Measuring health facility readiness and its effects on severe malaria outcomes in Uganda

Sci Rep. 2018 Dec 18;8(1):17928. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-36249-8.

Abstract

There is paucity of evidence for the role of health service delivery to the malaria decline in Uganda We developed a methodology to quantify health facility readiness and assessed its role on severe malaria outcomes among lower-level facilities (HCIIIs and HCIIs) in the country. Malaria data was extracted from the Health Management Information System (HMIS). General service and malaria-specific readiness indicators were obtained from the 2013 Uganda service delivery indicator survey. Multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) was used to construct a composite facility readiness score based on multiple factorial axes. Geostatistical models assessed the effect of facility readiness on malaria deaths and severe cases. Malaria readiness was achieved in one-quarter of the facilities. The composite readiness score explained 48% and 46% of the variation in the original indicators compared to 23% and 27%, explained by the first axis alone for HCIIIs and HCIIs, respectively. Mortality rate was 64% (IRR = 0.36, 95% BCI: 0.14-0.61) and 68% (IRR = 0.32, 95% BCI: 0.12-0.54) lower in the medium and high compared to low readiness groups, respectively. A composite readiness index is more informative and consistent than the one based on the first MCA factorial axis. In Uganda, higher facility readiness is associated with a reduced risk of severe malaria outcomes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Capacity Building
  • Delivery of Health Care / organization & administration*
  • Health Facilities
  • Health Information Systems
  • Humans
  • Malaria / mortality*
  • Prognosis
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Uganda / epidemiology