Delay In Seeking Care Research Articles

Birth Preparation and Complication Readiness among Antenatal Care Attendants in Bule Hora Governmental Health Facilities in Oromia Region, Ethiopia, in 2019

Background & aim: Childbirth preparation has been globally supported as an important part of safe maternity program. Birth preparedness and complication readiness (BP and CR) aimed to reduce delays in seeking care, arrival, and care during childbirth and immediate postpartum period. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and practice of BP and CR, as well as its associated factors, among antenatal care attendants in Bule Hora town in the Oromia region in Ethiopia. Methods: This facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted within February to June 2019. A total of 272 women were selected using systematic sampling and interviewed by previously tested structured questionnaires. Data analyzed using Epi Info (version 6.4) and SPSS software (version 25) with binary logistic regression and multiple logistic regression analyses. Results: Out of 272 mothers, 46.3% practiced four or more BP and CR steps. Attendance in secondary school (OR=2.42; 95% CI: 1.73-5.48) and college or university (OR=4.12; 95% CI: 1.61-7.87), maternal occupation (OR=4.12; 95% CI: 2.64-9.69), having 1-3 (OR=1.49; 95% CI: 1.08-6.96) and higher than or equal to 4 prenatal visits (OR=3.54; 95% CI: 1.72-9.03), knowledge of main warning signs during pregnancy (OR=6.68, 95% CI: 4.80-11.77) and also during labor and childbirth (OR=4.54; 95% CI: 2.20-10.28), were independent predictors associated with BP and CR practice. Conclusion: The level of BP and CR among women in the study area was low. In general, policymakers and planners should improve BP and CR in women and provide pregnant women, their families, and communities with associated information.

Silver linings: Observed reductions in aggression and use of restraints and seclusion in psychiatric inpatient care during COVID-19.

Accessible SummaryWhat is known about the subject? In a survey conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the summer of 2020, 93% of countries worldwide acknowledged negative impacts on their mental health services.Previous research during the H1N1 pandemic in 2009 established an increase of patient aggression in psychiatric facilities. What the paper adds to existing knowledge? Despite expected worsening of mental health, our hospital observed reductions in aggressive behaviour among inpatients and subsequent use of coercive interventions by staff in the months following Covid‐19 pandemic restrictions being implemented.The downward trend in incidents observed during the pandemic has suggested that aggression in mental health hospitals may be more situation‐specific and less so a factor of mental illness. What are the implications for practice? We believe that the reduction in aggressive behaviour observed during the pandemic is related to changes in our organization that occurred in response to concerns about patient well‐being; our co‐design approach shifted trust, choice and power. Therefore, practices that support these constructs are needed to maintain the outcomes we experienced.Rather than return to normal in the wake of the pandemic, we are strongly encouraged to sustain the changes we made and continue to find better ways to support and work with the individuals who rely on or use our services. The global COVID‐19 pandemic has dramatically changed the operation of health care such that many services were put on hold as patients were triaged differently, people delayed seeking care, and transition to virtual care was enacted, including in psychiatric facilities. Most of the media dialogue has been negative; however, there have been some silver linings observed. Coinciding with the pandemic has been a reduction in aggressive incidents at our psychiatric hospital, along with the decreased need to use restraints and seclusion to manage behaviour. In this paper, we are taking stock of the changes that have occurred in response to the pandemic in an attempt to share our learnings and offer suggestions so that health care does not necessarily return to “normal”.

Association of psychological distress with reasons for delay in seeking medical care in rural patients with worsening heart failure symptoms.

The impact of depressive symptoms and anxiety on rural patients' decisions to seek care for worsening heart failure (HF) symptoms remains unknown. The purposes of this study were (1) to describe rural patients' reasons for delay in seeking care for HF, and (2) to determine whether depressive symptoms or anxiety was associated with patients' reasons for delay in seeking medical care for worsening symptoms. A total of 611 rural HF patients were included. Data on reasons for patient delay in seeking medical care (The Reasons for Delay Questionnaire), depressive symptoms (PHQ-9), and anxiety (BSI-ANX) were collected. Statistical analyses included chi-square and multiple regression. A total of 85.4% of patients reported at least 1 reason for delay. Patients with higher levels of depressive symptoms were more likely to cite embarrassment, problems with transportation, and financial concerns as a reason for delay. Patients with anxiety not only cited nonsymptom-related reasons but also reported symptom-related reasons for delay in seeking care (ie, symptoms seemed vague, not sure of symptoms, symptoms didn't seem to be serious enough, and symptoms were different from the last episode). In multiple regression, patients with greater depressive symptoms and anxiety had a greater number of reasons for delay in seeking care (P = .003 and P = .023, respectively). Our findings suggest that enhancement of patients' symptom appraisal abilities and improvement in psychological distress may result in a reduction in delay in seeking medical care for worsening symptoms in rural patients with HF.

Patients’ perceptions of receiving orthopaedic care during a pandemic: a patient survey

Background: Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has had a great effect on the health care landscape, including altering the availability and methods of orthopaedic care. There is little information regarding patients’ perceptions of orthopaedic care during the pandemic. This study was designed to assess patient concerns surrounding orthopaedic care and determine what areas can be addressed to optimize orthopaedic care during this pandemic. Methods: In the spring of 2020, during this study that was exempt from institutional review board (IRB) approval, a survey designed to evaluate the attitudes and beliefs from healthcare consumers about receiving care during the COVID-19 pandemic was sent to a group of panelists via email. Results: Three hundred sixty-six (31%) out of 1,200 individuals completed the survey. The majority of participants expressed they would feel comfortable receiving care in orthopaedic clinics (48% immediately, 36% in 1 to 3 mo) in the immediate or near future. Participants reported they were more comfortable seeking orthopaedic care at an orthopedic urgent care facility (8% not comfortable) versus an emergency room (41% not comfortable). When thinking about receiving care at orthopaedic clinics, participants were most concerned about the risks of getting sick from other patients (18% extremely, 26% very). Seventeen percent of respondents reported that despite having orthopaedic concerns, they delayed seeking care due to COVID-19. One-third of respondents expressed a desire to know what precautions were in place to ensure safety. Conclusions: Patients remained interested in receiving orthopaedic care in the midst of a pandemic. As a result, physicians need to ensure that they effectively communicate what safety precautions are in place and what additional infection prevention measures are available. Level of Evidence: Level IV.

A scoping review on barriers to case management of neonatal pneumonia in India

BackgroundNeonatal pneumonia is one of the leading factors contributing to neonatal mortality. The objective of this review was to identify the barriers associated with case management of neonatal pneumonia in India by conducting a scoping review. MethodsNine databases (PubMed, ProQuest, Ovid Medline, CINAHL, Web of Science, EMBASE, IndMED, SCOPUS and WHOLIS) were searched to identify relevant studies in India. The population of interest were neonates. Outcome of interest was barriers associated with case management of neonatal pneumonia. Data was charted and reported in accordance with the ‘guidance for conducting systematic scoping reviews’. ResultsFrom 5942 citations screened, 244 articles underwent full text screening and two studies with qualitative information met the eligibility criteria. Barriers were classified as patient-related, caregiver-related and healthcare delivery system-related. Delay in seeking care was due to spiritual healers being first point of contact in addition to traditional and home remedies tried by mothers at home and inaccessible healthcare mostly owing to healthcare delivery system were some of the major barriers associated with case management of neonatal pneumonia. ConclusionThis scoping review concludes that there is a paucity of studies on neonatal pneumonia in India particularly with respect to barriers to case management and that many of the barriers described here are applicable to a broad range of neonatal disease conditions which occur in the community and not just specific to neonatal pneumonia.

Delay in Seeking Institutional Delivery Service Utilization and Associated Factors Among Mothers Attending Jimma Medical Center, Jimma, Ethiopia.

BackgroundPregnancy and childbirth-related complications are unpredictable; however, it is preventable by timely care-seeking to obstetric care service.ObjectiveTo assess delay in seeking institutional delivery service utilization and associated factors among mothers attending Jimma medical center, Southwest Ethiopia.MethodsFacility-based cross-sectional study design was employed. The sample size was determined by a single population proportion formula. Data were collected from 405 mothers by face-to-face interview and entered using epi-data version 3.1, then exported to SPSS version 23 for analysis. Binary and multivariable logistic regression analysis with 95% CI for odds ratio (OR) was used to identify significant factors.ResultsThe prevalence of delay in seeking institutional delivery service utilization was 189 (46.7%). Husbands’ educational status was found to be significantly associated with a maternal delay in seeking care, (AOR= 4.9; 95% CI=2.1–11.3). Unemployed mothers and mothers with a low income had shown higher odds of delay (AOR= 6.0; 95% CI=1.7–21.2), (AOR=2.1; 95% CI=1.2–3.7) respectively. Similarly, mothers who live >10 kilometers from health facility delayed about 2times, (AOR=1.8; 95% CI= 1.0–3.2). Moreover, the likelihood of mothers with no antenatal care follow-up was found to have higher delay than mothers who have antenatal care follow-up (AOR =2.8; 95% CI =1.1–6.7).ConclusionDelay in seeking institutional delivery service was high. Factors such as the husband’s educational status, distance from the health facility, income, Antenatal care follow-up, and occupation of the mother were found significant factors of delay in seeking care. Therefore, it is important to reduce delay in seeking care for institutional delivery service utilization by working on barriers, plus empowering women, promoting antenatal care, and education.

Abstract P651: Should I Stay or Go: Seeking Stroke Care During Covid-19

Introduction: On March 16, 2020 San Diego County implemented a stay at home order in response to COVID-19 pandemic; followed by the state of California instituting a shelter in place order. Locally, San Diego County’s stroke receiving centers (SRC) determined a 30% drop in stroke code activations between March-April 2020 compared to the same time in 2019 indicating a possible delay in seeking care. Utilizing discharge data, we sought to understand the impact of the stay at home order on the timeliness of seeking care. Hypothesis: We hypothesized an increase in last known normal (LKN) to hospital arrival time and a decrease in alteplase (tPA) and endovascular therapy (EVT) treatment rates between March 16-June 30 2020 compared to March 16-June 30 2019. Methods: AIS patients presenting to one of 16 SRC in San Diego County between March 16-June 30 in 2019 and 2020, discharged from the hospital or treated in the ED and transferred to another facility were included. Patients arriving as transfers from another facility were excluded. Results: In 2019, of 1,342 AIS cases LKN time was recorded for 85.6% of cases; of 1,092 cases in 2020 86.4% of cases had a LKN. Average LKN to arrival was 20.5 hours in 2019 and 32.4 hours in 2020 (p = .001, 95% CI [4.79, 18.93]). In 2019, 209 (15.6%) received tPA and 91 (6.8%) had EVT. In 2020, 144 (13.2%) received tPA and 75 (6.9%) had EVT. Odds that a case in 2019 received tPA was 1.21 times that of cases in 2020 (p=.09). Odds that a case in 2019 had EVT was .99 times that of cases in 2020 (p=.93). Conclusion: Ischemic stroke patients arriving between March 16-June 30, 2020 had a longer LKN to arrival time compared to the same time frame in 2019. The longer time to arrival may have been due to patients waiting longer to seek care, as anecdotal information from patients eluded to. The odds of receiving tPA or EVT treatment in 2020 compared to 2019 were not statistically significant. This may be due to patients experiencing acute symptoms accessing healthcare at the same rate in 2020 as 2019. Analysis of percent of patients arriving within 4 hours of LKN and average NIHSS are important next steps to determine this. Regardless, during a time of community crisis, it is important to broadcast community messaging focusing on the importance of seeking emergency care for stroke-like symptoms.

Diagnostic Pathways and Delays in Initiation of Treatment among Newly Diagnosed Tuberculosis Patients in Ballabgarh, India.

A delay in diagnosis and initiation of treatment in patients with tuberculosis (TB) can affect the period of communicability and cost of treatment. We aimed to describe the diagnostic pathways and delays in initiation of treatment among drug-sensitive newly diagnosed TB patients in Ballabgarh, India. In May 2019, we interviewed 110 TB patients who were put on treatment in the past 2 months. It was a cross-sectional study where data collection was conducted by a physician. We used a structured questionnaire to collect the information on care-seeking practices, delays, and patient's cost. Descriptive analysis was carried out for the pathways, delays, and patient cost. The mean number of health facility contacted before the diagnosis of TB was 2.8 (SD: 1.3); 76% of patients first sought care at a private health facility. The median total delay was 34.5 (IQR: 21-60) days; median patient delay seven (IQR: 2-21) days, median health system delay 16 (IQR: 8-45) days, median diagnostic delay 32.5 (IQR: 18-57) days, and median treatment delay two (IQR: 1-3) days. Health system delay was 2.2 times longer than patient delay; the health system delay was primarily due to delay in diagnosis. Patients contacting private health facility first had 1.7 times total delay, 2.4 times longer health system delay, and 3.4 times of direct cost compared with patients contacting a public health facility first. Accelerated efforts are needed to achieve India's target to eliminate TB by 2025.

Pediatric asthma exacerbations during the COVID-19 pandemic: Absence of the typical fall seasonal spike in Washington, DC

Pediatric asthma exacerbations during the COVID-19 pandemic: Absence of the typical fall seasonal spike in Washington, DC

Pathways to service access for pre-eclampsia and eclampsia in rural Bangladesh: Exploring women's care-seeking.

While women in low- and middle-income countries face a range of barriers to accessing care for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, there is little understanding of the pathways taken to overcome these constraints and reach the services they need. This study explores the perspectives of women and communities on the influences that impact care-seeking decisions and pathways to health services. To understand individual perspectives, we conducted 22 in-depth interviews (IDIs) with pre-eclampsia and eclampsia survivors (PE/E) in a tertiary hospital, where they received care after initiating PE/E services in different parts of the country. In four districts, we conducted one male and one female focus group discussion (FGD) to unearth care-seeking pathways and explore normative perspectives and the range of internal and external influences. Careful thematic analysis using Atlas-ti was applied. Prevailing views of women and communities across settings in Bangladesh indicate varied pathways to care throughout their pregnancy, during childbirth, and in the postnatal period influenced by internal and external factors at the individual, familial, social, and health systems levels. Internal influences draw on women's own awareness of hypertension complications and options, and their ability to decide to seek care. External factors include social influences like family and community norms, culturally-accepted alternatives, and community perceptions of the health system's capacity to provide quality care. The interaction of these factors often delay care seeking and can lead to complex pathways to care. Women's individual pathways to care were diverse, despite the homogenous community perceptions of the influences on women's care-seeking behaviors. This finding supports the need for improving quality of care in primary healthcare facilities and strengthening gender equity and community-based promotion activities through targeted policy and programming.

Caries Temprana de la Infancia en la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires. Comparación de frecuencia en diferentes ámbitos de atención

Objetivos: Comparar la edad de primera consulta y la frecuencia de caries temprana de la infancia entre los pacientes que demandan atención en un servicio público arancelado y los que lo hacen en consultorios odontopediátricos privados en la misma zona geográfica. Material y Métodos: Diseño observacional retrospectivo. Fueron evaluadas todas las Historias Clínicas de los pacientes que concurrieron por primera vez a la Cátedra Odontología Integral Niños (G1) y a 2 consultorios privados (G2) durante el periodo enero-diciembre 2015. (Kappa > 0.83). De los menores de 6 años, los registros de edad de primera consulta, sexo y ceos fueron ingresados a una base de datos Excel para la obtención de los resultados expresados en porcentajes, medias y desvío estándar. Las comparaciones se realizaron utilizando ANOVA y Chi cuadrado. Resultados: La muestra total se conformó con 973 niños en G1 y 488 en G2, de 9,3±3,8 y 4,9±3 años respectivamente (p=0,000). Los menores de 6 años representaron el 16% (G1m) y 63,5% (G2m) (p=0,000). La edad fue de 51±14 y 39,5±13 meses (p=0,000); masculinos: 54,8% y 52,9% (p=0,41), ceos = 17,4±15,4 (12,5% ceos= 0) y = 0,45±1,6 (85,8% ceos=0) (p=0.000) y la frecuencia de caries temprana de la infancia fue de 87,5% (IC 79,5-93,2) y 2,26% (IC 0,90-4,60) (p= 0,000) para G1m y G2m respectivamente. Conclusiones: En el servicio público arancelado la consulta se realiza mayormente en forma tardía y los que la realizan a edades tempranas presentan severos índices de patología. Los pacientes con cobertura de salud demandan atención a edades tempranas con criterio preventivo.

Early neonatal death review from two provinces in Papua New Guinea: A retrospective analysis.

To determine the causes of early neonatal death and the avoidable factors associated with these deaths among women participating in a cluster-randomised crossover trial in Papua New Guinea. Early neonatal deaths were identified by retrospective chart review of the Women and Newborn Trial of Antenatal Interventions and Management study participants between July 2017 and January 2020. Causes of death and avoidable factors were identified using the Perinatal Problem Identification Program system. There were 35 early neonatal deaths among 2499 livebirths (14 per 1000 births). Fifty-seven percent (20/35) of deaths occurred on the first day of life. Idiopathic preterm birth was the leading obstetric cause of perinatal death (29%; 10/35). Extreme multi-organ immaturity (23%; 8/35) and hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (17%; 6/35) were the most common final causes of neonatal death. Forty-six avoidable factors were identified among 26 deaths, including delays in care-seeking, insufficient resources at health facilities, poor intrapartum care and immediate care of the newborn, including neonatal resuscitation. In this study, potentially preventable causes and avoidable factors were identified in the majority of early neonatal deaths. Addressing these factors will require health system strengthening, particularly the upskilling of primary level health staff, as well as targeted health education of women and the community.

Don't forget eclampsia in the efforts to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality

Hypertensive disorders are a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite advances in prevention and clinical management, women in low-resource countries continue to bear the burden of the sequelae of severe pre-eclampsia-eclampsia. Sustainable strategies to improve the care of women with hypertensive disease, to identify those at risk for hypertensive disease, and to reduce the risk of eclampsia will require partnerships between clinicians and health policy makers. Resources are needed to scale up healthcare access and infrastructure, establish evidence-based protocols for care, and ensure an adequate supply of equipment and drugs. Additionally, efforts for a sustained workforce of perinatal clinicians and staff trained in the assessment and management of hypertensive disease are needed. Effective postpartum care and monitoring are essential to prevent morbidity and mortality due to cardiovascular disease. Culturally appropriate strategies are needed to educate women and their families on the symptoms of pre-eclampsia to address delays in seeking care during pregnancy and postpartum. With targeted, sustained efforts and resources, eclampsia and its associated co-morbidities can be preventable.

Delay in seeking medical care for worsening heart failure symptoms: predictors and association with cardiac events.

The association of delay in seeking medical care to subsequent cardiac events remains unknown in patients with worsening heart failure (HF) symptoms. The aims of this study were to (i) identify factors predicting care-seeking delay and (ii) examine the impact of care-seeking delay on subsequent cardiac rehospitalization or death. We studied 153 patients hospitalized with an exacerbation of HF. Potential predictors of delay including demographic, clinical, psychosocial, cognitive, and behavioural variables were collected. Patients were followed for 3 months after discharge to determine time to the first cardiac rehospitalization or death. The median delay time was 134 h (25th and 75th percentiles 49 and 364 h). Non-linear regression showed that New York Heart Association functional class III/IV (P = 0.001), worse depressive symptoms (P = 0.004), better HF knowledge (P = 0.003), and lower perceived somatic awareness (P = 0.033) were predictors of delay time from patient perception of worsening HF to subsequent hospital admission. Cox regression revealed that patients who delayed longer (more than 134 h) had a 1.93-fold higher risk of experiencing cardiac events (P = 0.044) compared to non-delayers. Care-seeking delay in patients with worsening HF symptoms was significantly associated with an increased risk of rehospitalization and mortality after discharge. Intervention strategies addressing functional status, psychological state, cognitive and behavioural factors are essential to reduce delay and thereby improve outcomes.

English

BACKGROUND Dengue Fever is a major contributor to morbidity and mortality among all communicable diseases in Kerala. Delay in seeking care is significantly associated with complications. Understanding health seeking behaviour of persons with risk of infection, helps in improving health care delivery. METHODS A cross sectional study was done among 100 dengue fever patients listed under Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) of Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala state. Data regarding their health seeking behaviour during the course of the disease was collected using a structured questionnaire. RESULTS Inappropriate health seeking behaviour indicated by delay in seeking care and self medication was found in 22 % (95 % CI; 13.9 - 30.1) of subjects. Mean (SD) of delay in seeking health care was 3.01 (1.3) days. Treatment was initiated from government health facility by 63 % of patients. Primary level health care facility was sought by 61 % patients whereas 30 % opted for a secondary level facility. Proximity of the location of health facility to the patient’s dwelling was the factor influencing choice of treatment facility in 70 % of patients, followed by perceived quality of facility (15 %) and patient perceived competency of the physician (9 %). Male gender (p = 0.03) and educational status less than secondary level (p = 0.008) were significant risk factors for self-medication and delay in seeking health care. CONCLUSIONS Inappropriate health seeking behaviour in patients with suspected Dengue Fever is comparatively less in Kerala. Majority are seeking care from Government facilities and access to health care is influencing health seeking behaviour. Awareness generation in general and specific interventions targeting those with lower education status can further improve health seeking behaviour and reduce complications of dengue. KEYWORDS Health Seeking Behaviour, Dengue Fever, Self-Medication, Delay in Seeking Care, Healthcare Access, Kerala

Delays in presentation of intussusception and development of gangrene in Zimbabwe.

Introductionprompt diagnosis and treatment are considered key to successful management of intussusception. We examined pre-treatment delay among intussusception cases in Zimbabwe and conducted an exploratory analysis of factors associated with intraoperative finding of gangrene.Methodsdata were prospectively collected as part of the African Intussusception Network using a questionnaire administered on consecutive patients with intussusception managed at Harare Children´s Hospital. Delays were classified using the Three-Delays-Model: care-seeking delay (time from onset of symptoms to first presentation for health care), health-system delay (referral time from presentation to first facility to treatment facility) and treatment delay (time from presentation at treatment facility to treatment).Resultsninety-two patients were enrolled from August 2014 to December 2016. The mean care-seeking interval was 1.9 days, the mean health-system interval was 1.5 days, and the mean treatment interval was 1.1 days. Mean total time from symptom onset to treatment was 4.4 days. Being transferred from another institution added 1.4 days to the patient journey. Gangrene was found in 2 (25%) of children who received treatment within 1 day, 13 (41%) of children who received treatment 2-3 days, and 26 (50%) of children who received treatment more than 3 days after symptom onset (p = 0.34).Conclusionsignificant care-seeking and health-system delays are encountered by intussusception patients in Zimbabwe. Our findings highlight the need to explore approaches to improve the early diagnosis of intussusception and prompt referral of patients for treatment.

Cervical Cancer- Care Delayed-Care Denied and Death Invited

With about 78 billion global population, in 2020, 19 million new cancers and nearly 1 million deaths due to all types estimated to occur. Cervical cancer does not figure in top 5 most common cancers in both sexes globally, but with 6.5% incidence it forms the fourth top among women worldwide. The cancer registry data across the country in India with simple average of the most recent local rates applied to 2020 population estimates a figure of 1324413 cases and 851678 in 2020 and cumulative prevalence around 2.7 million cases in last 5 years of all categories of cancers in India. Cervical cancers in India account for 10% of all cancers in both sexes and about 18% of cancers among women in India as per the international agency for Cancer Research. Nearly one-third of the global cervical cancer deaths occur in India. It is a preventable condition as it has a long precancerous stage amenable for screening and treating. Cervical cancer Cervix uteri is no 3 with about 123 907 cases (9.45) next only to Breast and Oral cancers with a 2.01 cumulative risk. Cervical cancer death risk as 60000 women die annually. While the incidence and mortality rates of cervical cancer in the world are 13.1/ and 6.9/ per lakh population, in India, it is estimated to be 14.7/and 9.2/ per lakh population. Resulting in about 96,922 new cervical cancer cases and 60,078 deaths ranking second among women cancers. The incidence varies within Indian population basically due to ggeographical and socio-economic disparities in screening practices and care seeking practices across the districts of India. Epidemiologically the symptoms are mild and mimic a venereal disease of low infectiousness and therefore delay in seeking care and reporting at a time when the prognosis is poor. The 5-year survival rate is around 76.0% for those aged ≤50 years with much poorer survival among cases with involvement lymph nodes. We present one such case of a 45 year’s old rural women reporting on 4th May 2021 with symptoms vaginal bleeding, back pain, urine leakage & pelvic pain since 2 months to a gynecologic oncology service at a cancer hospital & research center, Bangalore. She had the history of taking treatment for another 2 months earlier from a traditional healer with no progress. She had consulted a family doctor first who referred her to the Cancer hospital. After an evaluation for abnormal vagina bleeding, cervical biopsies that demonstrated invasive adenocarcinoma of the cervix (Stage IV B CA Cervix) the diagnosis was confirmed. Since it was in an advanced stage, a palliative management including radiation therapy for control of bleeding & pain, and systemic chemotherapy for disseminated disease was opted. After 22 days of treatment she got discharged along with medications prescribed Inj. Amikacin 100mg IV OD, Inj. Pantoprazole 40mg IV OD, DNS which was given by the local doctor. But there was no progress and finally she died on 17th June 2021 after 23 days of discharge. This case emphasizes the need for early care seeking behavior, regular screening for all women over 35-45 years and HPV vaccination for adolescent girls in India.

Delays during emergency obstetric care and their determinants among mothers who gave birth in South Gondar zone hospitals, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study design

ABSTRACT Background The majority of maternal deaths occur during delivery and the immediate postnatal period as a result of delays in seeking care, failure to reach health institutions, and receiving inappropriate health care. In developing countries, delayed access to timely healthcare contributes to high maternal mortality and morbidity. Objective This study aimed to assess the delays during emergency obstetric care and associated factors with delays during emergency obstetric care. Method A cross-sectional study design was conducted. We chose five hospitals at random in the South Gondar zone, Ethiopia. Face-to-face Interviews were conducted with 459 participants using a systematic sampling technique. For this analysis, bi-variable and multivariable logistic regression models were used. The Adjusted Odds Ratio was used to determine the statistical association with delays during emergency obstetric care at p-value <0.05 with a 95% confidence interval. Results The proportion of delays during emergency obstetric care were found to be 59.7% in this study. The respondents’ mean age was 27.23 years old, with a standard error of 5.67. Pregnant mothers living in the rural areas (AOR: 4.1, 95%, CI: 2.36 to 6.25), no ANC visit (AOR: 1.8, 95% CI: 1.32 to 3.18), uneducated women (AOR: 4.6, 95% CI: 2.45 to 8.59) and referral to a higher level of care (AOR: 2.7, 95% CI: 1.60 to 4.44), were all significantly associated with delay. Conclusion Delay during emergency obstetric care was found to be 59.7 percent. Rural residency, absence of ANC visit, uneducated mothers, and referred mothers from one level to the next level of care were factors that contributed to delays in emergency obstetric care in the study area.

Epidemiology of intussusception among infants in Togo, 2015-2018.

Introductionintussusception is the leading cause of bowel obstruction in infants and young children. We describe the epidemiology and diagnostic and treatment characteristics of intussusception among Togolese infants over a 4-year period.Methodswe implemented active surveillance among infants younger than 1 year of age admitted with intussusception from 2015 to 2018 at Sylvanus Olympio Teaching Hospital and in 2018 at Campus Teaching Hospital. Brighton Collaboration Level 1 case definition criteria were used to confirm the diagnosis of intussusception.Resultsduring four years, 41 cases of intussusception, with an annual range of 8 to 14 cases (median: 10) were reported; and the highest number of cases (89%) was enrolled at Sylvanus Olympio teaching hospital. Intussusception was uncommon in the first 2 months of life, peaked from 5 to 7 months old (63%), with male predominance (63%), and showed no significant seasonality. One third of cases (34%) were transferred to the sentinel surveillance site from another health facility; and the median delay in seeking care was 4 days (range: 0-11) with ≥ 48-hour delay in 59% of cases. Clinical symptoms, ultrasound and surgery were combined to diagnose intussusception in all the cases (100%). The treatment was exclusively surgical, and intestinal resection was common (28/41, 68%). A high case fatality rate (23%) was observed and the average length of hospital stay was 10 days (range: 1-23).Conclusionactive surveillance for intussusception in Togo has highlighted exclusive use of surgical therapy; often associated to an intestinal resection with a very high case fatality rate.

Co-editors' notes

Co-editors' notes