Research Articles (Centre for Evidence-Based Health Care)

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Browsing Research Articles (Centre for Evidence-Based Health Care) by Author "Abdullahi, Leila H."

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    Improving vaccination uptake among adolescents
    (Cochrane, 2015-09-29) Wiysonge, Charles Shey Umaru; Abdullahi, Leila H.; Kagina, Benjamin M. N.; Hussey, Gregory D.
    This is the protocol for a review and there is no abstract. The objectives are as follows: To evaluate the effects of interventions to improve vaccine uptake among adolescents in low, middle and high-income countries.
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    Public stewardship of private for-profit healthcare providers in low- and middle-income countries
    (Cochrane, 2016-08-11) Wiysonge, Charles S.; Abdullahi, Leila H.; Ndze, Valantine N.; Hussey, Gregory D.
    Background: Governments use different approaches to ensure that private for-profit healthcare services meet certain quality standards. Such government guidance, referred to as public stewardship, encompasses government policies, regulatory mechanisms, and implementation strategies for ensuring accountability in the delivery of services. However, the effectiveness of these strategies in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have not been the subject of a systematic review. Objectives: To assess the effects of public sector regulation, training, or co-ordination of the private for-profit health sector in low- and middle income countries.
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    Standard echocardiography versus handheld echocardiography for the detection of subclinical rheumatic heart disease : protocol for a systematic review
    (BMJ Publishing Group, 2018-02) Telford, Lisa H.; Abdullahi, Leila H.; Ochodo, Eleanor A.; Zuhlke, Liesl; Engel, Mark E.
    Introduction Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is a preventable and treatable chronic condition which persists in many developing countries largely affecting impoverished populations. Handheld echocardiography presents an opportunity to address the need for more cost-effective methods of diagnosing RHD in developing countries, where the disease continues to carry high rates of morbidity and mortality. Preliminary studies have demonstrated moderate sensitivity as well as high specificity and diagnostic odds for detecting RHD in asymptomatic patients. We describe a protocol for a systematic review on the diagnostic performance of handheld echocardiography compared to standard echocardiography using the 2012 World Heart Federation criteria for diagnosing subclinical RHD. Methods and analysis Electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and EBSCOhost as well as reference lists and citations of relevant articles will be searched from 2012 to date using a predefined strategy incorporating a combination of Medical Subject Heading terms and keywords. The methodological validity and quality of studies deemed eligible for inclusion will be assessed against review specific Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 criteria and information on metrics of diagnostic accuracy and demographics extracted. Forest plots of sensitivity and specificity as well as scatter plots in receiver operating characteristic (ROC) space will be used to investigate heterogeneity. If possible, a meta-analysis will be conducted to produce summary results of sensitivity and specificity using the Hierarchical Summary ROC method. In addition, a sensitivity analysis will be conducted to investigate the effect of studies with a high risk of bias.
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    The use of supplementary immunisation activities to improve uptake of current and future vaccines in low-income and middle-income countries : a systematic review protocol
    (BMJ Publishing Group, 2014-01) Kagina, Benjamin M.; Wiysonge, Charles S.; Machingaidze, Shingai; Abdullahi, Leila H.; Adebayo, Esther; Uthman, Olalekan A.; Hussey, Gregory D.
    ENGLISH SUMMARY : Introduction: Immunisation coverage data in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) suggest that more strategies need to be implemented to achieve and sustain optimal vaccine uptake. Among possible strategies to improve immunisation coverage are supplementary immunisation activities (SIAs). We are therefore interested in conducting a systematic review to assess whether SIAs complement routine immunisation programmes to improve vaccination coverage and prevent disease outbreaks. Methods: Our systematic review will focus on studies conducted in LMICs. With the help of an information specialist, we will search for eligible studies in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Africa-Wide, Cochrane Library, WHOLIS, CINAHL, PDQ-Evidence as well as reference lists of relevant publications. Additionally, we will contact relevant organisations such as WHO and GAVI. Two authors will independently extract data from eligible studies and independently assess risk of bias by assessing the adequacy of study characteristics. The primary meta-analysis will use random effects models due to expected interstudies heterogeneity. Dichotomous data will be analysed using relative risk and continuous data using weighted mean differences (or standardised mean differences), both with 95% CIs. Discussion: The findings from this systematic review will be discussed in the context of strengthening routine childhood immunisation services, routine adolescent immunisation services and introduction of future vaccines against tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. Study strengths: Unbiased selection of many studies conducted in different settings. This will strengthen the validity of the review results. Study limitations: Heterogeneity of the study settings of the low-income, lower-middle-income and upper-middle-income countries as well as heterogeneity in study designs.