Operational research on malaria control and elimination: a review of projects published between 2008 and 2013.

Shui-Sen Zhou,Shui-Sen Zhou,Aafje Ec Rietveld,Andrew R Ramsay,Xiao-Nong Zhou,Richard E Cibulskis,Shao-Sen Zhang,Mar Velarde-Rodriguez

doi:10.1186/1475-2875-13-473

Shui-Sen Zhou, Shui-Sen Zhou + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-13-473

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Abstract

A literature review for operational research on malaria control and elimination was conducted using the term 'malaria' and the definition of operational research (OR). A total of 15 886 articles related to malaria were searched between January 2008 and June 2013. Of these, 582 (3.7%) met the definition of operational research. These OR projects had been carried out in 83 different countries. Most OR studies (77%) were implemented in Africa south of the Sahara. Only 5 (1%) of the OR studies were implemented in countries in the pre-elimination or elimination phase. The vast majority of OR projects (92%) were led by international or local research institutions, while projects led by National Malaria Control Programmes (NMCP) accounted for 7.8%. With regards to the topic under investigation, the largest percentage of papers was related to vector control (25%), followed by epidemiology/transmission (16.5%) and treatment (16.3%). Only 19 (3.8%) of the OR projects were related to malaria surveillance. Strengthening the capacity of NMCPs to conduct operational research and publish its findings, and improving linkages between NMCPs and research institutes may aid progress towards malaria elimination and eventual eradication world-wide.

Highlights

The past decade has seen tremendous progress in malaria control worldwide
Millions of people who are exposed to malaria risk still do not have access to preventive interventions such as insecticide-treated nets (ITNs); many febrile patients are still treated with antimalarial medicines without a confirmed malaria diagnosis; and malaria surveillance systems are estimated to detect only 14% of all malaria cases worldwide [1]
To gain a better understanding of the landscape of Operational research (OR) projects in malaria control and elimination, and to support OR agenda setting for malaria elimination, we conducted a systematic review of the malaria literature published over the past five years

Summary

Introduction

The past decade has seen tremendous progress in malaria control worldwide. Four countries have been certified in recent years as having eliminated malaria, and 19 countries are currently implementing pre-elimination or elimination phase. Despite this progress, millions of people who are exposed to malaria risk still do not have access to preventive interventions such as insecticide-treated nets (ITNs); many febrile patients are still treated with antimalarial medicines without a confirmed malaria diagnosis; and malaria surveillance systems are estimated to detect only 14% of all malaria cases worldwide [1]. Little attention has been given to what OR is being conducted that will help endemic countries progress from malaria control to elimination. To gain a better understanding of the landscape of OR projects in malaria control and elimination, and to support OR agenda setting for malaria elimination, we conducted a systematic review of the malaria literature published over the past five years

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