced to undergo treatment. We unpack the politics behind rehabilitation and explain the sociocultural foundations that support compulsory ... -
Post-COVID-19 health-care utilization: one year after the 2020 first wave in Brunei Darussalam
(2023-01-18)
Objective: Patients who recover from coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection are at risk of long-term health disorders and may require prolonged health care. This retrospective observational study assesses the number of health-care visits before and after COVID-19 infection in Brunei Darussalam. Methods: COVID-19 cases from the first wave with 12 months of follow-up were included. Health-care utilization was defined as health-care visits for consultations or investigations. Post-COVID condition was defined using the World Health ... -
Prevalence and socio-demographic determinants of depression among inmates of a prison in Malaysia
(2019-07-30)
Depression is the most common form of mental disorder among prison inmates. The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence and socio-demographic determinants of depression among adult male inmates in a local prison in Malaysia. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 460 inmates who were systematically selected. Depression was screened using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale. Chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression were applied to determine the association between depression and associated ... -
Progress toward universal health coverage in ASEAN
(2014-12-03)
Background: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is characterized by much diversity in terms of geography, society, economic development, and health outcomes. The health systems as well as healthcare structure and provisions vary considerably. Consequently, the progress toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in these countries also varies. This paper aims to describe the progress toward UHC in the ASEAN countries and discuss how regional integration could influence UHC. Design: Data reported in this paper were obtained from ... -
Promoting Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Hybrid, Innovative Approach in Malaysia
(2021-10-06)
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had monumental effects on the mental health of populations worldwide. Previous research indicated that programs and interventions using social networks can play a positive role in promoting mental health. Nevertheless, current evidence is largely derived from high-income regions, reflecting an urgent need for more studies in low- and middle-income settings. Objectives: This paper aims to (a) describe the potential value of a hybrid health carnival in promoting mental health and increasing access to screening ... -
PROTOCOL: In-person interventions to reduce social isolation and loneliness: An evidence and gap map
(2023-06-22)
This is the protocol for an evidence and gap map. The objectives are as follows: This EGM aims to map available evidence on the effects of in-person interventions to reduce social isolation and/or loneliness across all age groups in all settings. -
Provincial heterogeneity in the management of care cascade for hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidaemia in China: Analysis of nationally representative population-based survey
(2022-08-23)
Background: This study aims to examine (1) province-level variations in the levels of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and behavioral risk for CVDs, (2) province-level variations in the management of cascade of care for hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidaemia, and (3) the association of province-level economic development and individual factors with the quality of care for hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidaemia. Methods: We used nationally representative data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study in 2015, which included ... -
Qualitative evaluation of enabling factors and barriers to the success and sustainability of national public health institutes in Cambodia, Colombia, Liberia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda and Zambia
(2022-03-03)
Objectives: The success of National Public Health Institutes (NPHIs) in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) is critical to countries’ ability to deliver public health services to their populations and effectively respond to public health emergencies. However, empirical data are limited on factors that promote or are barriers to the sustainability of NPHIs. This evaluation explored stakeholders’ perceptions about enabling factors and barriers to the success and sustainability of NPHIs in seven countries where the U.S. Centers for Disease ... -
A qualitative exploration of factors that influence the uptake of tuberculosis services by low-skilled migrant workers in Singapore
(2023-09-02)
Introduction: Singapore relies heavily on migrant workers to build its country and harbours a relatively large population of these workers. Importantly, tuberculosis (TB) remains a pernicious threat to the health of these workers and in line with the United Nations High-Level Meeting in 2023, this paper aims to uncover the qualitative discourse facing migrant workers’ uptake of TB services and provide policy recommendations to enable more equitable access to TB services for this population. Methods: In-depth interviews were carried out with ... -
A qualitative exploration of tuberculosis patients who were lost to follow-up in Malaysia
(2023-09-07)
Background: Loss to follow-up (LTFU) is an unsuccessful treatment outcome for tuberculosis (TB) patients. In Malaysia, LTFU affects around 1 in 20 TB patients. Integration of qualitative research methods and evidence will provide a better understanding of LTFU and its underlying issues. In this study, we qualitatively explored TB patients’ experiences in receiving treatment and their reasons for leaving TB care. Method: In-depth interviews of 15 patients with a history of LTFU were conducted from January to September 2020. Interview ... -
A qualitative study on gender barriers to eye care access in Cambodia
(2018-08-29)
Background: The Fred Hollows Foundation (FHF) Cambodia recently partnered with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MoWA) and National Program for Eye Health (NPEH, part of the Ministry of Health) to establish the Gender Equality in Eye Health Project. As part of this project, a qualitative study was carried out to identify barriers affecting women’s access to eye health in Cambodia. Methods: A cross-sectional qualitative study was conducted in four provinces in both urban and rural locations between May and June 2015. Purposive sampling was ... -
Refining index to measure physical activity inequality: which group of the population is the most vulnerable?
(2022-08-31)
Background: The existing body of research mostly discusses inequality in physical activity (PA) based on the difference in the level of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Evidence is lacking on the quantified inequality measures (e.g., how big the inequality is, and the distribution) in order to identify the most vulnerable groups of a population. This study measured PA inequality among Thai adults by using three parameters to construct an inequality index: (1) Proportion of the population with sufficient MVPA; (2) Cumulative minutes ... -
Report card grades on physical activity for children and adolescents from 18 Asian countries: Patterns, trends, gaps, and future recommendations
(2022-10-29)
Background/Objective: Physical inactivity is a persistent and worsening population health concern in Asia. Led by the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance, Global Matrix (GM) initiative provides an opportunity to explore how regional and cultural differences across 18 Asian countries relate to physical activity (PA) participation among children and adolescents. The purpose of study was to synthesize evidence from the GM2.0 to GM4.0 (2016–2022) in Asian countries. Methods: Report Card grades on behavioral/individual and sources of influence ... -
Resilience and Health-Related Quality of Life among Hepatitis C Patients in Pahang, Malaysia
(2022-01-01)
Background: Hepatitis C is one of the most common causes of liver disease worldwide. Health impacts of hepatitis C are not limited to physical morbidity but include psychosocial dimensions such as quality of life (QOL), depression, anxiety, and stigmatization. In Malaysia, modifiable factors that can improve QOL among hepatitis C patients have not been adequately studied. Resilience – defined as the capacity to endure hardships and rebound from life adversities – is associated with mental health and well-being. Our study aims to test the association ... -
Risk Communication Distributed among Migrant Workers during the COVID-19 Crisis in Thailand: Analysis on Structural and Networking Gaps
(2022-10-12)
Language and cultural barriers among migrant workers hamper access to health risk information. This study aims to explore health risk communication structure and processes and identify the communication network of migrant workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand. This study used a parallel mixed-methods design combined with in-depth interviews and questionnaires for social network analysis from November 2020 to June 2021 in the headquarter district of Samut Sakhon, Ranong, and Phuket provinces. We conducted purposive sampling of representatives ... -
Saving babies’ lives (SBL) – a programme to reduce neonatal mortality in rural Cambodia: study protocol for a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial
(2021-09-07)
Background: Neonatal mortality remains unacceptably high. Many studies successful at reducing neonatal mortality have failed to realise similar gains at scale. Effective implementation and scale-up of interventions designed to tackle neonatal mortality is a global health priority. Multifaceted programmes targeting the continuum of neonatal care, with sustainability and scalability built into the design, can provide practical insights to solve this challenge. Cambodia has amongst the highest neonatal mortality rates in South-East Asia, with rural ... -
Saving more lives on time: Strategic policy implementation and financial inclusion for safe abortion in Indonesia during COVID-19 and beyond
(2022-09-06)
Abortion is common in Indonesia, with 79% being unsafe. Unsafe abortion is one of the top five causes of maternal deaths globally. Meanwhile, in Indonesia, the maternal mortality rate (MMR) is still high, with up to 30% of it being related to unsafe abortion. In the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of unsafe abortions is expected to increase along with a 15–30% increase in unintended pregnancies. This will add to the number of maternal deaths on top of direct deaths caused by COVID-19. In Indonesia, access to safe abortion is still limited based on ...